By His Excellency, Bishop Gregory J. Mansour,
Eparchy of Saint Maron USA
Women are a unique gift to the world. No government agency can speak for all of them. In the last few weeks, two prominent women, Helen Alvare, J.D. and Kim Daniels, J.D., and to date 25,000 other like-minded women, have asked that their voices be heard. See www.womenspeakforthemselves.com . Here below is their open letter to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services:
“We are women who support the competing voice offered by Catholic institutions on matters of sex, marriage and family life. Most of us are Catholic, but some are not. We are Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Many, at some point in our careers, have worked for a Catholic institution. We are proud to have been part of the religious mission of that school, or hospital, or social service organization. We are proud to have been associated not only with the work Catholic institutions perform in the community – particularly for the most vulnerable -- but also with the shared sense of purpose found among colleagues who chose their job because, in a religious institution, a job is always also a vocation.
Those currently invoking "women's health" in an attempt to shout down anyone who disagrees with forcing religious institutions or individuals to violate deeply held beliefs are more than a little mistaken, and more than a little dishonest.
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