Ary Scheffer, The Temptation of Christ (1854) Some of the Catholics in the Diocese of Arlington called for today to be a special Day of Prayer and Fasting in solidarity with the US Bishops against the HHS mandate. It’s a very good idea. If you can’t do a traditional fast today (two small meals and… Continue reading Day of Prayer and Fasting
Tag: contraception
Contesting the HHS Mandate – A Panel Discussion
Last night, at the Catholic Information Center, there was a fantastic panel discussion on the HHS Mandate, featuring: Richard Doerflinger James Capretta, Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) (and a former Associate Director of the OMB), Richard Doerflinger, Associate Director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Kyle Duncan, General… Continue reading Contesting the HHS Mandate – A Panel Discussion
Altars to Un-Religion?
In today’s readings for Mass, we hear proclaimed both the apostasy of Solomon (1 Kings 11:4-13) and the casting out of the demon from the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30). In the first reading, we see the swapping of the one, true God for false Gods. In the Gospel reading, we see the… Continue reading Altars to Un-Religion?
Does the HHS Mandate Go Further than the States’?
The Obama Administration is seeking to defend the HHS Mandate by claiming that the federal government is doing nothing more than what the states are already doing. HHS Secretary Sebelius argued in USA Today: The 28 states, according to NARAL In choosing this exemption, we looked first at state laws already in place across the… Continue reading Does the HHS Mandate Go Further than the States’?
Outrageous Discipline-Only Health Education: Let’s Move!
The Obama Administration is celebrating the second anniversary of the controversial Let’s Move! campaign to combat the rise in obesity in the United States. If you don’t think it’s controversial, you should. Even a cursory glance at the many initiatives undertaken through the guidance of First Lady Michelle Obama should note a frightening trend: health… Continue reading Outrageous Discipline-Only Health Education: Let’s Move!
Religious Liberty: Mapping the Developing Landscape
As the debate regarding religious liberty gains attention and momentum, it is prudent to regularly examine the landscape and tone of this crucial discussion. Clarity and proper emphasis are of paramount importance when sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are just as crucial in politics. The White House Blog has made one attempt to… Continue reading Religious Liberty: Mapping the Developing Landscape
A Disturbing New Day for American Religious Liberty
As I’ve mentioned previously, the federal government (specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services) is trying to force Catholic hospitals, charities, and schools to pay for abortion-causing drugs, sterilizations, and contraception — all of which directly violate our right to conscience. In my previous post, I compared it to a law attempting to force… Continue reading A Disturbing New Day for American Religious Liberty
Air-Conditioned Atheism, the U.S. Bishops, and the HHS Mandate
Archbishop Chaput’s talk at the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life this year is a must-read for anyone concerned with abortion, or with religious freedom. In it, he speaks rather movingly about children with Down Syndrome, and about the increased risk they face of being aborted (a theme I hit on here). But one of the… Continue reading Air-Conditioned Atheism, the U.S. Bishops, and the HHS Mandate
The Prophetic Pope Paul VI, and the Consequences of Contraception
Pope Paul VI (1977) Pope Paul VI gets a lot of grief from both conservative and liberal Catholics. His pontificate, which lasted from 1963 to 1978, was at a particularly tumultuous time in the Church and the world. But whatever else may be said of Pope Paul, his encyclical on contraception, Humanae Vitae, seems downright prophetic.… Continue reading The Prophetic Pope Paul VI, and the Consequences of Contraception
Disturbing New Evidence on Contraception and AIDS in Africa
A few weeks ago, I wrote on the impact of Catholic social teaching on AIDS rates in Africa. I showed there that the most Catholic parts of sub-Saharan Africa tend to have lower (sometimes, dramatically lower) rates of HIV infection than their non-Catholic counterparts. This proved true both by region, and by country. There are… Continue reading Disturbing New Evidence on Contraception and AIDS in Africa