The General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed a brief amicus curiae, January 8, in the Zubik v. Burwell case now before the U.S. Supreme Court on the question of the contraceptive mandate of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The brief arg
I read the Catechism of the Catholic Church with a dictionary close at hand. The section about prayer (CCC 2613) uses the word “importunate” to describe two parable characters: The first, “the importunate friend,” invites us to urgent prayer: “Knock and it will be op
Catholics across Pennsylvania are taking their usual Lenten Friday practices one step further today. Earlier this month, the Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania issued a letter requesting that all Catholics dedicate the regular Lenten Friday practice of prayer and abstinence from meat as
SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS IN SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY HERE. On February 10, the Obama Administration announced some adjustments to the HHS mandate in an attempt to assuage the valid concerns raised by hundreds of thousands of Americans over the past two weeks. However, the origin
The U.S. Senate’s 51-48 vote March 1 to table the bipartisan Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S. 1467), sponsored by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and 37 other senators, impels the Church to strengthen its resolve to support religious freedom. Both of Pennsylvania’s Senators Pa
Exaggerations and outright misrepresentations about the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate have been appearing in White House “fact sheets” and mainstream media. The Catholic News Service addresses some of the more frequently cited claims
September 30 marked the end of the public comment period on the “preventive services” mandate from the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which fails to provide conscience protection and requires private health plans to cover female surgical sterilization and contra
We’ve been posting about the Department of Health and Human Services insurance mandate, which threatens rights of conscience and religious freedom, over the past few weeks. Here is the latest, from the USCCB: