Today, Catholic Advocate joined with the Media Research Center and other Catholic leaders to raise concerns about the media’s coverage of the unprecedented lawsuits filed earlier this week to defend our religious liberties.
Alexandria, VA – Nine prominent Catholic leaders have joined the Media Research Center to voice outrage over the broadcast networks deliberately withholding news of the momentous 43 Catholic entities suing the Obama administration for violating their religious freedoms. They represent major organizations including the Acton Institute, Cardinal Newman Society, SBA List, the Catholic League and others. More are coming in every hour. (more…)
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, talks to CBS This Morning’s Charlie Rose and Erica Hill about the lawsuit filed by 43 Catholic organizations over the Obama administration violating our religious liberties.
Then White House Press Secretary Jay Carney responded to Cardinal Dolan’s comments by continuing to misstate how the mandate affects Catholic institutions omitting the impact on self-insured entities and how policies are written.
In this morning’s Wall Street Journal, former Ambassador to the Vatican and Harvard Law School Professor Mary Ann Glendon explains:
“The main goal of the contraception mandate is not to protect women’s health. It is a move to conscript religious organizations into a political agenda.”
This week Catholic bishops are heading to federal courts across the country to defend religious liberty. On Monday they filed 12 lawsuits on behalf of a diverse group of 43 Catholic entities that are challenging the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) sterilization, abortifacient and birth-control insurance mandate. (more…)
The news in the Catholic Church today centers around the 43 entities filing lawsuits against the HHS mandate announced earlier this year. In an unprecedented move, diocese, organizations, and universities from across the Catholic spectrum filed 12 different lawsuits in federal courts around the country defending our religious liberties.
This move is not surprising. The unity of Catholic institutions is encouraging. In response, Cardinal Dolan issued the following statement praising the coordinated response:
Cardinal Dolan Applauds Church Agencies As They Challenge HHS For Violating Religious Freedom
With time running out, dioceses, agencies resort to the courts
Church united in defense of religious liberty
Diversity of church ministries at stake
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in a May 21 statement applauded 43 dioceses, hospitals, schools and church agencies for filing 12 lawsuits around the nation saying the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate violates religious freedom.
His statement follows.
“We have tried negotiation with the Administration and legislation with the Congress – and we’ll keep at it – but there’s still no fix. Time is running out, and our valuable ministries and fundamental rights hang in the balance, so we have to resort to the courts now. Though the Conference is not a party to the lawsuits, we applaud this courageous action by so many individual dioceses, charities, hospitals and schools across the nation, in coordination with the law firm of Jones Day. It is also a compelling display of the unity of the Church in defense of religious liberty. It’s also a great show of the diversity of the Church’s ministries that serve the common good and that are jeopardized by the mandate – ministries to the poor, the sick, and the uneducated, to people of any faith or no faith at all.”
Today 12 of the nation’s leading pro-family advocacy groups submitted a letter to the leadership of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives calling for them to act immediately to stop the massive expansion of internet gambling enabled by Attorney General Holder’s surprise reinterpretation of the Wire Act.
The letter begins: “Six years ago, Congress voted overwhelmingly to protect vulnerable communities within our country as well as the integrity of professional sports by stopping the expansion of gambling on the internet. Unfortunately Congress’ clear intent in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is now under assault and we are writing to urge you to work once again to protect those most at risk from the proliferation of illegal internet gambling.”
The letter was signed by American Values, Eagle Forum, Family Research Council Action, WallBuilders, Religious Freedom Coalition, Christian Coalition, Catholic Advocate, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Let Freedom Ring, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, 60 Plus Association, and Concerned Women for America. It was sent today to Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, Senate Republican Leader McConnell, and Senate Republican Whip Kyl. (more…)
Franciscan University of Steubenville becomes the first Catholic institution forced to drop their campus health insurance coverage. In a post on their website, Franciscan sites the violation of our religious liberties and additional new requirements which would double premiums.
Franciscan University might be the first but they will certainly not be the last.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, delivered the Catholic University of America 123rd Annual Commencement Address on May 12, 2012. Video of his remarks is available on Catholic University’s website. We have provided the transcript here with several excellent sections in bold. (more…)
The Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. has weighed in on Georgetown University inviting Secretary Sebelius as a participant in an event affiliated with their commencement activities this weekend.
Below is the editorial published in the latest issue of the Catholic Standard.
Editorial: “Disappointed But Not Surprised”
Late last Friday, Georgetown University announced that U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is the featured speaker for an awards ceremony at the University’s Public Policy Institute. This news is a disappointment but not a surprise. (more…)
Recent Comments