Bishops’ statements
For the third consecutive year, the bishops of Texas are joining their counterparts across the United States for the "Fortnight for Freedom". This 14-day period of prayer, penance, education, and action in defense of religious freedom opened on Sunday, June 21, 2015, and runs through the Fourth of July. The theme of this year’s observation focuses on the "freedom to bear witness" to the truth of the Gospel.Archbishop William Lori kicked-off the Fortnight for Freedom by celebrating an Opening Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, Maryland, on Sunday, June 21, 2015. Texas Catholics prayed in solidarity with national Church leaders through a variety of spiritual events.Bishop Michael Sis of the Diocese of San Angelo presided over an Opening Mass for the Fortnight at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Odessa on Sunday morning, June 21, 2015. He issued a call for spiritual action, “Let us pray during the two weeks of this observance that God may strengthen our own resolve to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel.” Bishop Sis also asked parishes in the San Angelo Diocese to include prayers for religious liberty in all of their Masses on the Fourth of July to conclude this year’s event.Corpus Christi Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated a Memorial Massfor the martyrs St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher at the Corpus Christi Cathedral on Monday evening, June 22, 2015. Bishop Mulvey also encouraged his flock to voluntarily fast and abstain from meat on the two Fridays during the Fortnight, as well as take part in prayer services and Eucharistic Adoration for religious freedom. He also invited the faithful to attend a presentation on “Religious Liberty & Human…
The Texas Catholic Conference today expressed disappointment at the U.S. Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals’ ruling Monday that would force religious institutions to violate their faith. Several Texas dioceses and churches have long objected to provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act that require religious employers to provide health insurance that covers contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortions unless those employers sign a form declaring their principled opposition to the coverage, which, in turn, will compel others to deliver the coverage to employees of the religious organizations in direct violation to the coverage that they oppose based on sincerely held religious beliefs. These groups take the position that this forces them into a situation in which they are materially cooperating in action that is contrary to their faith. However, several denominations have argued that the process is little more than a gimmick, since employment itself with the Church is what triggers access to health insurance, and that subsequent access to birth control or to abortifacients through that insurance—even through some convoluted accounting scheme—does not circumvent the employers’ deeply held religious beliefs. This debate has not been limited solely to Texas, but has been waged in federal courts across the nation over the last four years. Texas’ Catholic bishops are eager to have the final decision heard and decided by the U.S. Supreme Court and urge the Justices to reinforce the U.S. Constitutional protections of religious liberty.
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