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| Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
It is important for you to know that the federal government has just dealt a heavy blow to 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.
By this ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. Unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled to violate our consciences or drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). The Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.
We cannot and will not comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom.
In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.
And therefore, I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible. Second, I recommend visiting www.usccb.org/conscience, to learn more about this severe assault on religious liberty, and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Administration’s decision.
Thank you for all you do to build the Church and society.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend John G. Vlazny
Archbishop of Portland in Oregon
The Catholic Church is being "Legislated" into providing Birth Control, abortion, and sterilization services to employees of the Church. This, according to the provisions of 'ObamaCare' and according to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius.
Haven't I heard SOMETHING about "The Separation of Church and State" for my entire life? Yes, I believe that I have. So what's this crap that the Catholic Church needs to provide services for its employees, which are diametrically opposed to the teachings OF the Catholic Church?
Let me ask you this: "Is the Separation of Church and State only applicable when the Church undercuts the authority of the State? Or, perhaps, when a stray manger or something looking even close to a 'Cross-shaped object' shows up on public land?"
Does this mean that the oft-referenced mantra of the Left (separation of yada, yada, yada), is then, at best, '50% Universal' in scope? Or, could it be also then be fairly said that the support is 100% in favor of the Federal Government's "Whim Du Jour"?
I'm sure that the Most Reverend John G. Vlazny put a lot of time into drafting his letter above. I'm not going to try to restate that which he so eloquently spoke of above. I have neither the patience, nor the desire, to be as thoughtful and well-spoken as he is.
This government was founded upon a belief that there IS a God. Our currency includes the words, "In God We Trust". This is NOT an accident, not a 'typo', or random act of literary license. It was an expression of one of our most basic tenets of our Nation's founding. There was a period of time in our history when MOST Americans believed that the Great American Experiment was undertaken with the blessings of God. This, of course, is back when we, as a Nation, believed in God.
Just lately, I wonder - does God still believe in US?
As for myself, I believe that the Federal Government believes neither in God, nor US (you can read the latter expression to stand for either 'the United States', OR us, as in, you know, the pronoun for you, I, and everyone else we know.) The Federal Government, Obama Administration, Kathleen Sebelius, et al, have broken the trust given to them by US.
I've told my kids for years that trust is similar to a bank account. They can make deposits daily to the 'Trust Fund' when they are truthful, honest, and when they act consistent with their core beliefs. However, much like a bank account, withdrawals can also be made through a breach of trust, a lie, or a misrepresentation of the facts. If we were to break open the Obama Administration's 'Trust Fund', I suspect that we would find it bankrupt - both financially and morally. A mirror image of the contents of the vacuous mass's soul currently inhabiting the White House.
In this, as with so many other instances, the Administration has squandered the trust given to it by the American people less than four years ago. This Administration has chosen to go into the 2012 Election Year picking a fight with Catholics and people of Faith across the Nation?
Smooth move Ex-Lax...
Kathleen Sebelius may answer to President Obama as her, "Higher Authority", but so help me God, there'll be much for all of the President's Men and Women to answer for in November, 2012.
Yeah, so help me God.
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