On June 8 our parish?s Defenders of Faith ministry, in conjunction with St. Ann?s (Avon) DOF ministry, planned and executed a most successful public discussion on the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA/Obamacare) on the Catholic Church-at-large and on the individual Catholic practitioner?you and me. More than 240 people packed Russell Hall on a warm and bright New England Sunday
afternoon?a testimony to the importance of this issue to people of faith.

Nationally known presenters?Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., of The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, Mr. Daniel P. O?Connell, Chairman of the Board of Saint Francis Care (hospital and medical center) and Mr. Jeff Mateer, Esq., General Counsel of the Liberty Institute of Dallas, Texas?enlightened the crowd with powerful information on topics ranging from cooperating with evil in support of acts which do not promote medical care, the role of Catholic healthcare as commanded by Christ, the fiscal impact of the fines of the ACA on Catholic hospitals, and the response of the Courts to litigants seeking relief from the Health and Human Ser-vices Mandate (the Mandate) of the ACA.

The Mandate attempts to define "religious institutions" in such narrow terms that, for example, a Catholic hospital or Catholic food shelter, offering care or food to non-Catholics, would not be considered "religious." In fact, the Mandate is so narrowly written that only the Church building is considered "a religious entity." Jesus Christ Himself would not be exempt by the Mandate. The issue at hand is that for the first time in our nation?s history the federal government is attempting to define what religion is and is not. The end result is: you can do or say what you like within the four walls of the Church but don?t take your faith out in to the world. The government is making it an issue of "religious worship" versus "religious liberty."

Conference attendees were surprised to hear that fines against Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, for not adhering to government demands to perform medical procedures or provide coverage for such procedures which go against Catholic teaching would total some $228 million per year, nearly half of the hospital?s operating revenues, with an end result being fiscal disaster. Likewise, it was surprising to hear that out of the 63 court cases already litigated, the overwhelming majority have gone against the federal Mandate. We are waiting to hear from the Supreme Court in the near future regarding the well-known Hobby Lobby case.

I would like to take this time to thank the members of the Defenders of Faith ministries at both St. Catherine of Siena and St. Ann for all of their wonderful work in planning and executing this very successful and important event. Working together and with the Archdiocese?s of Hartford?s Maria Zone, Communications Director, and Father John Gatzak at WJMJ radio, ensured this great success. I also
appreciate the wonderful support of Father John McHugh, pastor of Saint Ann, to help this come to fruition. A special shout out goes to: Chris Budnick, Craig Taylor, Kathy Randall, Cal Anderson, Ginny Belden, and Kate Conway for months and months of planning and hard work. It was a great success and without their efforts this would not have come to be. I personally thank them for all that they did to encourage parishioners from more than 15 different parishes and of multiple faith groups to come and illustrate just how important this issue is to those of faith?something you don?t see covered in the mainstream media. And with pray-ers and action we will ensure religious liberty?as instituted by our Founding Fathers? wisdom?remains the first and most vital liberty afforded by our U.S. Constitution.

We should, when considering this issue, all ask ourselves: "What will become of society if the Catholic Church is unable to care for the poor of all faiths, reach out to the sick?no matter their religious affiliation?provide services to the homeless or the battered and abused, whether they are baptismal-card-carrying Catholics or not, or pray for and educate the lost and the forgotten?rich or poor, white or black, male or female, Catholic or unbelieving. What "good" comes of this government-led attempt to shrink religious liberty, thus religion, from our society?" What difference does it make, you ask?" More than you can imagine! For more information on religious liberty issues or to receive a free copy of Undeniable: The Survey of Hostility to Religion in America go to LibertyInstitute.org.