Here is the final paragraph...

"I am not a Catholic, nor do I believe in the Church’s opposition to contraception. But I pray that the leadership of the Catholic Church will have the faith and courage to stand for its core beliefs and use all of its moral power and political influence to defeat the President’s edict. I pray they will reach out across the political spectrum to people of all faiths, agnostics and atheists in the name of religious freedom and individual liberty. By so doing, they, and the institution of the Catholic Church, will have my love and respect for the rest of my life."


Please go here to Forbes Magazine and an article by Charles Kadlec for the rest of the article entitled "The Audacity of Power:  President Obama Vs. The Catholic Church. A great piece that lays it open, on the line, for those who have ears to listen.....

Sunday Feb 19

After the fact post, but we completed the Catholicism Series by Fr. Robert Barron today.  Attendance was light and I am sorry that so many of you missed the final DVD.  It was wonderful.

We will need to decide on a direction and topics for the rest of the year, so please leave a comment or send me an email with your thoughts.

Dolan in Rome on the eve of his elevation to Cardinal.....

Please have a look at this post on the eve of the elevation of Archbishop Timothy Dolan to Cardinal.  There are some news clip videos at the end.  Be sure to at least watch a couple of those! This is a truly significant event for the US Catholic Church, and for all of us as individuals.  Barbara and I had the unique opportunity to meet with him personally about 2 weeks ago, and we can say from first hand knowledge that all that is being said about him is true and on point.  We will post a little blog soon about our experience, but I had to put this up tonight as it is his last night as an Archbishop!  We are so excited and happy about this!

The History of the Church on Contraception

For those of you curious about the roots of the Bishop's stand on the issue of contraception, please take the time to read Fr. Pacwa's article in the National Catholic Register.

The Bishops Respond

As you are most likely aware, the President's "accomodation" is a non-starter.  Please go here to the USCCB web site for full details including how you can help in this important fight.  In addition to letters sent via mail I would hope that everyone is sending out emails with links to those on their contact list to spread the word about this.  Post it on Facebook!  Get creative!

Here are six things that everyone should know about the mandate, from the USCCB.

And here are six more, again from the USCCB.

And finally for this post, here is our own Archbishop Gregory on TV with CBS in Atlanta.  He is very clear on the video what the position of the Church is, and what is will remain.

Two for one.....Fr. Barron and Mark Shea on the Obama HHS Mandate

As usual we can rely on Fr. Barron for excellent commentary.  I this like we also have Mark Shea, who is a wonderful Catholic writer and his piece starts with the most video from Fr. Barron.
Please have a look.

Pewspective link and letter to the Editor

Please have a look at this link to Barbara's Pewspective blog on the HHS Mandate situation.  It is a sobering reflection for all of us to consider.

Additionally, she did get a letter published in today's  Chattanooga Times Free Press.  Here is the text of that letter:

Health mandate violates rights

Your headline (Feb. 8) poses the HHS Mandate as "Catholics clash with President." You imply by the ink given to statistics that, if enough people approve this mandate, it ought to be done.

This is a matter of free exercise of religion. Constitutional rights are not subject to popular opinion. The exercise of religious faith is necessarily corporate. Modern secularists want to make religion entirely personal. It is unconscionable that the federal government is mandating that Catholics in Catholic institutions "sin" to comply with this mandate.

The free exercise of religion already has been compromised. Institutions and individuals have been sued for refusing to provide services to same sex "marriages." Catholic adoption services have had to close shop because they declined to place children in same-sex households, and the children they served languish.

This is not an issue of women's health, a "Catholic" issue, or an issue to be decided by majority opinion. Everyone of good conscience, religious or not, Catholic or not, approving of contraception or not, should see this as an unprecedented infringement on our constitutional rights and stand visibly, constantly, vocally and persistently against it. If not, the next group attacked may very well be your own.

BARBARA HARTY GOLDER, Lookout Mountain