Americans of all faiths and religious denominations have enjoyed religious liberty for generations. For the first time in our history, those cherished freedoms are at risk. This is a matter of principle -- not personality, nor partisanship -- that threatens all of us. Our Church is not a political party, but a moral voice that always speaks for freedom. The USCCB is committed to keeping these issues before us without being captured in political debate in a partisan way. As the weeks go by we'll be sharing educational articles published by the USCCB that will address a wide range of issues. The first in this series is entitled Religious Liberty: The Most Cherished of American Freedoms.

On January 20, 2012, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved regulations requiring all employers to offer contraceptive and reproductive health services in their employees' health plans. The regulations struck at the heart of our fundamental right to religious liberty, which affects our ability to serve those outside our faith community. A perilously weak exemption has since been included by the Administration, but it is not enough. This multi-faceted issue remains at the forefront and we've listed some of the best resources for current information below. 

Additionally, we try to publish recent developments and resources on our Facebook page, and include communications from Cardinal George in our weekly bulletins. We encourage everyone to follow and support the defeat of this affront to the First Amendment rights of Catholics.

• Sign the petition to rescind the HHS mandate
• Send an email to your congressman
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) web site
• USCCBlog: Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate
• Six More Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate
• Archdiocese of Chicago