Cardinal Dolan Applauds Church Agencies As They Challenge HHS For Violating Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy M.Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB),in a May 21 statement applauded 43 dioceses, hospitals, schools and churchagencies for filing 12 lawsuits around the nation saying the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services mandate violates religious freedom.

Hisstatement follows.

“Wehave tried negotiation with the Administration and legislation with theCongress – and we’ll keep at it – but there's still no fix. Time is runningout, and our valuable ministries and fundamental rights hang in the balance, sowe have to resort to the courts now. Though the Conference is not a party tothe lawsuits, we applaud this courageous action by so many individual dioceses,charities, hospitals and schools across the nation, in coordination with thelaw firm of Jones Day. It is also a compelling display of the unity of theChurch in defense of religious liberty. It's also a great show of the diversityof the Church's ministries that serve the common good and that are jeopardizedby the mandate – ministries to the poor, the sick, and the uneducated, topeople of any faith or no faith at all.”

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Keywords: Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Health and Human Services,U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jones Day, religious freedom. FirstAmendment, religious liberty, HHS

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