Bishops rip HHS mandate; Bishop Zubik: 'to hell with you'
January 27, 2012
Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, and Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, Virginia are among the bishops urging Catholics to oppose the Obama administration's mandate that requires religious agencies to offer contraceptive and sterilization coverage to their employees.
Bishop Jenky has directed all priests to include the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel at all Sunday Masses until the issue is favorably resolved. The prayer is to be offered for the intention of the freedom of the Catholic Church in the United States.
"It comes like a slap in the face," writes Bishop Zubik. "The Obama administration has just told the Catholics of the United States, 'To Hell with you!' There is no other way to put it … Kathleen Sebelius and through her, the Obama administration, have said 'To Hell with You' to the Catholic faithful of the United States. To Hell with your religious beliefs, to Hell with your religious liberty, to Hell with your freedom of conscience."
"Nobody, not even the president of the United States or anyone who represents him, has the right to say to you and to me as U.S. citizens, as Catholics, or as both: 'To Hell with You.' The president and our elected leaders need to hear from you and me and to listen to us NOW."
Bishop Loverde said: "I am absolutely convinced that an unprecedented and very dangerous line has been crossed that goes to the heart of the freedom of religion, and that this action does intolerable violence to our First Amendment rights." He encouraged Catholics in his diocese, which abuts Washington, DC, to "be prepared to engage in a strong defense in the civil arena of the basic human right of religious liberty."
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