“It is not just about sterilization, abortifacients, and chemical contraception…It’s about religious freedom, the sacred right, protected by our constitution…” – stated Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, October 29, 2012, of the President’s HHS healthcare mandates.
Cardinal Dolan, who is President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), continued:
“The President announced…the choking mandates from HHS would remain – a shock to me, since he had personally assured me that he would do nothing to impede the good work of the Church…that he considered the protection of conscience a sacred duty…
There was still no resolution about the handcuffs placed upon…Catholic charitable agencies…just because they will not refer victims of human trafficking, immigrants and refugees, and the hungry of the world, for abortions, sterilization, or contraception.”
On May 21, 2012, the Archdiocese of New York filed a historic Federal lawsuit against the HHS mandate:
“In order to protect our religious liberties from unwarranted and unprecedented government intrusion, the Archdiocese of New York has filed suit in federal court today seeking to block the recent Health and Human Services mandate that unconstitutionally attempts to define the nature of the Church’s religious ministry and would force religious employers to violate their consciences.”
With the Catholic Church being the largest healthcare provider in America, the USCCB stated October 12, 2012, regarding an “exemption” to the HHS mandate:
“Last night, the…statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees…
That exemption…does not extend to ‘Catholic social services, Georgetown Hospital’…or any other religious charity.”
Georgetown Hospital was founded in 1898 as part of Georgetown University.
Georgetown University, named for George Washington, was founded JANUARY 23, 1789, by America’s first Catholic Bishop, John Carroll.
Regarding freedom of conscience, Bishop John Carroll sent a report to Rome in 1790:
“In 1776, American Independence was declared, and a revolution effected, not only in political affairs, but also in those relating to Religion.
For while the thirteen provinces of North America rejected the yoke of England, they proclaimed, at the same time, freedom of conscience, and the right of worshipping the Almighty, according to the spirit of the religion to which each one should belong.
Before this great event, the Catholic faith had penetrated two provinces only, Maryland and Pennsylvania. In all the others the laws against Catholics were in force.
Any priest coming from foreign parts, was subject to the penalty of death; all who professed the Catholic faith, were not merely excluded from offices of government, but hardly could be tolerated in a private capacity….
By the Declaration of Independence, every difficulty was removed: the Catholics were placed on a level with their fellow-Christians, and every political disqualification was done away.”
Regarding religious freedom, Bishop John Carroll wrote in the National Gazette, 1789:
“The establishment of the American empire was not the work of this or that religion, but arose from a generous exertion of all her citizens to redress their wrongs, to assert their rights, and lay its foundations on the soundest principles of justice and equal liberty…
An earnest regard to preserve inviolate forever, in our new empire, the great principle of religious freedom.”
John Carroll was the cousin of Charles Carroll, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence, the longest living of the signers, and the wealthiest man in America.
John’s brother, Daniel Carroll, was one of two Catholics to sign the U.S. Constitution, who provided the land where the Capitol is built and was elected a Congressman.
John’s nephew, Robert Brent was Washington, DC’s first mayor, reappointed by Jefferson and Madison.
John Carroll founded the nation’s first Catholic seminary, parochial school system, and persuaded Elizabeth Seton to start a girls school in Baltimore.
In 1776, the Continental Congress had John Carroll accompany Ben Franklin to Canada in an attempt to persuade that country to join the Revolution.
Esteem for Bishop John Carroll led several States to extend equality to Catholics. He wrote:
“Freedom and independence, acquired by…the mingled blood of Protestant and Catholic fellow-citizens, should be equally enjoyed by all.”
Bishop Carroll stated of Catholics who fought in the Revolution:
“Their blood flowed as freely (in proportion to their numbers) to cement the fabric of independence as that of any of their fellow-citizens.
They concurred with perhaps greater unanimity than any other body of men, in recommending and promoting that government, from whose influence America anticipates all the blessings of justice, peace, plenty, good order and civil and religious liberty.”
On March 15, 1790, President George Washington assured Bishop John Carroll of protection for Catholics’ “temporal and spiritual felicity”:
“America, under the smiles of a Divine Providence, the protection of a good government, and the cultivation of manners, morals, and piety, cannot fail of attaining an uncommon degree of eminence…
All those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protection of civil government.
I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations in examples of justice and liberality.
And I presume that your fellow-citizens will not forget the patriotic part which you took in the accomplishment of their Revolution, and the establishment of their government;
or the important assistance which they received from a nation in which the Roman Catholic faith is professed…
May the members of your society in America, animated alone by the pure spirit of Christianity, and still conducting themselves as the faithful subjects of our free government, enjoy every temporal and spiritual felicity.”
William J. Federer is a nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company dedicated to researching America’s noble heritage.
To learn more about the author please visit William Federer
Featured image: Portrait of Archbishop John Carroll, Gilbert Stuart, oil on canvas, c. 1806 (Georgetown University Library)
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