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Posted on 04/01/2012 2:39:31 PM PDT by NYer
“Mr President: restore our religious freedom!”
“Brothers and sisters: we must be prepared to suffer for our convictions.”
Email Subcribers: There is a video that goes with this post. Click here to watch it. The first few seconds will give you the chills.
Archbishop Robert Carlson -(edited for length) Missouri Life News: My brothers and sisters, we stand here today because of an alarming and serious matter that strikes at our fundamental right to religious freedom. The federal government – which was formed to be ‚of the people, by the people, and for the people‛ – has decided to tell some of those people that we are free to hold our faith, but we will be required to deny it in practice. We are here to let the government know that we will render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but we will NOT render unto Caesar what belongs to God!
In late January, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that almost all employers — including Catholic employers – would be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes contraception, sterilization and potentially abortion-inducing drugs. This is in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Catholic faith.
Recognizing this as a grave threat to religious liberty, many people spoke out against the Mandate.
In response to this reaction, President Obama’s Administration announced a so-called ‚compromise‛ in early February. Now, instead of the Catholic Church being required to pay for contraception, sterilization and potentially abortion-inducing drugs, the insurance companies will be required to provide those services free of charge.
We need to say loud and clear: Mr. President, there’s no such thing as a free lunch! Contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs aren’t free. Someone has to pay for them. If the insurance company has to provide them, the cost will be passed on to the consumer one way or another – that’s how the economy works!
In other words, the so-called ‚compromise‛ didn’t change anything. Catholic employers – and the Catholic Church itself – will still be forced to pay for things that directly contradict our faith. Apparently we are free to believe, but not free to put our beliefs into practice. In other words, we have freedom of worship, but not freedom of religion.
Our ecumenical brothers and sisters are standing with us today as co- sponsors of this event, and I welcome them – the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, the Missouri Baptist Convention and the Assemblies of God USA. Their witness today says loud and clear: this is not about contraception. This is about religious liberty. Today, the government is telling the Catholic Church how to define its mission; the government is telling us which of our ministries are or are not ‚religious;‛ the government is telling us what teachings we can and cannot act on. Our ecumenical brothers and sisters know that if the government can tell the Catholic Church those things today, then it might be their heads on the chopping block tomorrow. They are here so that we can say together as one body: we will render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but we will NOT render unto Caesar what belongs to God!
Most often the sacrifice required of us has been the ‘white martyrdom’ of a life that is faithful to the Gospel rather than faithful to the culture. But the time has come when we must be prepared for extraordinary sacrifices as well. And that’s precisely what Jesus himself promised us and told us to expect:
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them:, Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. (Mk 8:34; Mt 16:24; Lk 9: 23)
I am convinced that taking up the cross is the way to life. I am convinced that ‘before the cross there is no defense.’ I am convinced that Jesus won victory on the cross, and that he will win victory in us if we take up our cross and follow him.
Will you stand with me and say ‚Jesus, I will take up my cross and follow You‛?
Will you stand with me and say: Mr. President, we cannot comply with this Mandate. We WILL render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar; but we will NOT render unto Caesar what belongs to God. Mr President: restore our religious freedom!
Brothers and sisters: we must be prepared to suffer for our convictions.
But our faith tells us – and history shows us – that suffering will make our witness grow stronger. With that conviction, let us recall the words of EITHER Saint Paul to the Romans OR St. Peter:
I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when His glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you… whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name. (1 Peter 4: 12-16)
Ping!
Ping!
Obama is a sick mortal and does not have the power of god. Ignore him. He was made POtUS falsely.
Come on, please. How long are we going to pretend that the USCCB did make obamacare possible? Stop with all this grandstanding blather. They otta be walking around in sackcloth and ashes instead of robes and rings.
We should never have to beg this usurper for the Religious Freedom that is our birthright! If he persists in denying it, he does so at his peril!
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
I am not Catholic, but I stand with my Catholic brothers and sisters.
The present occupant of the White House is a bully. Period.
He understands one thing: power.
IF he is defeated in November, it may take a regiment of the armed forces to remove him from the WH in January.....
You sound like a sour puss. Why are you not rejoicing in the fact that another group of probable Obama voters have seen the light? I assure you there is rejoicing in heaven over repentant sinners. If becomes so irritating to continually hear the nay-saying of anti-Catholic bigots.
When is Rome going to pronounce Obama an enemy of the Church?
I'm a practicing Catholic. That's how come I know what the bishops have said. That's how come I saw the "obama 2008" baseball caps at mass. It becomes sickeningly cliche to hear small minded headline junkies yap anytime you dare to call a spade a spade.
Now, once again, for review: the usccb hearts socialized medicine, got it? It's spokesman has said so on numerous occasions. Perhaps you weren't paying attention.
Why don't I "rejoice" that the Bishops have suddenly "seen the light"? you.have.got.to.be.kidding.me.
My pastor has already talked about the administration being 'antichrist'.
Hey, I’m also a life-long Catholic and conservative. Do you think I am unaware of the liberal attitudes of the majority of Catholic clergy.
Today is another day, and Obama has actually done the nearly impossible. He has aroused the wrath of many of the bishops of the USCCB. And Obama did it at a time when he thought he was invincible, and at a time when many of the newer bishops are first and foremost disciples of Jesus and allies of Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. No more are going to see as many namby-pambies as in the past.
It is delightful to read about Archbp Carlson’s declaration that his religious allegiance is to God and not to Caesar.
I am sorry if it offends you that the church is finally showing courage. As for me, I can only cheer at it.
I have been just short of believing that myself. His rise to power and what he has been able to get by with surely is not of this world. He definitely deserves watching closely for signs.
"Rome" isn't in the business of prounouncing enemies of the Church. When was the last time you heard of "Rome" pronouncing an indiviual as an enemy of the Church?
Enema, yes, MANY of those, but enemy? Nah. Way too middle ages.
Sounds like you need to find a new parish.
I see. So the issue is "me" or "my parsh", not the fact that timothy Dolan is an outspoken advocate of "universal healthcare". I see. No, the problem is people who reason with tbe faculties of a pigeon.
You know, move on dot org is that way >>.
The Church has three enemies already: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Three is enough.
Let's instead call on the minion of evil in the White House to repentance and conversion of heart. He will one day face judgement just like everyone else.
“They otta be walking around in sackcloth and ashes instead of robes and rings.”
You’re right; they were quite happy to have their flock roped into ObamaCare (complete with abortion provisions). My relationship to the Church is limited to the sacraments; I am not part of their larger Dem-supporting “family”.
“I am sorry if it offends you that the church is finally showing courage.”
I must have missed something; did Archbishop Dolan pronounce that Catholics commit a sin (and are accessories to murder) when they vote for a pro-abortion candidate? Did he use the word “murder” in any of his comments (I honsetly don’t recall seeing that)? Or did he simply look for a way out for the company that pays his salary?
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