Hobby Lobby Victory

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty released this statement yesterday:

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, for the first time, a federal court has ordered the government not to enforce the HHS abortion-drug mandate against Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. The ruling comes just one day after a dramatic 168-page opinion from the en banc 10th Circuit recognizing that business owners have religious liberty rights. This was the first definitive federal appellate ruling against the HHS mandate.

In its landmark opinion yesterday, the 10th Circuit majority found that “no one” – not even the government – “disputes the sincerity of Hobby Lobby’s religious beliefs.” The court ruled that denying them the protection of federal law just because they are a profit-making business “would conflict with the Supreme Court’s free exercise precedent.”

Justice was served today!  Thank God that the Green Family stood firm in their faith and persevered!  May the same judgments be ordered for the many other business owners who are fighting for religious liberty too!

Blessings,

Noreen

May God Bless the Federal Court in Michigan

Great news!  Tom Monaghan who is the founder of Dominos Pizza and Ave Maria University won his court case which will allow him to temporarily exclude contraception benefits from his employee's insurance coverage for his personal management company, Domino's Farms.  This ruling will prevent the enforcement of the HHS Mandate.  No decision has yet to be reported on the status of the law suit filed by Ave Maria University or if one has been filed on behalf of Domino's Pizza.  But that's promising news for Domino Farms!

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The Michigan court order "granted a temporary moratorium on religious grounds for Domino's Farms~ a privately held company headed by Mr. Monaghan.

The court order said that "forcing Monaghan to choose between his conscience and heavy financial fines is an infringement of his First Amendment rights and constitutes irreparable injury."

Monaghan had previously said that" the law violates his constitutional rights," and he believed that the mandate “attacks and desecrates a foremost tenet of the Catholic Church” against contraception, sterilization or abortion and that it will “force individuals to violate their deepest held religious beliefs.”

This press release came from Cardinal Newman Society.  You can also learn more from Life News.

Blessings,

Noreen

Hobby Lobby and Obamacare

Starting January 1, 2013, Hobby Lobby will be facing a daily fine of $1.3 million dollars until they comply with the HHS Mandate.  Their lawsuit is still pending but this date is a couple of days away.  Their future is at stake. They are well known for their Christian ownership and closing their stores on Sundays so their staff can have a day of rest and be with their families.

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Reported by abc news;  "Hobby Lobby is the largest business to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate that forces all companies, regardless of religious conviction, to provide coverage of drugs that the lawsuit alleges are abortion-inducing. The Green family also objects to providing coverage for certain kinds of intrauterine devices that the lawsuit alleges can destroy an embryo by preventing it from implanting in a woman's uterus."

Company lawyer Kyle Duncan said "millions of Americans" would consider drugs that prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb an abortifacient.  Yes they would so why doesn't our government understand this?

HERE'S an article written by David Green, owner of Hobby Lobby, where he discusses how he started his company and their goals.

May God bless the Green Family for standing up for His truth against government opposition.  May our government heed the Word of God and not enforce businesses to provide morally repugnant healthcare services.  I pray that all businesses and institutions stand strong and oppose this mandate.

Blessings,

Noreen

HHS Mandate Dialogue

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I've been having an amiable debate with a proponent for the HHS Mandate on another blog.  It was going on before I joined in but it's really made me think about what I believe in.  There are a couple of women who are participating who are pro-choice and believe those against this mandate "are not dealing with reality or live in a skewed reality."  Through our dialogue, it's raised a number of very interesting questions that I have little understanding or no answer for so I'm hoping to find help here.  I'm paraphrasing here but you'll get the gist of the conversation.  I should preface this by stating, this woman is a doctor and agnostic in her views.

1.  It was said that the "Catholic institutions are not going to be paying for these services that the healthcare provider would be."  My response was that the Catholic institution buys the insurance package that is given to their employees.  And in the last 10 plus years, the employee pays a portion of the premium with the employer paying the rest.  Thereby a Catholic institution is paying for and giving their employees a healthcare package that includes contraception, sterilization, abortion..etc. which they find morally unacceptable.
Am I understanding this correctly?

2.  It was said that "the Catholic Church wants to keep church and state separate yet they want the tax exemptions that come with being a church."  Plus "they don't have to pay taxes on the donations received yet they have luxuries such as cars, houses and airplanes.  It's a double standard."  To be honest, I have no idea how the tax exemptions work but I responded with "that may be the case with the megachurches, tv evangelists and perhaps the Vatican and cardinals and yes, I agree that is a double standard, but the typical priest does not live that lifestyle.  They live in a small house on the church property that is not theirs but belongs to the parish.

3.  Being pro-life and Christian automatically means "we are imposing our beliefs on others while the pro-choice side only wants abortion as an option.  They also do NFP."  Well, I went into "the big money making machine of the abortion industry using my own clinic in my city and how many abortions are done in this one facility each week.  I even included statistics of how many legal abortions have been reported since 1973.  So, I don't really buy into that mantra."


4.  Here's my own question:  "What percentage of entities are we talking about that would like to remove contraception, sterilization, abortion..etc.?  Against the larger workforce, I was thinking it was only a small percentage of christian institutions, schools and charities.  Does anyone know the answer to this one?


I've not been offended at all in our dialogue because it made me think and think hard on what I believe an why.  What are your thoughts?

Blessings,
Noreen

Fortnight For Freedom

Check out this Youtube video that I first saw on Katie's NFP and Me blog.

Today's reflection:  "The Vatican Synod declares:  That the human person has a right to religious freedom.  This freedom means that all men are to be immune to coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that in matters religious no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to their beliefs.  Nor is anyone to be restrained from acting in accordance with his/her own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits.

The Synod further declares that the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person, as this dignity is known through the revealed Word of God and by reason itself.  This right to the human person of religious freedom is to be recognized in the constitutional law whereby society is governed.  Thus it becomes a civil right."

For more information please go to The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Blessings,
Noreen

Fortnight of Freedom

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I posted today at Community of Catholic Bloggers about the U.S. Catholic Bishops call to all Catholics and others of faith, to band together and participate in Fortnight For Freedom which is "a great hymn of prayer for our country."  It begins tomorrow ~ June 21st and goes to July 4th!

Please go and check out the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for how you can participate through prayer, study, catechesis and action!  The American Life League is also joining the effort to end religious persecution in the U.S.

Mary Immaculate, pray for us!
St. Thomas More, pray for us!
St. John Fisher, pray for us!
St. John the Baptist, pray for us!
St. Peter & St. Paul, pray for us!
First Martyrs of the Church in Rome, pray for us!

Blessings,
Noreen

Religious Freedom Rally Today

Today is the 223rd anniversary of the introduction of the Bill of Rights by James Madison.  The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights pertains to Freedom of Speech, Press and Religion.  Our forefathers knew way back in the 1700's that individual rights and liberties must be protected, even from our government.  The Bill of Rights is not a new idea however.  It came from England back in the 1600's to prevent abuses of power by the monarchy. The English Bill of Rights put serious constraints on royal power.  Our Constitution and Bill of Rights balances out the power of our government~ Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches.  We, the people, vote in our legislators to represent our individual and community needs and values.

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Our nation's leaders determined that America needed it's own Bill of Rights.  As previously mentioned, the First Amendment includes Freedom of Religion.  The HHS Mandate is violating that right because it is telling a religious institution that they have "to provide preventive services for women which includes sterilization, contraception, morning after pill, and the abortion inducing drug "Ella".  HHS' rule only allows a very narrow exemption for religious employers.  Catholic institutions providing education, health care and charitable services do not qualify for this exemption.

This is why 43 Catholic Institutions are suing the Obama Administration over the HHS Mandate.  But it must be said, this is not a Catholic issue either.  It is an ecumenical issue that will affect all Christians.

This is why every diocese in the United States is asking for individual members to learn more about what this HHS Mandate is all about and do something about it.  Let your congress men and women know where you stand.

This is not about women's reproductive rights.  

This is about religious freedom here in the United States.

Today was the second Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally and the numbers are still coming in but as of 4pm, there were over 38,000 people in 76 participating cities.  There was over 160 different rallies today so that number is definitely much higher!  I went to the one in Woodstock, IL and it was estimated that there were over 450 people standing up for religious freedom!

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I brought my son today because I felt it was "history in the making"!  He needs to know how the rights of people can be in jeopardy and how to peacefully stand up for your rights!

"What use it, my brethen, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?...even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."  James 2:14 & 17

Blessings,

Noreen

HHS Mandate Novena

Eric Scheidler, the Executive Director from Pro Life Action League has created a Novena to reverse the HHS Mandate.  It starts today since the next Religious Freedom Rally is in 10 days, Friday, June 8th.  Please join us in praying this novena for a united effort in to stop the HHS Mandate.  Start today and pray this prayer for nine days so God can hear our plea and answer our prayers!

Dear God,

You are the Author of Life and Freedom.  In Your Spirit, we have the freedom of the children of God, and in Your Name, we promote the freedom of all to seek, embrace and live the Truth of Your Word.

In that freedom, Lord, we Your people stand with Life and reject whatever destroys life or distorts the meaning of human sexuality.

In that freedom, Lord, we Your people live our lives in a way that advances Your Kingdom of Life, and we refuse to cooperate in what is evil.

At this moment, therefore, when our government has decided to force us to cooperate in evil, we pray for the grace to be faithful to You and to oppose the unjust laws and mandates that have been imposed upon us and our institutions.

We pray for the conversion of those in civil authority who fail to appreciate the demands of conscience.  We pray for the complete reversal of all policies that permit the destruction of life or coerce the cooperation of Your people in practices that are wrong.

Bring us to a Culture of Life.

We pray through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Blessings,
Noreen

Catholics Called to Witness

I posted a heart-felt plea over on Community of Catholic Bloggers today for this upcoming election.  I learned today that Eric Scheidler from Pro Life Action League along with others, are coordinating another Religious Freedom Rally for June 8, 2012.  This time, their goal is to have our bishops lead processions in their respective cities holding the Blessed Sacrament.  Wouldn't that be amazing?!?!

My friend sent me this Youtube video about our responsibilities as Catholics.  Check it out and then look into a Religious Freedom Rally near you.  If you can't make it there in person, keep the HHS Mandate at the top of your prayer list.

The time is now.  We must do our part and bring God into this election.

Easter Blessings,
Noreen

Religious Freedom Rally ~ March 23, 2012

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I took the train downtown with many others to attend the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally at the Federal Plaza.  When we got off the train, it was POURING rain.  Seriously pouring with puddles everywhere but our group soldiered on with our umbrellas and walked the 5 blocks to the plaza. God blessed our rally by stopping the rain once we arrived and for it's duration!

We were pleasantly surprised to see the overwhelming turn out on such a rainy day!  I've read reports that over 2,500 people showed up alone at the Chicago rally!  Cincinnati had 500, New York had 900, Detroit had 1,000 people show up for their rallies.  It was a diverse group of Catholics, Lutherans, Evangelicals, seniors, children, nuns, priests, and pastors.  Eric Scheidler, the Executive Director of the Pro Life Action League and Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom Co-Chair, with his crew were the organizers of this event.

Before the rally started, there was an issue with the electrical power being cut off minutes before the rally was started.  Not sure if it was weather related or not, but the organizers asked the employees of the Federal building, who had granted them the permit, to turn the power back on.  THEY REFUSED!  Can you believe it?  This meant the P.A. system was inoperable and many had difficulty hearing the speeches and most couldn't hear one word; however, one of the organizers brought a 100 foot extension cord to the Post Office that was across the street and asked if they could plug in their P.A. system and they graciously agreed!  Power came back on about 40 minutes into the presentations.  We found a place up close so we were able to hear a little bit of the following presenters:

• Joe Walsh, U.S. Congressman
• Dan Lipinksi U.S. Representative
• Mary FioRito Executive Assistant to Cardinal Francis George
• Dr. Anthony Caruso ob/gyn at Alexian Brothers Medical Center
• Father Sammie Maletta from St. John the Evangelist Church in Indiana
• Father Stewart Ruch an Anglican priest from the Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, IL

The youth group from St. John Cantius Parish of Chicago came in with hundreds of young people carrying the yellow Life balloons and some which they shaped into a rosary.  They let the rosary configuration up in the air over the rally.  It was incredible!

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There were other presenters as well but we left a bit early to catch the 1:30 train back to the suburbs.  We were told that since President Obama's campaign office was a block or two over, that they had representatives in the crowd assessing the turnout.  They were told that when they return to their offices, to inform President Obama that the people of Chicago and around America, do not support his HHS Mandate!

Even with the P.A. issues in the beginning of the rally, one could see the hope that was electrifying the group to fight for Religious Freedom for our country.  More work needs to be done.  We need to let our senators and representatives know how we feel.  We need to contact them asking them to oppose it too.

Blessings,

Noreen