Faith Freedom Rally, Friday, Noon, Independence Hall

Philadelphia Catholics and pro-life supporters will gather at a Rally for Religious Freedom to voice their concerns regarding the HHS Mandate which Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., has called, “flawed and dangerous.”

Friday, March 23, 2012

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Independence Hall, 500 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

On January 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reaffirmed a rule that virtually all private health care plans must cover sterilization, abortion-causing drugs, and contraception.

The exemption provided for “religious employers” is so narrow that it failed to cover the vast majority of faith-based organizations-including Catholic hospitals, universities, and charities-that help millions of people every year regardless of their faith. As Archbishop Chaput stated in his February 17th online column, “It’s not a ‘compromise’ and it needs to be rescinded.”

Important Facts about the HHS Mandate

• The mandate does not exempt Catholic charities, schools, universities, or hospitals.
• The mandate forces these institutions and others, against their conscience, to pay for things they consider immoral.
• The mandate forces coverage of sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs and devices as well as contraception.