The ruling of Jan. 20 by the United States Department of Health and Human Services demands that Catholics violate their deeply held moral convictions. In essence, all Catholics are asked to violate their personal consciences.
Our religious liberties and freedom are being violated. This is a major concern for all Catholics and many fellow Americans who stand together in this important moment in our country.
The only solution to this violation of religious freedom is for the Department of Health and Human Services to rescind this mandate of these objectionable services. This is a government intrusion into our personal lives and into the internal life of the church.
At this critical moment in our history, all of us must educate ourselves and become informed citizens. We need to learn and understand our most basic legal and human rights.
At this critical moment in our history, all of us are asked to send a clear message to our representatives in Congress. The message is that the violation of our constitutional and God given freedom is absolutely intolerable.
We have to voice our strong opposition to the infringement of our freedoms. Plain and simple, our religious freedoms and other freedoms are under attack.
At this critical moment, all Catholic individuals and Catholic families are asked to pray earnestly that the Congress will support all our American freedoms.
We pray that the leaders of our country will honor our constitutional rights.
We pray that the leaders of our country will honor our religious liberties.
We pray that the leaders of our country will honor the rights of a morally educated conscience.
We pray that the leaders of our country will honor our Catholic Christian values.
We pray that the leaders of our country will understand that human life is to be protected and reverenced from the moment of conception until death by natural causes.
We pray that the leaders of our country will understand that marriage involves one male person and one female person.
We pray that the leaders of our country will better understand God’s definition of marriage that has prevailed for thousands of years in both highly civilized and primitive cultures.
Msgr. Thomas J. Morgan is pastor of St. Mary Parish and St. Thomas More Parish, Cherry Hill.