Throughout the Archdiocese inside every parish bulletin this weekend, and being read from every parish pulpit at every Mass, is Cardinal DiNardo’s letter regarding an urgent and serious matter that impacts the Church in the United States and the fundamental right to religious liberty of all America’s citizens. On January 20 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its final mandate on various “preventive services” that would have to be included in all private health insurance plans without co-pays or cost-sharing mechanisms. All FDA approved contraceptive drugs, including some that are abortifacient, sterilizations, and other preventive services are now mandated. THE HHS POLICY MANDATE BELITTLES THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES BY DENYING TO CATHOLICS OUR FIRST AND MOST FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOM, THAT OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. Unless the mandate is overturned, Catholic employers must be prepared either to violate our consciences or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). THIS HHS POLICY MANDATE IS UNJUST AND UNACCEPTABLE! I would like to encourage you to learn more about this issue in at least three different ways: To read the actual HHS mandate please consult the Department of Health and Human Services website at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/01/20120120a.html To read the actual statements/letters of Cardinal DiNardo please consult the available links on the Archdiocesan website at www.archgh.org                  Cardinal's letter in English                      Cardinal's letter in Spanish To read reactions and statements from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops please consult their website at www.usccb.org I am also encouraging you to do what the Cardinal suggests and what I have already started doing: 1. Pray for wisdom, civility, and a sense of justice. 2. Write and email the Department of Health and Human Services in support of overturning their mandate. 3. Write and email your members of Congress to support legislation that would reverse the mandate of HHS. Brothers and sisters, it will take a lot of people with a lot of persistence to effectively bring about an overturning of this mandate. Let’s use our freedom of speech to support our freedom of religious liberty. Thanks to all of us for the careful consideration of and action about this matter. May God bless you with every good gift! -- Fr. E.J. 2/12/2012