Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 6:28pm

Fortnight For Freedom: HHS Mandate and Religious Freedom

 

 

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have proclaimed a second Fortnight for Freedom from June 21-July 4th, and, as last year, The American Catholic will participate with special blog posts each day.

Bravo to the Thomas More Law Center that won a preliminary injuction against enforcement of the HHS Mandate as to their clients Thomas R. Beckwith and Beckwith Electric.

The Government claimed that once a business owner chooses to enter into the marketplace or incorporate his business, he surrenders his right to exercise his religious beliefs.

However, Judge Kovachevich’s 37-page decision which mentioned Thomas R. Beckwith’s unique family history—Beckwith’s ancestors arrived on the shores of America in 1626 to escape religious persecution from England — ended with a powerful statement on religious freedom:

 

 

“The First Amendment, and its statutory corollary the RFRA, endow upon the citizens of the United States the unalienable right to exercise religion, and that right is not relinquished by efforts to engage in free enterprise under the corporate form. No legislative, executive, or judicial officer shall corrupt the Framers’ initial expression, through their enactment of laws, enforcement of those laws, or more importantly, their interpretation of those laws. And any action that debases, or cheapens, the intrinsic value of the tenet of religious tolerance that is entrenched in the Constitution cannot stand.

Go here to read the entire decision which has one of the best, and concise, discussions of the constitutional issues regarding the HHS Mandate that I have read.  The HHS Mandate has been faring poorly in the courts thus far, as it should, based upon prior case law in this area.  This issue will ultimately end up before the Supreme Court and then we will learn if our constitutional guarantees regarding liberty still have any meaning.

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Pastor Ron Budwine
Tuesday, July 2, AD 2013 9:17am

“We The People” can no longer rely upon our government to defend & protect our faith, or our God-given right to exercise our freedom of conscience. The situation now facing the people of faith in America has ceased being one denominations problem, indeed, it is and always has been a “God” problem touching all of God’s Elect!
Cardinal Raymond Leo Burk – Former Archbishop of St. Louis & current head of the Vatican’s hightest court stated “It is a war.” Cardinal Burk went on to warn that he could envision a time when the Catholic Church in the U.S. would be accused of illegal activity by announcing her own teaching.He could even see American Catholics being arrested for their faith. From LifeSiteNews, November 28, 2011′. I believe that time is finally in our neighborhoods. Let us all pray for guidance, wisdom & Divine Inspiration to support & inspire us through His “Winds Of Redemption” now upon us! Amen
“Laus Deo”

Paul W Primavera
Paul W Primavera
Tuesday, July 2, AD 2013 12:59pm

“This issue will ultimately end up before the Supreme Court and then we will learn if our constitutional guarantees regarding liberty still have any meaning.”

After Justice Kennedy called those who oppose same-sex marriage “enemies of the human race”, one wonders if our constitutional guarantees regarding religious liberty still have any meaning. It’s all about sterile, irresponsible, hedonistic sexual gratification. That’s freedom. But religion? Those who believe in it and live their lives that way are enemies of the human race. 🙁

Barbara
Barbara
Tuesday, July 2, AD 2013 3:30pm

My thoughts exactly.

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Wednesday, July 3, AD 2013 12:02am

[…] Rorate Cæli Who Was the First Apostle to Be Martyred? – Jimmy Akin, Catholic Answers H. H. S. Mandate & Religious Freedom – Donald R. McClarey JD, TAC Ghosts of Volhynia – George Conger, Get Religion Will Francis Have […]

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