The U.S. bishops have thanked organizations and entities for their
courage in fighting a federal contraception mandate that forces
employers to pay for services that violate their religious beliefs.
“Catholics in America have long been advocates for religious liberty,
and we continue to affirm this basic right today,” said Archbishop
William E. Lori of Baltimore.
“We have consistently supported the rights of individuals not to act
against their religious beliefs or moral convictions, especially when
individuals seek to protect the dignity of human life,” he added.
Archbishop Lori serves as the chair of the U.S. Bishops' Ad Hoc
Committee for Religious Liberty, and issued the statement in his
capacity as spokesman for the bishops on the subject.
In January 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a
mandate requiring all health care providers to provide and pay for
contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs – even if
the employer or insurance provider has deeply-held beliefs preventing
the provision of these products and procedures.
Over the course of 2012 and 2013, the Obama administration has offered a
series of proposed modifications that offer exemption for “religious
employers” and other proposals that clarify who qualifies as a
“religious employer.”
Archbishop Lori acknowledged these motions towards compromise and said
that “this small, incremental step is welcomed.” He added, however, that
“most of the serious problems with the definition and mandate remain,
and so we will continue our vigorous efforts to correct those remaining
flaws.”
He explained the extent of the Catholic expression of faith and the
full extent of religious freedom, saying that “in our Catholic
tradition, the right to religious freedom proceeds from the inherent
dignity of each and every human person.”
“Accordingly, our concern for religious freedom extends well beyond our own ministries of service,” the archbishop added.
The public has also had an opportunity to submit comments on the
mandate and proposed exemptions. The topic has garnered more than
150,000 official comments – more than any other U.S. regulatory
proposal. The comment period closes April 8 at midnight.
Currently there are scores of lawsuits against the mandate and proposed
modifications, including those from Catholic dioceses around the
country, religious non-profit organizations such as universities,
hospitals and charities, and for-profit companies that reflect their
owners’ religious belief through their operation.
“We continue to pray for the success of all of these lawsuits,” said
the archbishop, thanking all those “who have challenged the HHS mandate
in federal courts around our country over the last year.”
“Their goal is nothing less than securing the freedom of the Church to
continue to obey the Lord’s command – and, in turn, to serve the common
good – by providing charitable ministries in health care, education, and
service to the poor, all without compromising Catholic beliefs,” said
Archbishop Lori of the Catholic groups filing suit.
The archbishop also expressed “solidarity and appreciation as well for
those in the business sector who have courageously challenged the HHS
mandate in court.”
He added that the U.S. Bishops “note that their actions have been a
source of encouragement, particularly because of their high rate of
success in obtaining early injunctions to block the mandate.”
Archbishop Lori concluded by saying he “would like to urge all people
of good will to pray that our leaders, and all people of this great
country, will promote and protect religious liberty and its fundamental
place in society.”