On January 18, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the formation of a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Below are excerpts from a press release issued by the HHS. From the HHS – The Conscience and Religious F

Human Life Action has issued this action alert to contact Congress: We have an opportunity to encourage the Senate to restore the states’ ability to stop some of the federal funding to Planned Parenthood. As you know, a river of federal money currently runs to the nation’s largest abo

  Bishop Gainger’s Op-Ed Originally appeared in the Lancaster Sunday News The Lancaster County countryside tells a remarkable story of religious liberty. The landscape is still dotted with evidence of the brave men and women who risked everything to escape religious persecu

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 110-page ruling on its  health care mandate requires time for analysis, said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Cardinal Dolan also expressed gratitude  for the five-mon

For 50 years, the Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association (PCHA) has defended conscience rights for individuals and Catholic health care institutions. Among PCHA’s achievements are its contribution to the passage of the Pennsylvania Religious Freedom Protection Act and prevention of

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and the Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association have submitted official comments to HHS in opposition to the proposed rule to force Catholic employers to violate their conscience. Sr. Clare Christi Schiefer, O.S.F., president of PCHA, writes, R

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association submitted comments today voicing their objections to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on preventative services. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department rule mandates health insurance plans

On Monday, May 21, the Diocese of Erie and the Diocese of Pittsburgh filed separate federal lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the HHS mandate that would require nearly all religious organizations to cover abortion causing drugs, sterilization and contraception in health ca

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

Archbishop Charles Chaput writes about religious freedom in his most recent column: “On Thursday, April 12, America’s bishops issued one of their most important statements in years. Our First, Most Cherished Liberty is not just a compelling defense of religious freedom. It’s als