The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services. We will therefore continue—with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency—our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government. For example, we renew our call on Congress to pass, and the Administration to sign, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act. And we renew our call to the Catholic faithful, and to all our fellow Americans, to join together in this effort to protect religious liberty and freedom of conscience for all. Read more…

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sees initial opportunities in preserving the principle of religious freedom after President Obama’s announcement today. But the Conference continues to express concerns. “While there may be an openness to respond to some of our concerns, we reserve judgment on the details until we have them,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of USCCB. Read more…

Michigan Catholic Conference President and Chief Executive Officer Paul A. Long writes in today’s Detroit Free Press: “Nearly three years after President Barack Obama called for the protection of conscience rights at the University of Notre Dame, not only has he failed to honor his words, last month he authorized perhaps the most egregious and sweeping intrusion into the religious liberty and conscience rights of every American citizen.” [Link no longer available —Ed.]

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers the following clarifications regarding the Health and Human Services regulations on mandatory coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. Read more…

The Obama administration, to justify its widely criticized mandate for contraception and sterilization coverage in private health plans, has posted a set of false and misleading claims on the White House blog (“Health Reform, Preventive Services, and Religious Institutions,” February 1). In what follows, each White House claim is quoted with a response. Read more…

Grassroots advocacy remains a critical resource and a valuable opportunity for Catholics to urge public officials to enact policies that advance the common good and uphold the moral fiber of the state. While the Catholic Legislative Advocacy Network continues to grow in 2012, new and frightful legislative challenges have arisen. Regrettably, policies have surfaced at the congressional level, now funneling down to the state level, that obstruct the Catholic Church’s constitutional right to exercise its faith free from government intervention. Read more…

The State Senate has voted to support a resolution that recognizes January 29 – February 5, 2012 as Catholic Schools Week. According to the Resolution: “The Catholic Church sees the parents as the primary educators and that parental supervision and involvement play a major role in the education of students.” Read more…

WASHINGTON—The Catholic bishops of the United States called “literally unconscionable” a decision by the Obama Administration to continue to demand that sterilization, abortifacients and contraception be included in virtually all health plans. Read more…

The U.S. bishops expressed praise and gratitude for the latest statement of Pope Benedict XVI on the need to protect religious liberty, which he delivered in an address January 19, to U.S. bishops gathered in Rome for their ad limina visits. “Of particular concern are certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion,” said Pope Benedict. “Many of you have pointed out that concerted efforts have been made to deny the right of conscientious objection on the part of Catholic individuals and institutions with regard to cooperation in intrinsically evil practices. Others have spoken to me of a worrying tendency to reduce religious freedom to mere freedom of worship without guarantees of respect for freedom of conscience.” Read more…

Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy Tom Hickson and Policy Advocate Paul Stankewitz today testified before the House Education Committee in support of legislation that streamlines policies that benefit non-public school students. Read more…