Don't be afraid or discouraged by the HHS mandate. Listen and learn from these women speaking out against religious liberty.

"Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God's own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God." 

--Pope St. Leo the Great, as cited in the CATECHISM, par. 1691.

Ok, so I thought it was best to start out with the hope we have.

I'll admit that, earlier this week, I was a discouraged by the way the Senate voted on the Blunt amendment with regard to the current assault on the Catholic Church, and others, regarding the HHS Mandate. I think Kathryn Lopez said it rather succinctly: "The majority of the Senate did not want to protect the First Amendement. Thanks, guys." She reminds: "Elections matter."

I'm not a political pundit, and I may not have all the compelling political arguments about this down pat. But I'm someone who takes our moral obligations as Christians seriously.

I know one thing. Silence is great virtue when it comes to prayer. But not so much when it comes to issues of justice. Better stated, perhaps, we must draw strength from the silence of our prayer and move out from there into the world.

We must meet God in the sanctuary of our conscience, and then live in such a way so as to protect the rights of conscience in the individual, and in our country at large, in terms of our First Amendment right to religious liberty in the Constitution. 

The dignity of the human person demands that we protest this affront to conscience and religious freedom. The law of love demands that we act based on our care for our neighbor.

The world needs your credible witness and mine. Sure, it's scary. But it is necessary. 

This is Lent. We've got the spiritual tools to combat sin and injustice.

• Fasting.
• Prayer.
• Alms.

We've got the social and political tools to defeat this mandate and to be a force for good in our world.

• Speaking up and protesting.
• Signing petitions.
• Voting.

The most important tool is our own voice in our spheres of influence.

You may have heard claims that this is a contraception issue and a women's issue. But it is first and foremost an issue of conscience and religious liberty, an issue dear to women and men of many religious traditions. 

Let's not have people wonder, where are the women who care about this?

Let's make sure we can say: Here. We. Are.

While there are many people across the country speaking out about this. We need the passionate voices of women to be seen and heard, and not just Catholic women.

So I'd like to offer the rest of this post as a roundup of women speaking out on this subject.

As reported on NRO, Helen Alvare and Kim Daniels sent this reply to the Obama administration. And they have a petition going that I encourage women to sign over at WomenSpeakforThemselves.com

Here's the Heritage Foundation's Women Speak Out: Obamacare Tramples Religious Liberty panel:



Here's another good panel -- listen to the audio from the Catholic Information Center's event, partnered with AltCatholicah, Women Challenging the HHS Mandate, with a lively panel of very qualified women from the legal and medical professions discussing this subject matter.


I'm adding my voice here...

You may have already heard this, but Kathryn Lopez and Elizabeth Scalia reviewed the basics of this debate a few weeks back on Among Women. 

I love the hope in that opening video that we have as Catholic Christians. I have always loved that quote from Pope St. Leo. Let me encourage you to strongly consider your role in this struggle.

Pray. Hope. Act.

------
Other women speaking out in related articles:

• Professor Janet Smith, also hear her conversation with Drew Mariano on radio.
• Theologian Pia Di Solenni
• Sr. Mary Ann Walsh
• Marybeth Hicks
• Peggy Noonan
• Elizabeth Scalia
• Emily Stimpson
• Hillary Senour
• Alveda King
• Cathy Ruse
• Kat Fernandez
• Carrie Severino

Earlier posts on this blog about with links to this subject:

• 3.3.12
• 2.11.12
• 2.4.12
• 1.28.12
• 11.6.09

The AW podcast on this subject.

Helpful articles, video & action tips for Catholics re Obamacare's affront to religious freedom & conscience clauses

Note: This is not a political commentary blog. Yet, we've had many discussions on Among Women regarding the moral issues surrounding certain health care issues, respect life issues, and our role in the public square. Recent decisions within the US department of Health and Human Services rejecting conscience clauses within "Obamacare" touch us all. Take time this week to pray and evaluate your role in fighting initiatives that demean the dignity of the human person and promote a culture of death.

HHS Contraception Mandate is "un-American"

By Archbishop (and Cardinal-designate) Timothy Dolan of New York in USA Today

It's a brief article. Read it. Then watch a short video of +Dolan's criticism of the mandate. Are we peeved enough to act yet? Take action here via the US Bishops website.

The Jesus Mandate vs The Obama Mandate

By Bishop William Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport

Read on! Get educated and understand the source of this righteous indignation.

Obamacare's Great Gift: Clarification

By Elizabeth Scalia at First Things

Elizabeth writes: "Now is the time for all good Catholics to come to the aid of providers-- the schools, hospitals, charities, and soup kitchens who serve communities in need without asking affiliations." 

A Petition for All Freedom-loving Americans to Sign

By Frank Weathers at Catholic Lane

A comprehensive look at why we must fight this mandate. The reason to petition the White House at their site: "Why should I bother to help?” Simple. How many bishops are there in the United States? 145. How many votes do they command? 145. If only the bishops speak, and there is no other tangible sign of support from the rest of us, you know, backing them up, they will just be perceived as barking in thin air. 145 + 25,000, on the other hand, might just get a little more notice."

The HHS Mandate: Now it Personal

By Julie Davis at Happy Catholic

Even small business owners like Julie and husband will be affected, forcing them to bring up religion in the workplace and why they may have to drop health coverages. This article also links to the petition in Frank Weathers' article, above.


Current List of Bishops who Speak Out against Obama/HHS Mandate (115 153 at this posting)
By Thomas Peters at Catholic Vote.org
I'm sure this list will grow. Thomas also writes about other notable updates on this topic including a legislative move by Senator Marco Rubio to rescind the mandate.  

Among Women ReadHer... A new weekly feature

Among Women ReadHer

5.24.11

The Perfect Pill? -- Tim Muldoon

This short piece uses a powerful analogy that even a middle-schooler can understand.

What is a Catholic Feminist? -- Simcha Fisher at National Catholic Register

Reclaim the lexicon or find new language? It's an ever-present question.

How to Choose Flowers for a Mary Garden - Lacy at Catholic Icing

-- Related: If you are a gardener, you might like this blog by Margaret Rose Realy.

The Beauty of Play -- Brunhilde Luken

Just what it says. Have you played lately?

Pray for Joplin - Chelsea Zimmerman at Reflections of a Paralytic

Written by a woman who lives in MO, this has links to lend support.

Prayers for Joplin, MO -- Facebook page

The Quality of Mercy -- Rebecca Teti, Faith and Family Live

A mother extending mercy to her son's killers...

Note: this one comes with a warning.*

To Be Born - a powerful 10-minute short film depicting the torment of abortion, as well as the potential to heal from it. - On YouTube. Related: Here's an article quoting the director of the film who hopes that people will be disturbed by its message.

*I applaud that this film was made because it is a story that needs to be told boldly. However, do not view/listen with small children or impressionable/sensitive children in the vicinity. I'd label this a PG-13, but that depends on the maturity of the 13 year old.

Finally, a remarkable woman...

HT: Creative Minority Report & Testosterhome

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This post explains why I started this feature last week. BUT I'm giving you a little taste now... THIS FEATURE will be ON SATURDAYS.