Skip to main content
The Little Sisters of the Poor religious order has asked the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to extend an injunction blocking enforcement of a federal mandate to provide contraceptive coverage in employee health insurance. A brief filed Feb. 24 with the appeals court in Denver said the injunction is necessary "to prevent the impermissible government pressure" on the order to offer an employee health benefits plan consistent with their Catholic faith, which is against contraceptives. "For the Little Sisters, an injunction ... is necessary to spare (them) from the illegal coercion" forcing them to provide coverage they oppose, said the brief, filed on behalf of the Colorado-based order and their co-plaintiffs -- Christian Brothers Services and Christian Brothers Employee Benefits Trust. The filing follows the Supreme Court's Jan. 24 order affirming -- for the time being -- an injunction handed down by Justice Sonia Sotomayor within hours of the mandate taking effect at midnight Jan. 1. Noncompliance by that date would have meant thousands of dollars in daily fines levied against the Little Sisters. Under rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the mandate requires nearly all employers to cover contraceptives, sterilizations and some abortion-inducing drugs for all employees in their company health plan. It includes a narrow exemption for some religious employers that fit certain criteria. Non-exempt religious employers, such as the Little Sisters, have to direct a third-party to provide contraceptives, which the order opposes. This is clearly a violation of the separation of church and state. The Constitution was created to protect religion and those that choose to worship. Our President does not understand basic principles of our governing documents.

Popular posts from this blog

Praying With The Five Wounds Of Jesus

I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...
Post a Comment
Read more

Woman, Behold Your Son

The spiritual climax of the Gospel of John, as Father John Waiss points out, occurs at the foot of the Cross, where Jesus utters his parting words: “Woman, behold, your son!” and “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27). While these words were addressed to the Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Church has long understood this moment as a universal adoption. To truly image Christ, we must share in His parentage; if we embrace God as our spiritual Father but reject Mary as our mother, we treat Christ as a half-brother rather than our "firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). As Origen noted as early as the third century, the profound depths of the Gospel are only accessible to those who, like John, rest their heads on Jesus’ breast and receive Mary into their own homes. This maternal role is deeply rooted in biblical typology, positioning Mary as the fulfillment of the great mothers of the Old Covenant. She is the New Eve , the mother of all the living according ...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Fisherman to Foremen: Peter’s First Act as Shepherd

In the immediate aftermath of the Ascension, we see a profound transformation in Peter, moving from the impulsive fisherman who once fled in the garden to the courageous shepherd of the early Church. By standing up in the heart of Jerusalem to deliver his first great "sermon" at Pentecost, Peter is not merely offering an inspired speech; he is stepping into the primordial role of the Papacy. He was specifically commissioned by Christ on the shores of Galilee to "feed my sheep," and here we see that nourishment take the form of the Word. He takes control of a frightened and confused community, providing the definitive interpretation of the Resurrection and anchoring the fledgling Church in the truth of the Gospel. This moment in the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the authority of Peter was never about personal power, but about the sacred duty of unity and guidance. By taking the lead in the upper room and before the crowds, Peter demonstrates that the "key...
Post a Comment
Read more