Join the Fight!

Dear fellow Catholics,

We are at a perilous point in American Catholic History.  We are under a constant deluge of anti-Catholic attacks from not only secular society but from our government.

If you are unaware of the most recent attack, please see my previous entry (titled “Unconscionable”).

The USCCB is urging (http://usccb.org/news/2012/12-015.cfm) all American Catholics stand up to this grave threat against conscience rights, religious liberty, and human life.

It is time to stand up, it is time to fight.  It is time for the Church Militant to be just that, MILITANT.

It is time to wage a defensive crusade against this grave abomination.  Let the Rosary be our sword, the Brown Scapular our shield, and the Bible our warhorse.

Are you ready to fight?

Then join the No Shave Novena and make your voice heard both to God above and to the men on Capitol Hill.

To join the fight you must agree to the No Shave Novena commitments until August 1^st 2013 (Or until the HHS Mandate is revoked.  Adherence to your commitment is not binding under the pain of sin):

1. Stop Shaving: Grow out your beard.  This serves as a visible outward sign of your faith, signals a disavowment to worldly ideals, and draws attention to the cause.  The beard may be trimmed and groomed as needed.
1. It is understandable that some people may be unable to grow a beard due to various life circumstances (or gender!).  Don’t fret.  Simply replace this commitment with something else.  Perhaps you could give up a favorite food, or maybe wear a small crucifix lapel pin.  Be creative (but please remain modest).
2. Pray two novenas to St. Gianna to end the HHS mandate: (http://www.saintgianna.org/novena.htm)
1. Pray one prayer of the novena for each month until August 1^st 2013.  That is 18 months from now, which will equal two novenas.  If you are joining the No Shave Novena late in the game, don’t worry; make up the prayers as your schedule permits.  Of course additional daily prayers are encouraged.  A Rosary a day keeps the Morning Star away.
3. Sacraments: Go to Mass on Sundays and other Holy Days of Obligation.  Receive the Eucharist at each Mass attended (assuming you’re in a state of grace).  Confess your sins at least once of month.
4. Tithe: Financially support your local parish to the best of your ability.  Give what you can.
5. Evangelize: Talk about the cause.  When people ask about your new beard (or your substituted action of choice) use the question as an opportunity to educate them about the HHS Mandate.  Spread the word, post this blog’s and our Facebook page URL to your various social media accounts.
6. Political confrontation: Once a month write your congressional representative (https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml).  Express your objection to the HHS Mandate.
7. Vote: Vote in every local, state and federal election.

That’s it.  You can do it!

Joining the No Shave Novena is easy.  Simply “like” our Facebook page and start living the commitments.

Join now!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Shave-Novena/316914008350488?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/No-Shave-Novena/316914008350488?sk=wall

Unconscionable

On August 1, 2011 the Department of Health and Human Services, directed by Kathleen Sebelius, adopted the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that “the full range of FDA-approved contraceptive methods” be determined a “preventive care service for women.” Under these new guidelines, mandatory coverage will be provided for surgical sterilization, all prescription contraceptives approved by the FDA - including drugs like Ella that can cause abortions in the early weeks of pregnancy - as well as counseling to promote them. This directive from the Affordable Care Act initiative will be supported by tax payers without a conscience clause exemption, violating the civil and religious liberties of millions of Americans.

Religious leaders had feared the worst from Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and her Department of Health and Human Services, which since September has been considering whether to exempt Catholic and other religious employers from a regulation mandating insurance coverage for sterilization and contraceptives, including some that cause abortion.

But on Friday afternoon, Sebelius announced the bad news in the most offensive way possible. Refusing even the smallest compromise with religious employers, she simply gave them an extra year to comply with the law.  Religious employers have until August 1^st, 2013.

Later, Archbishop Dolan issued a statement that offered no hope for common ground: “In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences,” Dolan said. “To force American citizens to choose between violating their consciences and forgoing their health care is literally unconscionable. It is as much an attack on access to health care as on religious freedom.”