HHS US Bishops Studying White House Movement

BISHOPS STUDYING INITIAL WHITE HOUSE MOVEMENT ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY


The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement, responding to President Obama’s announcement about religious freedom that was made today (Feb. 10, 2012).   The USCCB statement is fully-endorsed by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, and will serve as the statement of the Diocese of Buffalo.  The diocese will not have any further public comment on this issue until the U.S. bishops have examined the details of the President’s proposal. 


WASHINGTON - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sees initial opportunities in preserving the principle of religious freedom after President Obama’s announcement today. But the Conference continues to express concerns. “While there may be an openness to respond to some of our concerns, we reserve judgment on the details until we have them,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of USCCB.           

“The past three weeks have witnessed a remarkable unity of Americans from all religions or none at all worried about the erosion of religious freedom and governmental intrusion into issues of faith and morals,” he said.            

“Today’s decision to revise how individuals obtain services that are morally objectionable to religious entities and people of faith is a first step in the right direction,” Cardinal-designate Dolan said. “We hope to work with the Administration to guarantee that Americans’ consciences and our religious freedom are not harmed by these regulations.”

Bishop Kmiec on HHS 1st Amendment Violation

Versión Española abajo.

                                                                                    January 27, 2012

TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF YOUR PEOPLE IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.

My Dear Diocesan Family,

I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith.  The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population—and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees’ health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception.  Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write.  And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

In so ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty.  And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so).  The Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.

We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law.  People of faith cannot be made second class citizens.  We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom.  Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights.  In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties.  I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same.  Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.

And therefore, I would ask of you two things.  First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored.  Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible.  Second, I would also recommend visiting www.usccb.org/conscience, to learn more about this severe assault on religious liberty, and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Administration’s decision.

Let us continue to pray fervently and work together to protect and defend our religious liberty as Roman Catholics and citizens of the United States of America.

            Be assured of my prayers and all best wishes.

            Sincerely in Christ,   


            Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec 
            Bishop of Buffalo

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            27 de Enero, 2012

                                                                        PARA SER PRESENTADO A LA ATENCION

DE SU GENTE DE UNA MANERA SIGNIFICATIVA.

Mi querida familia Diocesana,

     Me dirijo a ustedes acerca de un asunto grave y alarmante que repercute negativamente la Iglesia en los Estados Unidos directamente, y que ataca el derecho fundamental a la libertad religiosa para todos los ciudadanos de cualquier fe.  El Gobierno federal, que reclama ser "de, por y para el pueblo", sólo ha asestado un golpe fuerte a casi una cuarta parte de esas personas, la población Católica — y a los millones más que son servidos por los fieles Católicos.

     El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Los Estados Unidos anunció la semana pasada que casi todos los empleadores, incluyendo los empresarios Católicos, se verán obligados a ofrecer cobertura de salud a sus empleados que incluye la esterilización, medicamentos que inducen el aborto y métodos anticonceptivos.  Casi todos los aseguradores de salud se verán obligados a incluir estos "servicios" en las pólizas de salud que escriben.  Y casi todos los individuos se verán obligados a comprar esa cobertura como parte de sus pólizas.

     Con tal decisión por lo tanto, la administración va ha dejar de lado La Primera Enmienda de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos, negando a los Católicos la primera y fundamental libertad de nuestra nación, la libertad religiosa.  Y como resultado, a menos que la regla sea revocada, nosotros los Católicos nos veremos obligados ya sea para violar nuestras conciencias, o para rechazar la cobertura de salud para nuestros empleados (y sufrir las penalidades por hacerlo).  La concesión exclusiva de la administración fue de dar un año a nuestras instituciones para cumplir.

     No podemos, y no lo haremos — cumplir con esta ley injusta.  No pueden convertir a la gente de fe en ciudadanos de segunda clase.  Ya estamos unidos por nuestros hermanos y hermanas de diferentes creencias y muchos otros de buena voluntad en este importante esfuerzo para recuperar nuestra libertad religiosa.  Nuestros padres y abuelos no llegaron a estas costas para ayudar a construir ciudades de Estados Unidos, su infraestructura y las instituciones, sus empresas y la cultura, sólo para que su posteridad sea despojada de sus derechos dados por Dios.  En generaciones pasadas, la iglesia siempre ha podido contar con los fieles para defender y proteger sus sagrados derechos y deberes.  Espero y confío que ella puede contar con esta generación de Católicos para hacer lo mismo.  Nuestros hijos y nietos no merecen nada menos.

     Y por lo tanto, pido a ustedes dos cosas.  En primer lugar, como una comunidad de fe debemos comprometernos a oración y ayuno para que la sabiduría y Justicia puedan prevalecer y poder recuperar nuestra libertad religiosa.  Sin Dios, no podemos hacer nada; con Dios, nada es imposible.  En segundo lugar, también se recomienda visitar www.usccb.org/conscience  para obtener más información acerca de este grave ataque sobre nuestra libertad religiosa y cómo ponerse en contacto con el Congreso en apoyo de legislación que podría revertir la decisión de la administración.

     Debemos seguir orando fervientemente y trabajar juntos para proteger y defender nuestra libertad religiosa como los Católicos y los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos de América.  

     Pueden estar seguros de mis oraciones y todos mis mejores deseos.

         Sinceramente en Cristo,

         Su Exelencia

         Rev. Edward U. Kmiec

         Obispo de Buffalo

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You are also encouraged to consult "Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate" from the US Catholic Bishops' website - http://www.usccb.org/news/2012/12-021.cfm

Feed HIs Flock - Bishop Kmiec

FEED HIS FLOCK

Please help us help the hungry. In the spirit of Bishop Kmiec’s motto of charity and service, we invite you to collect non-perishable canned goods for donation to Saint Francis of Assisi Food Pantry.

Simply bring your canned goods to Saint Benedict Church or School.

Feed His Flock is a Diocesan initiative of the Division of Catholic Education to collect Non-Perishable Canned Goods from now until October 21, 2011 to honor our Bishop, The Most Reverend Edward U. Kmiec, D.D., S.T.L., on the occasion of his Jubilee Celebration for his many years of service to the Church.

The Division of Catholic Education will present Bishop Kmiec with a certificate showing the total number of items collected throughout the Diocese to commemorate this charitable effort undertaken in his honor.

Our thanks to Bishop Kmiec for his decades of service to Christ and His Church.

And thank you for your generosity to the needy..

Newly Confirmed: A Reflection

Newly Confirmed - A Reflection by Claire Marie Faith Kirby.

“Confirm (verb): to acknowledge with definite assurance.”

That’s the definition you get on www.dictionary.com. But for Catholics, the sacrament of Confirmation is so much more. During Confirmation, we firmly pledge our faith as adults.

We say YES to so much:
yes to God the Father,
God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit;
yes to carrying out the will of God in everything we do;
yes to love over hate, to hope over doubt, to life over death.

From the moment we are Confirmed, we acknowledge that we truly want to live as Jesus did, most definitely and assuredly.

I was Confirmed Wednesday, May 11th, just about two weeks ago. Once a month since September, Sister Virginia had been teaching me and the other Confirmation candidates exactly what the sacrament was about. We talked about saying “yes” to God and becoming adults in the Church, but I don’t think this fully impacted me until my Confirmation night. For all those months, I hadn’t really been looking forward to Confirmation; it was just something everyone in the Church went through—nothing too exciting. I admit, in the minutes before I left to go to the church around 6:20 that night, I was way more concerned with finding my shoes and fixing my hair than I was with becoming an adult in the Church.

However, once the Mass actually started, I started to realize…I was about to be a full-fledged, legitimate adult member of the Catholic Church. This was, in fact, something to be excited about! I could no longer think that I was too young to be active in the parish; no longer could I sit back and watch. Once Bishop Kmiec blessed and anointed me with oil, I was fully initiated. I am now Claire Marie Faith Kirby, and I’ve come to realize that the time to act for God is right here, right now. Not someday, not when I’m older. You can never be too young—or too old—to bring God’s goodness and kindness to others. More than anything, Confirmation has helped me realize this, and I’m ready to go out and spread God’s will.

Ashley & Kaitlyn - amazing Girl Scouts!

Congratulations to 7th grade parishioner, Ashley, who was presented with the hard-earned Marian Medal for Girl Scouts by Bishop Kmiec on April 16 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. 

The Marian Medal program is for Catholic youth in Girl Scouts.  It is designed to help the girls grow in appreciation of Mary and in understanding themselves. 

Congratulations also goes to 2nd grader Kaitlyn who received her I Live My Faith award for Girl Scouts at St. Leo’s on March 6. 

The sisters both attend Religious Education classes at St. Benedict's. 


 We're proud of you both!



Ashley receiving her award from Bishop Kmiec