Posted by Matt Yonke (December 4, 2013 at 1:59 pm)
In light of the US Supreme Court’s recent announcement that it will hear the Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood v. Sebelius cases concerning the HHS Mandate, the University of Notre Dame has re-filed their case against the Mandate.
University president Fr. John Jenkins said in a press release:
Our abiding concern in both the original filing of May 21, 2012, and this re-filing has been Notre Dame’s freedom—and indeed the freedom of many religious organizations in this country—to live out a religious mission. We have sought neither to prevent women from having access to services, nor even to prevent the government from providing them.
Posted by Matt Yonke (November 26, 2013 at 12:18 pm)
The US Supreme Court announced today that they will hear two critical cases in the fight against the HHS Mandate.
The two cases represent two sides of the issue. Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius, filed by Mennonite cabinet makers, is a case brought by a private business against the government, while Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., regarding the well known craft store chain, is a case brought by the government against a private business.
It is our hope that by taking both of these cases, it is a sign of the Supreme Court’s intention to take a thorough review of the Mandate and its implications. [Continue reading …]
Posted by Matt Yonke (November 18, 2013 at 10:01 am)
Last week, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) met in Washington DC for their annual General Assembly.
At the close of their meeting, the Bishops issued public statement, re-affirming their opposition to President Obama’s HHS Mandate:
Beginning in March 2012, in United for Religious Freedom, we identified three basic problems with the HHS mandate: it establishes a false architecture of religious liberty that excludes our ministries and so reduces freedom of religion to freedom of worship; it compels our ministries to participate in providing employees with abortifacient drugs and devices, sterilization, and contraception, which violates our deeply-held beliefs; and it compels our faithful people in business to act against our teachings, failing to provide them any exemption at all.
Despite our repeated efforts to work and dialogue toward a solution, those problems remain. Not only does the mandate undermine our ministries’ ability to witness to our faith, which is their core mission, but the penalties it imposes also lay a great burden on those ministries, threatening their very ability to survive and to serve the many who rely on their care.
Read the full statement at the USCCB website, and let’s continue to uphold in prayer the US bishops and all those leading the fight for our religious liberty!
Today the Supreme Court begins a new term in which it may hear two cases related to the HHS Mandate.
Between this and the turmoil in Washington over funding Obamacare, today seems like a good day to take stock of the landscape in the ongoing legal challenges against the Mandate.
Of the 35 for-profit businesses that have brought lawsuits against the HHS Mandate so far, 30 have received temporary injunctions. This means that they do not have to obey the HHS Mandate while their case is pending. This kind of relief is typically granted when a judge believes they have a good chance of winning their case, which makes those numbers a very good sign. [Continue reading …]
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops is sponsoring another Fortnight for Freedom this year from June 21 to July 4, in response to the still looming threats to our religious freedom like the HHS Mandate.
From Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine and all points in between, dioceses across the country will be encouraging prayer and action to bring awareness to this crucial issue.
The bishops have asked for the assistance of the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Coalition and we are very excited to offer our resources to assist with the planning and execution of any rallies that may be held during the Fortnight.
Our national team can help with plans for a rally your diocese is hosting, or help connect you with the right people in your diocese to get one going if none is yet planned.
You can find a full list of diocesan events around the country right here, and if you’d like the Stand Up Coalition’s assistance with an event near you, send us a message on our contact form.
You’ve got till midnight tonight to let the administration know that you believe forcing business owners to provide contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs as part of their health plans is a gross violation of our First Amendment rights.
This issue has elicited more feedback than any other item, don’t leave your voice out of the conversation! Planned Parenthood and their cronies are pushing their forces to speak up in favor of the Mandate, so get a move on! And be sure to tell all your friends to do the same via e-mail and your social networks.
Don’t let this last chance to speak up pass you by! Make your voice heard right here and stand up for religious freedom today!
Today we see a huge victory for the protection of our First Amendment rights as a direct outgrowth of last year’s Stand Up for Religious Freedom rally effort as protesters whose rights were violated at the June Rally in Dayton, Ohio are vindicated and free speech is protected.
At the June 8 Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally in Dayton, Ohio, Sinclair Community College campus police told participants that they had to put down their “Stand Up for Religious Freedom” and “Stop Obama’s HHS Mandate” signs because of the school’s speech code which outrageously banned all signs because they could potentially be used as weapons.
I remember clearly when Eric Scheidler received a phone call from Bryan Kemper of Stand True Ministries, one of the speakers at the rally, during our own Rally in Chicago. Bryan and Rally Captain Ruth Deddens were shocked that police were asking them to put down signage during a First Amendment Rally! [Continue reading …]
Posted by Matt Yonke (February 7, 2013 at 4:06 pm)
Cardinal Timothy Dolan has released a statement today on behalf of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops declaring that, as things stand, President Obama’s recent “accommodation” policy regarding the HHS Mandate will not satisfy the USCCB’s concerns about religious liberty.
Dolan listed three key areas of concern: the narrow understanding of a religious ministry; compelling church ministries to fund and facilitate services such as contraceptives, including abortion-inducing drugs, and sterilization that violate Catholic teaching; and disregard of the conscience rights of for-profit business owners. These are the same concerns articulated by the USCCB Administrative Committee in its March 2012 statement, United for Religious Freedom.
From his statement:
The Administration’s proposal maintains its inaccurate distinction among religious ministries. It appears to offer second-class status to our first-class institutions in Catholic health care, Catholic education, and Catholic charities. HHS offers what it calls an “accommodation,” rather than accepting the fact that these ministries are integral to our Church and worthy of the same exemption as our Catholic churches.
Despite the fact the accommodation amounts to nothing more than the same shell game the administration has been playing since the Mandate was first announced, the bishops have remained steadfast in their commitment to work with the administration until a compromise that truly respects religious liberty can be reached.
Read Dolan’s full statement right here and check back to this blog for more as the situation develops.
Posted in News and Commentary | Comments Off on Cardinal Dolan Speaks Out on HHS Mandate Accommodation
Posted by Matt Yonke (January 4, 2013 at 10:18 am)
Facebook user Joe Grabowski has declared tomorrow, Saturday, January 5 Standing with Hobby Lobby Day in solidarity with their courageous stand against the HHS Mandate.
Hobby Lobby has been denied an injunction while their lawsuit against the Mandate is being tried and could face $1.3 million in fines per day for their refusal to comply. Standing with Hobby Lobby day encourages everyone who supports that stand to shop at Hobby Lobby tomorrow. Here’s the description from the Facebook event page:
On Saturday, January 5th, all Americans who value freedom of religion and oppose the HHS Mandate’s unfair impositions upon religious individuals and corporate entities are called upon to show their support for Hobby Lobby by shopping either at their local retail Hobby Lobby store or online.
Over 32,000 have already joined the event online. You can join the event on Facebook here and find your closest Hobby Lobby store here.
Courageous businesses like Hobby Lobby need our support. Their lawsuits could be our last chance to undo President Obama’s pernicious HHS Mandate. Stand up for religious freedom and stand with Hobby Lobby tomorrow!
Triune Health Group, a Chicago-based health management company, has become the tenth plaintiff to receive a temporary injunction ruling that they do not need to obey the HHS Mandate while their suit against the government over the controversial policy is pending.
The company, run by devout Catholic couple Chris and Mary Anne Yep (pictured), was rated the best workplace in Chicago for women by Crain’s Chicago Business—an astounding irony given that, in the eyes of President Obama and his cohorts, the Yeps are part of the supposed “war on women” that was such an issue in last November’s elections. [Continue reading …]
In light of the US Supreme Court’s recent announcement that it will hear the Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood v. Sebelius cases concerning the HHS Mandate, the University of Notre Dame has re-filed their case against the Mandate.
Last week, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) met in Washington DC for their annual General Assembly.
Today the Supreme Court begins a new term in which it may hear two cases related to the HHS Mandate.
Today, Monday April 8, is your last opportunity to give the Obama Administration feedback on the unjust HHS Mandate.
Today we see a huge victory for the protection of our First Amendment rights as a direct outgrowth of last year’s Stand Up for Religious Freedom rally effort as protesters whose rights were violated at the June Rally in Dayton, Ohio are vindicated and free speech is protected.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan has 
Facebook user Joe Grabowski has declared tomorrow, Saturday, January 5 
Triune Health Group, a Chicago-based health management company, has become the tenth plaintiff to receive a temporary injunction ruling that they do not need to obey the HHS Mandate while their suit against the government over the controversial policy is pending.