Franciscan Focus Summer 2012 : Page 2

Franciscan Alliance MAKES A STAND

Thomas J. Gryzbek

Dear Neighbors and Friends, On behalf of the Sisters of St. Francis and the entire Franciscan Alliance employee workforce, please accept our best wishes for a wonderful summer. WE ARE A FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATION. Our mission is to continue Christ's healing ministry in our Franciscan tradition. This tradition motivates us to work diligently to protect life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. We believe we meet Jesus in disguise in all patients that we are privileged to treat and in all individuals we are honored to meet. THE TRADITION ALSO CALLS us TO STAND UP for the downtrodden and to help make our communities better places to live, work and worship. When something happens that encumbers one's ability to be treated with dignity and respect, or when something is about to be implemented that would affect the most vulnerable of God's needy, we must react. Our faith demands it. Our love of God requires it. Such an encumbrance is upon us due to the recent decision by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to remove the conscience clause protection existing in health care that has been honored since the founding of the United States. Conscience clauses exist in various pieces of legislation and administrative rules exempting faith-based organizations from having to do something their church holds as a violation of their beliefs. HHS WANTS CATHOLIC HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE CONTRACEPTION (birth control pills) to its employees as part of its health insurance plans. Certain types of birth control pills are abortifacients, which prevent a fertilized egg (a baby) to attach to a mother's womb and therefore end that baby's life. A life that we believe is made in the image and likeness of Goc. A life that we hold sacred. A life that we must protect. The HHS's order disrespects and ignores our Catholic beliefs in this regard. THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, GOES MUCH DEEPERTHAN CONTRACEPTION. If the federal government can hold that a belief is no longer worthy of conscience clause protection, the fear is it can later decide some other religious belief is equally unworthy of protection (regardless of one's faith tradition). W h o gives the HHS such unbridled authority? Why should it have such uncontrolled power? You will hear more about the Catholic Church fighting this unprecedented attempt to erode what we view as one's constitutional right to practice one's faith in the months ahead. You will hear of our efforts to educate others as to why we believe this decision creates a frightening precedent that could impact the ability of others to protect their faith beliefs if similar decisions are made in the future. We hope you will stand with us to protect religious freedom. May God continue to bless you and your loved ones

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