The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic CollegeThe Center for the Advancement of Catholic Higher EducationRENOVOThe Catholic Higher Education BlogThe Cardinal Newman Society"...a public conscience for Catholic higher education,"Father Matthew Lamb, Ave Maria University"...a voice crying out in the wilderness,"Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR"...simply one of the most effective Catholic apostolates in America,"Brian St. Paul, editor InsideCatholic.com
Today, September 14, 2011, The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) urged hundreds of thousands of supporters to submit comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in protest of new healthcare regulations which violate religious freedoms, forcing many Catholic institutions, including colleges and universities, to violate their Catholic identity by providing health benefits for sterilization and contraception, including those that may cause abortion. The Cardinal Newman Society is encouraging its members to take advantage of the comment period allotted by the HHS for the new guidelines, which ends September 30, 2011. This morning, CNS reached out to more than 230,000 individuals by email to encourage them to submit a comment protesting the guidelines and the narrow conscience protections. Over the past few years, The Cardinal Newman Society has raised serious concerns about increasing threats to the religious liberty of Catholic colleges and universities. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has failed to reply to an appeal from Belmont Abbey College, which was charged with “discrimination” for refusing to include contraceptives in its employee health plan. This year the National Labor Relations Board has twice ignored federal court rulings and asserted jurisdiction over Catholic colleges. An attorney is suing The Catholic University of America for allegedly violating the District of Columbia Human Rights Act by reverting to single-sex dorms. The text of today’s email from The Cardinal Newman Society follows:ACTION ALERT Urgently, please help! Two years ago, we stood together to protest President Obama’s honor at Notre Dame. Today we need you to join us again—to demand that the Obama Administration revoke new healthcare regulations that blatantly violate our—yours, mine, the Church’s—religious freedom. But time is running out to submit your comments! Catholics across America need to STAND UP and oppose this. Please do it today! You may quickly and easily submit your comment online. For weeks, The Cardinal Newman Society has been alerting Catholic college leaders that these new regulations will:
This is so devastating to the Church, that the U.S. bishops are preparing to launch a nationwide campaign on this critical issue at parishes this weekend. Please don’t stand by and let the government discriminate against the Church without submitting a comment! Do it TODAY! Here is sample text to copy or help you draft your own comment:
The new HHS regulations on sterilization and contraception (including abortifacients) force Catholics to choose between our faith and health care. By making this insurance coverage mandatory, our government has violated the consciences of faithful Catholics and infringed on our rights to practice our religious beliefs. The regulations’ religious employer exemption will not protect the hundreds of Catholic colleges, schools, and organizations which are not owned by the Church, but instead run by lay Catholics. These Catholic institutions—as well as individual Catholic employers and health insurance purchasers—are being forced by the government to violate their religious beliefs. Mandatory contraception and sterilization coverage in college student insurance plans force Catholic colleges to undermine their missions as Catholic institutions. Please repeal these regulations and protect the religious freedom of Catholics as guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Just click HERE to submit your comment to the Obama Administration. Thank you!The Cardinal Newman Society is working with one of the nation’s leading public interest law firms to oppose these regulations and submit a formal comment. Our comment will be joined by faithful Catholic colleges and scholars and is part of our ongoing efforts to defend the religious freedom of Catholic colleges and universities. Thank you for helping defend faithful Catholic colleges! Additional resources:Cardinal Newman Society on HHS regulationsCardinal Newman Society religious freedom pageU.S. Bishops’ national bulletin insertU.S. Bishops’ website on conscience protection
