Friday, November 9, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Letter from Archbishop Vigneron Regarding the Recent HHS Ruling
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I write to you concerning an alarming and serious threat to religious liberty in the United States. Under the First Amendment to the Constitution, we should be left free to love God according to our conscience. The government should not force us to choose between violating our consciences or violating the law. And yet, the federal government has just dealt a heavy blow to the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last month that almost all employers, including Catholic and other religious employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those "services" in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies. The Administration 's sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.
As a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). Shockingly, the Administration has adopted a definition of religion so narrow that it would force us to only offer charity to those who are Catholic. Under the Administration 's logic, we would have to ask people for their baptismal certificate before we allow them to enter one of our soup kitchens. Surely, one could not claim that Mother Teresa was engaging in religion only when she was in the chapel and not when she reached out to others in whom she saw the face of Christ. Yet, this is the meaning of the Administration's definition of religion.
We cannot–we will not–comply with this unjust law. This is not just a "Catholic" issue. Rather, this decision affects religious believers of all traditions. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I call upon this generation of the faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.
I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail and religious liberty may be restored. Second, I would also recommend visiting the website www.usccb.org/conscience, to learn more about this issue and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Administration's decision.
America is a better place when we are free to love God. Please join with me in ensuring that this assault on religious liberty is overturned. Asking God's blessings upon you through the intercession of our patroness Saint Anne, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron
Archbishop of Detroit
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I write to you concerning an alarming and serious threat to religious liberty in the United States. Under the First Amendment to the Constitution, we should be left free to love God according to our conscience. The government should not force us to choose between violating our consciences or violating the law. And yet, the federal government has just dealt a heavy blow to the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last month that almost all employers, including Catholic and other religious employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those "services" in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies. The Administration 's sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.
As a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). Shockingly, the Administration has adopted a definition of religion so narrow that it would force us to only offer charity to those who are Catholic. Under the Administration 's logic, we would have to ask people for their baptismal certificate before we allow them to enter one of our soup kitchens. Surely, one could not claim that Mother Teresa was engaging in religion only when she was in the chapel and not when she reached out to others in whom she saw the face of Christ. Yet, this is the meaning of the Administration's definition of religion.
We cannot–we will not–comply with this unjust law. This is not just a "Catholic" issue. Rather, this decision affects religious believers of all traditions. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I call upon this generation of the faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.
I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail and religious liberty may be restored. Second, I would also recommend visiting the website www.usccb.org/conscience, to learn more about this issue and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Administration's decision.
America is a better place when we are free to love God. Please join with me in ensuring that this assault on religious liberty is overturned. Asking God's blessings upon you through the intercession of our patroness Saint Anne, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron
Archbishop of Detroit
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
All Souls Day
It's All Soul's Day. Pray for all those who are being purified so that they might enter Heaven.
My Jesus,
by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
My Jesus,
by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.
Play Group
There will be a play group this Friday from 10-12 am. All ages welcome. Contact Elaine R. for details or to RSVP. I hope we see you there.
Pumpkin Carving
About 10 families enjoyed the annual pumpkin carving last week. We had a great dinner and the BEST desserts ever. We were inspired by each others designs and ideas and best of all no pumpkins guts in you kitchen! If you didn't make it, I hope you can come next year.
A New Year
The first two meeting of this year have been great.
At our September meeting we got to know our members. We have quite a few new folks. I hope they are feeling welcomes to the group. Our "speed dating" ice breaker gave us a great opportunity to get learn lots of new things about about each other.
The October meeting demonstrated cute Halloween treats that we could use to thrill our munchkins with. The first one was a creepy witch's hand. Just slip a candy corn into each finger of a glove. Then fill it with popcorn and tie closed.
;)
We also made Tootsie Pop spiders and Oreo cookie spiders.
I think my favorite project was a juice box that looks like a mummy. Just wrap a juice box in white electrical tape (make sure to take the straw off) and glue one eye. Then tape the straw back on.
Freebie treat- Peep Pops! Just put a ghost Peep onto a lolly pop stick and la voila! A cool treat that only took 5 seconds to make.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Did you know that Detroit has a Catholic radio station? We are so blessed to have Ave Maria Radio on 990 AM. Their primary mission is catechises, but they have current event programs and advice shows.
http://avemariaradio.net/
http://avemariaradio.net/
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