Over 500 Demand Religious Freedom in Birmingham, Alabama
Posted by Jim Pinto (June 8, 2012 at 5:53 pm)
Over 500 attendees were present in historic Kelly Ingram Park today in opposition of the Obama Administration’s HHS Mandate, set to be ruled on by the Supreme Court at the end of the month. Speakers at the rally included Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, who has led the state in a federal lawsuit against the Mandate.
Joining Strange were EWTN CEO and President, Michael Warsaw who has been at the forefront of the battle by making the largest Catholic Christian network in the world the first Catholic institution to file suit against the Obama Administration.
Stange and Warsaw were flanked by various local and national religious leaders in the Birmingham community including Mrs. Eunie Smith, President of the Eagle Forum of Alabama and representing the Southern Baptist Convention,Rev. Paul Hughes, Birmingham Prayer Furnace, Rev. Bishop Demetrics Roscoe, Pastor of Living Church Ministries, Very Rev. Fr. Kevin Bazzel JCL, Rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul, Birmingham, Rev. Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA, EWTN priest, Cheryl Ciamarra of Alabama Citizens for Life and Jim Pinto, local and national pro-life leader and EWTN radio host.
The Attorney General vowed that he is “in the fight” and will not allow government to interfere in the homes of citizens wanting to practice their individual faith. Strange laid the foundation of his speech saying that the battle was “not about contraceptives, but about constitutional freedoms.”
Preceding the Attorney General was the President & CEO of EWTN, Michael Warsaw, who stated that “much prayer was needed now” that both lawsuits from EWTN and the State of Alabama are now joined with several Catholic dioceses and organizations opposed to the Mandate, but encouraged the crowd to remain vigilant.
Most local media covered the event, in addition to EWTN. Jim Pinto, local campaign leader for the event and host of EWTN’s At Home With Jim and Joy spoke to the hundreds gathered reminding them of the great possibility of the “largest civil rights protest in the land” about to ensue. Pinto told the crowd that ” the government we both love and cherish has now issued a decree to violate our most sacred of places, our consciences.”
The rally began and concluded with prayer and dispersed to the anthem of “God Bless America.”
After seeing the turnout during the rally, things are really looking hopeful especially because of the kind of support that federal officials and religious leaders have shown for this cause. Hopefully, the law suit against the HHS mandate will be successful in protecting the peoples’ religious rights.
June 12th, 2012 at 12:00 am