Click here to read about Important Religious Liberty Current Events

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The Religious Freedom Committee organizes annual speakers, voter registration drives and several events to promote Religious Freedom in our parish ie. Fortnight for Freedom.

Contact Bob Laird at blaird48@gmail.com

Archbishop Cordileone’s Talk on Marriage

Bostic vs. Rainey Marriage Case

Dr. Ryan Anderson Talk on Marriage and Religious Freedom

Fortnight for Freedom

Gender Ideology Conference

Obama Defends Infanticide

Religious Freedom Week

Transgenderism

Call To Prayer For Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty

The pastoral strategy is essentially a call and encouragement to prayer and sacrifice – it’s meant to be simple. … Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty are not only foundational to Catholic social teaching but also fundamental to the good of society.
– Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone

Join all St. Raymond parishioners in taking part in the United States Bishops’ “Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty.” This initiative involves 5 parts:

  1. Monthly Eucharistic Holy Hour
  2. Daily Rosary
  3. Intentions at Mass
  4. Meatless Fridays
  5. Second Fortnight for Freedom in July

USCCB Call To Prayer For Life, Marriage, And Religious Liberty
Facebook Group

Contents

Health and Human Services Mandate
Father De Celles’ Homilies and Bulletin Writings
Conference on “Religious Liberty, Contraception, and the Catholic Church”
USCCB On Religious Liberty and Marriage
Other Documents

 

Health and Human Services Mandate

Bad Science and Failed Freedom Protections in the HHS Mandate – Helen Alvare – February 5, 2013
Mary Ann Glendon: Why the Bishops Are Suing the U.S. Government – Mary Ann Glendon – May 21, 2012
HHS Lawsuit Central – The Becket Fund (Check out all of the lawsuits filed against the Federal Government as a result of the HHS mandate)
Series of articles by Helen Alvare on Religious Liberty and Contraception

Father De Celles’ Homilies and Bulletin Writings on Religious Liberty

February 3, 2013 (column) (Understand the issues with Boy Scouts and the gays)
January 27, 2013 (column) (Announcement of St. Raymond’s participation in Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage and Liberty)
October 23, 2012 (homily) (Priests and bishops cannot ignore the injustice brought upon the Catholic Church by the current administration. They must speak out against it.)
October 7, 2012 (homily) (“Who is really waging war on women?”)
October 6, 2012 (column) (Respect Life Sunday)
May 6, 2012 (column) (Excellent discussion on subsidiarity)
April 22, 2012 (homily) (Public dissent from Church teachings)
April 22, 2012 (column) (Freedom is fundamental to Christianity)
March 3, 2012 (column) (Rep. Pelosi is right!)
February 26, 2012 (column) (Catholics and birth control)
February 26, 2012 (homily) (Humanae Vitae and a ‘line drawn in the sand’)
February 12, 2012 (homily) (The Catholic Church and the free exercise of religion)
January 22, 2012 (homily) (39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade)

Conference on “Religious Liberty, Contraception, and the Catholic Church”

On March 17, 2012 St. Raymond’s Parish and the Couple to Couple League (CCL) of Northern VA cosponsored a conference addressing the issues raised by the Obama Administration’s mandate that almost all health insurance policies, including those carried by most Catholic institutions and individuals, provide coverage for contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. The conference addressed the current crisis from three perspectives: the legal challenge to religious liberty, the Church’s teaching on contraception, and the practical response of the laity.

(NOTE: Please be patient downloading the videos as the files are large.)

Download Part 1 (770 MB) (Talk by Mr. Casey and Father Pilon)
Download Part 2 (330 MB) (Talk by Mr. and Mrs. Laird)

USCCB on Religious Freedom

Archbishop Lori urges Congress to include Conscience Protection Provisions in funding bills – February 15, 2013 Important new tactic to counter consciences of American citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Defense of Marriage – Marriage dates back to the first book of the Bible. In one swoop, the Obama Administration has destroyed marriage by condoning gay partnerships and granting them the same privileges as marriage. USCCB website on issue is outstanding.
Military Archbishop and USCCB slams Administration for DoD Same-Sex Partner Policy
USCCB Response to HHS Proposed Rule Making with regard to Contraception, Sterilization and Abortion-causing Drugs Policy – On February 1, 2013, the HHS provided another proposed set of rules for comment. These, of course, are unacceptable. Read the USCCB’s respone.
New website on Marriage (both preparation and enrichment) – New USCCB website on marriage.
New website on Marriage being something that is unique for a reason – arguments against same-sex unions – New USCCB website arguing against same-sex unions.
Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty – Link to the Call to prayer to Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty
Obispos Urgen A Los Católicos A Orar Por La Vida, Matrimonio, Libertad Religiosa – en espanol
Archbishop Lori Homily on Godless Secularism – National Catholic Register – 10/15/2012
USCCB response for HHS rule change further restricting the religious liberties in the United States, dated May 15, 2012
Cardinal Dolan on the “7 Givens and 7 Oughts to Catholic Social Teaching.” This is a video of a talk that he gave in March 2012 on Long Island. It is worth listening because he differentiates between the role of the Church and the role of the laity.
Our First, Most Cherished Liberty, April, 2012 This is an excellent history of Religious Liberty in the United States
United for Religious Freedom – An action plan for the Catholic Church in America – March 14, 2012
Letter from Cardinal Dolan to all Bishops – March 2, 2012
“The Parable of the Kosher Deli” – Testimony of Bishop Lori before U.S. House of Representatives – February 28, 2012 (Long version | Short version)
Fact Sheet on Religious Liberty – March 19, 2012
Cardinal-Designate Dolan’s Video Statement – February 14, 2012
Legal Analysis of HHS Regulation & Bulletin on Contraception and Sterilization Mandate – USCCB Office of General Counsel – March 7, 2012
“White House Misrepresents its Own Contraceptive Mandate” – February 3, 2012 Press Release
Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Bishops of the United States of America on Their “Ad Limina” Visit – January 19, 2012
Joint Letter by Biship Loverde and Bishop DiLorenzo on Religious Liberty – January 30, 2012 Bishop Loverde’s Statement on Religious Liberty in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s statement – January 24, 2012
Bishop Loverde Homily, Respect Life Mass, February 25, 2012
Cardinal Wuerl’s Statement on Religious Freedom – January 30, 2012
ObamaCare and Religious Freedom – Cardinal-designate Dolan – WSJ – January 25, 2012

Other Documents

The Mandate War – Read George Weigel’s Thoughts about the HHS Mandate – May 21, 2012
Catholics: Hold Obama Accountable for Conscience Violations – LifeNews.com – January 30, 2012
Bishops Speak Out Against HHS Mandate – CatholicCulture.org – January 30, 2012
Stand up Speak out Be Heard – Gerri Laird – Family Foundations – May 2012
The line in the sand: Religious liberty and health care – Bob Laird – Family Foundations – May 2012
Talking Points on ObamaCare – Couple to Couple League – February/March 2012