Two choices after ruling: Violate conscience or drop health insurance

Published: January 26, 2012

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor is asking the priests, religious and laity to get involved in fighting a recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will require health care plans to cover sterilization and contraception free of charge.

He said the religious liberty of people of faith will be violated if the ruling is implemented.

While there is a narrow religious exemption, Catholic hospitals, charities and college would not be exempt. Business owners, insurers or individuals would also be forced to comply with the ruling even though they might object to contraception, many of which cause abortions, or sterilizations.

In a Jan. 25 letter, Bishop Taylor said, "We cannot – we will not – comply with this unjust law."

Bishop Taylor said the ruling is a violation of the First Amendment.

"In so ruling, our government has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our nation's first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. And as a result, unless this rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences or to drop health care coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so)."

Bishop Taylor would like Catholics in Arkansas to begin to pray and fast that "wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty restored." He also asked people to get involved by visiting http://www.usccb.org/conscience and contacting their congressional leaders.

Click here for complete letter in English or Spanish.