Bishop Matthew Clark Slams New Health And Services Rule

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Calls It A Threat To Religious Liberty

February 5, 2012

ROCHESTER, NY - In Sunday's bulletin at Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Hornell, there was a letter inside. The letter, written by Bishop Matthew Clark, called the Department of Health and Human Services order about employers having to pay for birth control, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs in health insurance plans. "As a result, unless the ruling is overturned, we Catholics will be required to either violate our consciences or drop health coverage for our employees," Clark wrote.

The bishop is one of hundreds of U.S. Catholic bishops in fighting the administration on this issue.

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

January 31, 2012

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

With a heavy heart, I write to you today to call your attention to an important development which threatens the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services announced on January 20, 2012, that almost all employers will now be mandated to offer employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraception.

As a result, unless the ruling is overturned, we Catholics will be required to either violate our consciences or drop health coverage for our employees.

As we have done in the past, so now we must make our voices heard on this important matter of religious freedom.

Therefore, I ask two things of you: First, as a community of faith, to commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice might be restored. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible. Second, I ask you individually to visit www.usccb.org/conscience to learn about this assault on religious liberty, and to learn how to contact Congress in support of legislation that will reverse this administrative decision.

May God bless our efforts to do what is right.

With every good wish, I remain,

Your brother in Christ,

+Matthew H. Clark

Bishop of Rochester