Template for a Letter to State Rep

A possible letter to send to your elected representatives regarding Obama's attack on the Catholic and all Christian Churches:

On Saturday, January 21st, 2012 President Obama called New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. The President had disturbing news for the Archbishop.

Secretary of Health and Human Services and pro-abortion Catholic Kathleen Sebelius just announced that the proposed mandate requiring all insurance plans to pay for contraception, sterilization and some abortion drugs is official — and Catholics cannot escape. Exemption for religious groups will not be modified, apart from allowing some groups an additional year to comply. That’s just one year until Catholic doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, hospitals and any other health care provider must comply, regardless of their own conscience.

Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan responded immediately, saying: “In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences. Beginning August 1, 2012 (less than eight months from today), the insurance premiums we pay, including the insurance premiums paid by Catholics for employees of churches and schools — will be used to cover drugs and procedures that are in direct conflict with the teachings of our Church.” Catholics will be paying for abortions, sterilizations and other immoral procedures whether we like it or not.

Cardinal-designate, Archbishop Timothy Dolan is now in direct opposition to President Obama on this issue. And so am I.

President Obama ignored the organized efforts of Catholics across the country, including bold statements from the Bishops, university presidents (including Notre Dame’s Rev. Jenkins), and even his Catholic allies like Sr. Carol Keehan. Instead, President Obama stood with his real friends — Planned Parenthood. Make no mistake; this decision is a direct attack on you, our Church, and the religious liberty of all Americans. This is just one part of the bigotry against religion, which pervades the so-called “elites” in our nation.

Just last week, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the bishops from the United States who were completing their “Ad Limina” visit in Rome. The Holy Father specifically cited the “grave threats” to the freedom of the Church in America, and urged the Catholic community to respond, especially with “an engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity.” He’s talking to you and me. The Holy Father’s brief address is a must read and can be found on the Vatican Web site or on my Face Book Page or on our Parish Web Site.

Finally, we are just one year from Inauguration Day. In twelve months, America will welcome a new president, or usher in four more years of Barack Obama and his assault on our liberties. This irony is not lost on us. At a time like this we realize that elections indeed have consequences. The Catholic vote must rise up like never before. If the President is re-elected we will certainly see more radical moves against our Church and all Christian people, as well as Jews and people of other faiths.

But the Church has faced this kind of thing before. And the very people who criticized the Catholic Church for not doing enough to stop evil in the 20th Century in Europe before and during World War II are the very people who we must respond to now with a very loud, very clear “No!”

I hope you will stand with people of faith in the United States and oppose this direct violation of Religious Freedom. I trust you understand the seriousness of failure to keep the oath of office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

Sincerely yours,