It’s come to this.
An American Archbishop, in a last-ditch effort to stop the Regime from persecuting Christians, called upon Congress in a Baltimore Sun oped, to pass legislation to protect faith-based non-profits – and do it now – before they’re financially ruined by having to pay the onerous fines.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, the chairman of the religious liberty committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, declares, “the freedom of religion cannot be reduced to the freedom of worship.”
This resonates with the rich tradition of religious liberty in our country, which has long allowed Catholics and other people of faith to live out their beliefs beyond the sanctuary, whether by healing the sick, educating the young or feeding and clothing the poor.
But a mandate of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) now jeopardizes these important ministries — health care, education, and social services — by forcing them to participate in covering drugs and devices that violate Catholic teaching. The mandate was enforced against some ministries beginning January 1.
In order to protect their freedom to serve, many Catholic dioceses and their non-profit ministries took the difficult step of filing federal lawsuits in courts around the country. Most of those results have been encouraging.
Lori argues that by burdening religious exercise with onerous fines, the mandate also harms those we serve, and in turn, the common good.
Almost certainly, the Supreme Court will find the mandate illegal. But in the meantime, the Archbishop notes, “the government can start enforcing the mandate now on those faith-based non-profits that haven’t gotten relief from the courts.”
He says, the time is now, “for Congress to act to at least delay, if not lift altogether, this onerous burden from our ministries.”
All this, so the Democrats can have their “War on Women” narrative for the 2014 elections. Pitiful.
Hat Tip: Frank Weathers
Linked by Liberty’s Torch, thanks!
Nice Deb 