This weekend the following message from Bishop Joe Vasquez was read at all Masses in the Austin Diocese. So if you missed it or went to Mass out of town give it a read…
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith. The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population—and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees’ health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.
Read the rest of the letter here…
Also Cardinal-Designate Dolan of New York addressed the HHS Mandate with the following video.
Archbishop Dolan address the HHS Mandate
And I think the following tweet pretty much sums this all up…
In my opinion the current Administration has greatly underestimated our Bishops. I am proud that our leaders have taken a stand and said very loudly that we will not stand for this. Now it’s up to the rest of us. We must make sure that we are supporting our Bishops and Church leaders with our prayers and in any other way that we might feel God is calling us to do.
I for one will be stand by our Bishops.
Additional Responses:
Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh – “To Hell With You”
USCCB – http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/conscience-protection/index.cfm
