Eli,
I was raised Catholic and even though I haven't been a member of a parish for decades, did not get married in the Church and did not raise my children in the Church, deep down, I still consider myself Catholic.
Today I went to mass, probably for the first time in 20 years. The last time I even tried to go to mass was September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers. I turned back that day, in tears, as the memory of that day is still too painful for me.
Today I went to mass, to pray for someone I love, who is in deep trouble, and needs help, needs to give in to a greater power. He has fallen into a deep hole and can not see a way out. It breaks my heart to see him in such pain. I prayed for him. It gave me hope.
In the pew was a letter to parishioners, from the Most Reverend William E. Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport. Lori urged Catholics to contact their Senators and Representatives to protest the recent decision by the Department of Health and Human Services to force Catholic employers to offer "health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception." The Bishop writes, "Never before in the history of our Nation have citizens been forced to directly purchase something that violates heir consciences." (emphasis in the original).
If there weren't enough to detest about the Affordable Care Act, which is the basis for this decision, this alone would cause me to desire its repeal. What enumerated right does the Federal Government point to to force the Church to offer services that violates its religious beliefs?
Bill.
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