Pray that governments will respect the consciences of all people who care for the sick and vulnerable. 

Reflect 
An essential part of Christ’s earthly ministry was to cure the sick, and when he sent the Apostles on mission, he commanded them to heal those afflicted by diseases. The Church has carried on the healing work of Christ by building institutions dedicated to medicine and accompaniment of the dying. Some activists and policymakers have sought to undermine the Church’s mission by forcing Catholic hospitals to perform procedures that destroy human life and undermine human dignity, such as sterilization, gender reassignment surgery, and even abortion. While Catholic hospitals face these pressures, individual people of faith who work in secular institutions may find themselves coerced into participating in immoral procedures. For example, nurses have been forced to assist in abortions or risk losing their jobs. Even the prospect of being put into such a situation can have a chilling effect on Christians who are called to serve as medical professionals. Nurses and doctors have the right to be exempted from participating in procedures to which they conscientiously object. 

Act 
While existing federal laws already protect some conscientious objections to abortion, sterilization, and gender reassignment surgery in theory, this protection has not proved effective in practice.  These laws can only be enforced by the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has in the past refused to fully enforce these laws.  The Conscience Protection Act would address deficiencies that block effective enforcement of existing laws, most notably by establishing a private right of action allowing victims of discrimination to defend their own rights in court.  Contact your elected officials in Congress and urge them to support the Conscience Protection Act!