Posted by Matt Yonke (March 24, 2012 at 11:09 am)
The Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom was an outstanding success. So huge the media simply could not ignore the Rallies as they sometimes do with conservative events.
Rally co-chair Eric Scheidler appeared on Fox News twice in the leadup to the Rally—watch yesterday’s interview to the right—and they covered the New York City Rally live. Eric also appeared on the Laura Ingraham Show and other major commentators like Glenn Beck covered and promoted the Rallies.
I’ve been involved in grassroots activism for years, including protests that have drawn national attention, and I’ve never seen as much secular, mainstream media coverage as the Nationwide Rally garnered.
Check out the results of a Google News search for “Rally for Religious Freedom”. News outlets nationwide covered these Rallies because of the huge numbers involved.
Thanks to everyone who came and made this a major media event and the first step on the road to defeat President Obama’s HHS Mandate!
Posted by Marie Tasy (March 24, 2012 at 10:44 am)
March 23, 2012 Trenton, NJ to Stand Up for Religious Freedom (NJRTL)
On March 23, New Jersey Right to Life hosted our First Religious Freedom Rally. Despite media reports to the contrary, there were at least 800 people in attendance. The weather was unusually warm for a March day in New Jersey so we were truly blessed to have such a nice weather. Bishop John Smith, Roman Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Trenton began the rally with a prayer. Other speakers included Dr. Matthew Franck from the Center on Religion and the Constitution with the Witherspoon Institute ini Princeton, N J, Fr. John Gordon from the ArchDiocese of Newark, Dan Rossi, State Deputy for the NJ Knights of Columbus, Christine Flaherty, Executive Director of LIFENET, Damon Owen, National Speaker for Theology of the Body Institute and Frequent Contributor and Host of 3 Series for EWTN, Mari Marroquin, Public Relations Coordinator for Seton Hall United for Life, Rebecca Purdy, Graduate Student at the College of NJ, Rebecca Madrigal, Student at the NJ Institute of Technologoy, Pam Swartzberg, Attorney and Chair of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark’s Women Commision, Dr. Alieta Eck, President of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Rev. Andrew Paton, Pastor of the Clinton Church of the Nazarene, Len Deo, President of the NJ Family Policy Council, Fr. Anthony from the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Dr. Leonie Watson. Music was provided by Keaton Douglas and Steve Salerno who rallied the crowd with their stirring renditions of patriotic songs.
Read coverage here and here
View photos from our Facebook page here
vsit us on the web at www.njrtl.org
Posted by John Jansen (March 23, 2012 at 11:49 pm)
Today’s Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom today was an enormous success all across the country, with tens of thousands of Americans taking a public stand against the HHS Mandate.
In addition to the physical presence of the massive crowds outside Federal buildings, Congressional offices, and courthouses across the country, the Rally also, of course, had a sizable presence on Facebook and Twitter.
Beginning at 12 noon Eastern Time today, reports began to come in via Twitter from the 140+ cities that hosted Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rallies using the hashtags #StandUpRally and #StopHHS.
Here are some of the Top Tweets that went out: [Continue reading …]
Posted by John Jansen (March 23, 2012 at 6:34 pm)
Not to be deterred by terrible weather, a crowd of 2,500 people of all ages descended on Chicago’s Federal Plaza today for the city’s Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally—the flagship location of the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom’s 140 sites.
In the shadow of the building that formerly housed the transition team offices of President Barack Obama, enthusiastic crowds packed the Plaza in the pouring rain and received signs reading “Stand Up for Religious Freedom” and “Stop Obama’s HHS Mandate”, along with handheld American flags. By 11:45 a.m., it was clear that the crowd at the Rally — scheduled to start at noon — was going to far exceed our expectations. [Continue reading …]
Posted by John Jansen (March 22, 2012 at 2:10 pm)
If you attend one of 140 Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom locations tomorrow, you’re sure to get questions from passersby like, “What are you guys doing here?” and “What is the HHS Mandate, anyway?”
That’s why we’ve prepared an HHS Mandate Fact Sheet [PDF] for organizers to distribute to the general public, which contains FAQ style questions and answers on the HHS Mandate, along with plus some practical action items for continuing the fight.
The Fact Sheet addresses the following questions:
- What is the HHS Mandate and how does it violate religious freedom?
- Isn’t this really all about providing access to contraception?
- Didn’t President Obama work out these religious objections?
- What can I do to help stop the HHS Mandate?
We recommend that organizers print enough copies of the Fact Sheet to distribute to everyone who attends a Rally, and enough additional copies to give out to passersby who are interested in learning more about the HHS Mandate and its assault on religious freedom.
You can download the HHS Mandate Fact Sheet here [PDF]. Get informed, and spread the word!
Posted by Matt Yonke (March 22, 2012 at 12:27 pm)
With the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom now just one day away, 21 22 Catholic bishops are scheduled to speak at various Rallies across the country.
And, an additional five seven bishops have provided written statements that will be read at rally sites in their dioceses.
The Catholic bishops are the ones who led the call for resistance to the HHS Mandate, and it’s so encouraging to see them supporting our response.
Bishops Attending Rallies
- Most Rev. Robert J. Baker, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham
- Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, Bishop of the Diocese of Oakland
- Most Rev. Cirilo Flores, Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego
- Most Rev. Thomas Doran, Bishop of the Diocese of Rockford
- Most Rev. Kenneth Steiner, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Portland
- Most Rev. John Quinn, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona
- Most Rev. John Kudrick, Bishop of the Eparchy of Parma
- Most Rev. David Choby, Bishop of the Diocese of Nashville
- Most Rev. John Yanta, Bishop Emeritus of Diocese of Amarillo
- Most Rev. Robert Morlino, Bishop of the Diocese of Madison
- Most Rev. Leonard Blair, Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo
- Most Rev. Joseph Latino, Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson
- Most Rev. Peter Jugis, Bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte
- Most Rev. Luis Zarama, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Atlanta
- Most Rev. Michael Byrnes, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Detroit
- Most Rev. Mitchell Rozanski, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Baltimore
- Most Rev. Thomas Olmsted, Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix
- Most Rev. Denis Madden, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
- Most Rev. Randolph Calvo, Bishop of the Diocese of Reno
- Most Rev. John Smith, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Trenton
- Most Rev. Ronald Gainer, Bishop of the Diocese of Lexington
- Rev. Liam Cary, Bishop-Elect of the Diocese of Baker
Bishops Providing Statements to Be Read at Rallies
- Most Rev. Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Atlanta
- Most Rev. David Kagan, Bishop of the Diocese of Bismarck
- Most Rev. Samuel Aquila, Bishop of the Diocese of Fargo
- Most Rev. Kevin Rhoades, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
- Most Rev. Francis X. DiLorenzo, Bishop of the Diocese of Richmond
- Most Rev. David Ricken, Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay
- Most Rev. Felipe Estevez, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine
We’re thrilled to have the support of these courageous shepherds!
Posted by John Jansen (March 22, 2012 at 10:25 am)
When we first announced that the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom would be held on Friday, March 23rd, 30 cities signed on immediately.
That number quickly grew to 60. Then 80.
Then it topped 100. Then it grew to 120, then earlier this week went up to 130, and now the number stands at over 140!
One of the newest sites, added just yesterday, is Boston, where a Rally will be held in Boston Common—the oldest park in the United States.
Earlier plans to hold a Rally there never materialized, so we were thrilled when a new Rally Captain stepped forward this week and volunteered to take on the significant legwork involved at this late day to make sure a Rally would be held in this historic American city.
Other Rally sites added just in the past few days include St. Louis, Missouri, Davenport, Iowa, Redding, California, and—wait for it—Las Vegas!
The complete list of Rally locations is here.
You don’t want to miss this opportunity to be a part of history—tomorrow, Friday, March 23, at noon, at a city near you. Be there!
Posted by Eric Scheidler (March 22, 2012 at 8:00 am)
The National Rally for Religious Freedom is TOMORROW and we’ve
got 140 cities on board!
Prayer for the Rally effort and the defense of our religious
freedom has never been more essential.
Please join in this final day of the Novena to Reverse the HHS
Mandate—even if you haven’t joined in so far.
We’ve never seen the American people as fired up as they are about
this Mandate.
Join us in praying the final day of this Novena.
Novena to Reverse HHS Mandate: Day 9
God of our Fathers,
we thank You for our nation,
founded by those who believed in Your Word
and came to this land as if out of the desert
to seek a place of freedom and rest.
We thank You for their conviction
that our rights come from You, our Creator,
and that government exists
to secure those rights,
and never to destroy or weaken them.
Now that we face unjust mandates
that call upon us to violate our conscience,
we pray for Your protection.
Keep us faithful to You in our every deed.
Grant that we may work for change
by being citizens who are active in the process
by which we elect our leaders.
Grant that by our efforts to educate and mobilize voters,
we may replace public officials who ignore Your law
with those who observe it faithfully.
Bless our nation’s upcoming elections.
As we rejoice that we are citizens of Your Kingdom,
so make us always faithful citizens on earth.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Posted by Matt Yonke (March 21, 2012 at 7:48 am)
Only two days until the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom and response has been huge!
The media is taking notice and over 130 cities have joined on. I’ve never seen resistance to a public policy like this!
As we finalize our plans for the Rally day, it’s crucial that we surround the Rally effort in prayer.
Please join us in praying day 8 of the Novena to Reverse the HHS Mandate.
Novena to Reverse HHS Mandate: Day 8
Father,
Your Son Jesus Christ has taught us
that those who mourn over their sins
and over the evils in the world
are blessed indeed, and will be comforted.
We come before You today
in that spirit of Christian mourning
over how far our nation’s policies
Have strayed from Your law
and from the respect for life and conscience
that every law should reflect.
In the power of Your Spirit,
our mourning does not make us weak,
but rather renews our strength
to work for change.
Enable us, then, to speak up
and educate our fellow citizens,
and to make our voices heard
to our elected officials.
Reverse the unjust policies
that have been forced upon us,
and restore our nation
to the principles of freedom and justice
upon which it was founded.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Posted by John Jansen (March 20, 2012 at 2:05 pm)
In addition to the 15 Catholic bishops scheduled to speak at Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom locations, countless other influential speakers from all walks of life will also be addressing rallies throughout the country this Friday, March 23.
The speakers at the more than 130 Rally sites represent a wide array of backgrounds and professions, including members of Congress, physicians, college presidents, pastors, radio hosts, law professors, heads of organizations, publishers, religious sisters, pregnancy resource directors, and rabbis.
The New York City Rally will feature several big names, including Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and pastoral associate of Priests for Life; Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Msgr. Philip Reilly, and Mother Mary Agnes Donovan, Superior General of the Sisters of Life. [Continue reading …]
