MCC Updates

Action Alert! Contact Your U.S. Senators to Support “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act”

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:16:51 -0500

On February 10, 2012 President Barack Obama announced that religious employers would still be mandated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to include in their health benefit plans abortion-inducing drugs, contraception and sterilization should an employee request such coverage from the employer’s insurer. Please take a moment to contact Michigan’s U.S. Senators Levin and Stabenow in support of the “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act.” Continue reading…

MCC Applauds Michigan House for Opposing HHS Mandate, Standing for Religious Liberty

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:09:04 -0500

“Michigan Catholic Conference applauds the Michigan House of Representatives for supporting this Resolution and commends House leadership for acting to support conscience rights and the First Amendment Right to Religious Freedom.” Continue reading…

MCC Welcomes Michigan House Resolution Opposing HHS Mandate

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:43:02 -0500

A recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate that forces religious employers to violate their consciences by including morally objectionable services in their health benefit plans represents a broad attack on the constitutional right to religious freedom and the conscience rights of all Americans, Michigan Catholic Conference testified today before the House Government Operations Committee. Continue reading…

Rebecca Mastee Joins MCC as Policy Advocate

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:13:00 -0500

“Rebecca has developed a highly impressive track record advocating on behalf of the public policy issues that are of key concern to this organization, and we are quite pleased that she will be joining our team to help promote them in the Michigan Legislature,” said Tom Hickson, MCC Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy. Continue reading…

Following Obama HHS Announcement, U.S. Bishops Renew Call for Legislative Action

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:29:11 -0500

The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services. We will therefore continue—with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency—our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government. For example, we renew our call on Congress to pass, and the Administration to sign, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act. And we renew our call to the Catholic faithful, and to all our fellow Americans, to join together in this effort to protect religious liberty and freedom of conscience for all. Continue reading…

Bishops Studying Initial White House Movement on Religious Liberty

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:17:16 -0500

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sees initial opportunities in preserving the principle of religious freedom after President Obama’s announcement today. But the Conference continues to express concerns. “While there may be an openness to respond to some of our concerns, we reserve judgment on the details until we have them,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of USCCB. Continue reading…

Free Press Op/Ed: HHS Insurance Mandate Must be Defeated

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:39:33 -0500

Michigan Catholic Conference President and Chief Executive Officer Paul A. Long writes in today’s Detroit Free Press: “Nearly three years after President Barack Obama called for the protection of conscience rights at the University of Notre Dame, not only has he failed to honor his words, last month he authorized perhaps the most egregious and sweeping intrusion into the religious liberty and conscience rights of every American citizen.” Continue reading…

Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:48:35 -0500

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers the following clarifications regarding the Health and Human Services regulations on mandatory coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. Continue reading…

White House Misrepresents Its Own Contraceptive Mandate

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:39:54 -0500

The Obama administration, to justify its widely criticized mandate for contraception and sterilization coverage in private health plans, has posted a set of false and misleading claims on the White House blog (“Health Reform, Preventive Services, and Religious Institutions,” February 1). In what follows, each White House claim is quoted with a response. Continue reading…

FOCUS: Promoting Religious Liberty Through Advocacy

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:18:48 -0500

Grassroots advocacy remains a critical resource and a valuable opportunity for Catholics to urge public officials to enact policies that advance the common good and uphold the moral fiber of the state. While the Catholic Legislative Advocacy Network continues to grow in 2012, new and frightful legislative challenges have arisen. Regrettably, policies have surfaced at the congressional level, now funneling down to the state level, that obstruct the Catholic Church’s constitutional right to exercise its faith free from government intervention. Continue reading…