mandate – Madison Catholic Herald

In my Editor’s View column in the March 3 issue of the Catholic Herald, I encouraged people to join a prayer campaign to support the Little Sisters of the Poor.

These Sisters — who primarily care for the elderly — were involved in fighting for their religious beliefs. They refused to go along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate requiring them to provide contraceptive services for their employees.

Many people have been praying for the Little Sisters of the Poor and others involved in the Zubik v. Burwell case being argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Their prayers seem to have been answered.

On March 2, 2016February 15, 2022

Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Join prayer campaign to support Sisters

An order of Sisters has been quietly caring for the elderly for many years. Founded by Sr. Jeanne Jugan in 1839 in France, the Little Sisters of the Poor now serve in over 30 countries of the world.

The Sisters’ website describes their mission “to offer the neediest elderly of every race and religion a home where they will be welcomed as Christ, cared for as family, and accompanied with dignity until God calls them to himself.”

On February 17, 2016

Elaine H. Shaw

More people should sign petition to abolish mandate

To the editor:

Thank you God that we still have people here on earth who have a conscience and won’t sign this form (reference to Little Sisters of the Poor article on their refusal to sign the Health and Human Services’ Contraception Mandate, February 4 Catholic Herald).

Why have Catholics not signed a petition to abolish this mandate? Why is this the first I have heard of this? Why is it kept from us to see?

On February 3, 2016

Sr. Constance Veit

Why we can’t ‘just sign the form’

A few weeks ago, I received a New Year’s card that read, “This will be the best year yet.”

We Little Sisters of the Poor are fervently praying that 2016 will be remembered as the year we were able to return to our quiet lives at the service of the elderly after a happy resolution to our long legal struggle over the HHS Contraceptive Mandate.

On July 3, 2014

Kevin Wondrash

Diocese of Madison applauds court ruling

The Diocese of Madison issued the following statement in regard to the Supreme Court decision regarding contraception in employee health insurance coverage.

MADISON — The Supreme Court ruling on Monday, June 30, is a positive step toward recognizing the truth that the God-given freedom of religion and freedom of conscience cannot be disregarded by the government in its attempt to force its own beliefs on people of faith.

It must be recognized that the freedoms of religion and conscience can never be relegated to a church, synagogue, or mosque, and that they are the rights of every individual, conferred by God.

On May 8, 2014

Stephen Wright

Coverage of abortions under Affordable Care Act

To the editor:

A letter published in the Catholic Herald on April 24, 2014, claimed that the HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) mandate “demands that all hospitals and clinics providing health care must also do abortions on demand to all requests . . .”

On June 21, 2012

Wisconsin Catholic Conference

State bishops reiterate opposition to mandate

MADISON — Wisconsin’s bishops reaffirmed their opposition to a federal mandate that all health insurance plans provide coverage at no cost for contraceptive and sterilization services.

On June 21, 2012March 2, 2023

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Nation rallies for religious freedom

Rallies for religious freedom were held in 158 cities across the United States June 8, drawing more than 60,000 participants in protest against the U.S. government’s intrusion into religious freedom through a recent federal Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate.

On March 15, 2012

Greg Wagner

Mandate should be seen as attack on religious liberty

To the editor:

At a recent gathering at our parish, I overheard a group of people discussing the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate. The consensus of their conversation could be summed up as follows: “The bishops are getting way too riled up over this issue. It is an election year after all and the president will back down on this.”

As Archbishop Chaput stated, “The current administration prides itself on being measured and deliberate. The current HHS mandate needs to be understood as exactly that.”

On February 22, 2012

Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.

President’s ‘compromise’ still infringes upon religious liberty

When President Obama mandated that religiously-based organizations violate core tenets of their faith, Americans were rightly outraged.

The president then announced an “accommodation” policy to these organizations, but the so-called compromise is not a compromise at all because it does not take away the mandate that infringes upon religious liberty.

On January 20, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, affirmed a rule that requires church-affiliated hospitals, agencies, and universities to provide contraception and sterilization in the health insurance for their employees.