Protecting Religious Freedom

This page contains the latest information on efforts by the Catholic Church to change the imposed HHS mandate. Resource material is for parishes, individuals and other organizations seeking official Church information on this issue. Many of the resources are courtesy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Never before has federal law forced citizens to purchase what violates their deeply held beliefs and ethical convictions, but now the Obama Administration is forcing us to act as if pregnancy were a disease to be prevented at all costs. For many Americans that means choosing between violating our consciences and forgoing health care - literally an unconscionable dilemma.

Our country's longstanding laws protecting conscience rights must now apply fully to the implementation of health care reform. For that we need more than rule-making, we need a law. The bishops are urging Congress to support the "Respect for Rights of Conscience Act" in light of the new HHS rule and the "unprecedented threat to religious freedom" it poses.

Download "The Need for the Conscience Protection Act of 2016."

Watch Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York, speaking as then-president of the USCCB, explain the issue in this video:

Visit the USCCB page on this issue for more resources.