AN URGENT MESSAGE FOR ALL OUR READERS

           God bless you all. I received the following memo from my dear Bishop today. It speaks dearly for itself. Let us unite to preserve our dear Constitution-guaranteed freedom as a Catholic people. Thank you for taking the time to prayerfully read and act upon it. May God bless you and may God bless our dear nation. A brother always, Fr. Pat

 Diocese of Norwich

Office of the Bishop

201 Broadway

Norwich, Connecticut 06360

(860) 887-9294

MOST REVEREND
MICHAEL R. COTE, D.D.  

MEMO

TO: All Priests & Deacons

FROM: Bishop Cote

DATE: January 26, 2012

RE: URGENT-Health & Human Services Ruling

 Enclosed please find a letter concerning a very urgent issue impacting religious liberty for citizens of all faiths.

 Please read this letter at all Masses this weekend and have copies of the letter available for your parishioners.

 Thank you for your attention to this very urgent issue. 

Diocese of Norwich

Office of the Bishop

201 Broadway

Norwich, Connecticut 06360

(860) 887-9294

MOST REVEREND

MICHAEL R. COTE, D.D.  

January 26, 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

     I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith. The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population—and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.

     The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

     In so ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). The Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.

     We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.

     And therefore, I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible. Second, I would also recommend visiting HYPERLINK http://www.usccb.org/conscience to learn more about this severe assault on religious liberty, and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Administration’s decision.

     Entrusting this grave matter to the intercession of Our Blessed Lady, Mother of the Lord and Mother of the Church, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,

MOST REVEREND

MICHAEL R. COTE, D.D.