Obama Mandate Ignites Catholic Backlash, New Ad & Grassroots Call-to-Action

THE CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES 14-DAY GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN
IN SUPPORT OF BISHOPS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

RELEASES AD, URGES CATHOLIC LAITY TO ACT IN DEFENSE OF FAITH

Washington, DC: Heeding the call of U.S. Catholic Bishops for Catholics to pray, fast, and organize in support of freedom of conscience and religious liberty, The Catholic Association (TCA) today launched a 14-day grassroots initiative to mobilize Catholics throughout the nation in support of the Fortnight for Freedom.

The TCA initiative includes an extensive social media initiative and a new 60-second ad, calling on Catholics to defend the faith and be outspoken in support of religious freedom, now threatened by President Obama’s Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate. The HHS mandate forces people of faith to purchase abortion-inducing drugs, contraception and sterilization procedures that go against deeply held religious beliefs.

“It is so critical that Catholics stand together in defense of religious freedom and to preserve Catholic and other religious institutions’ and employers’ rights and ability to serve the common good,” said Maureen Ferguson, TCA’s Senior Policy Advisor. “In issuing this mandate, the federal government is forcing faith-based entities to choose to either comply with a mandate that so deeply violates our faith and conscience. or not comply and pay crippling faith fines to the federal government. Equally insidious is the fundamental premise that the government has the right to determine which organizations qualify as “religious.” This is a dangerous, slippery slope. If the federal government can mandate what is and what is not religious, what will they mandate next?” Ferguson said.

TCA has issued a 14-point Call to Action urging fellow Catholics to commit to an action item each day of the Fortnight ranging from prayer to contacting elected officials.

“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, this is a freedom and First Amendment issue,” observed TCA Senior Fellow, Ashley McGuire. “By forcing this mandate on people of faith, the federal government has erased the line of separation between Church and State. It has wiped out that Church, State line with a direct and unconstitutional intrusion on the First Amendment and the free exercise of religion practiced daily by numerous Catholic and other faith-based organizations, which will no longer be considered religious under these new government guidelines. The mandate empowers the federal government to redefine what is and is not religious to such an extreme point that not even Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity will be considered a religious organization,” McGuire said.

The Catholic Association (TCA) is dedicated to being a faithful Catholic voice in the public square and the public arena. TCA is responding to the call of the Catholic Church for members of the lay faithful to apply Catholic teaching, wisdom, and principles to the issues of the day.

TCA 60 second ad script:

We are Catholics. We are the Church.

Together, we build and run hospitals, schools, and shelters, we feed the hungry, we comfort the afflicted, we serve all who come.

We do this in ways large and small because we are called to do it.

We live in a country that promises to protect the right to practice our
faith. Every day. Every where.

That right does not start when we enter our churches. That right does not end when we leave our pews.

We are Catholics. We are Americans.

We will defend our right to practice our faith free from government coercion.  Join us.
Together we will be heard.

The push will include:
1. Email will go to 1 million active Catholics.
2. 60 Second ad and video to be launched on TV and online (Above… initial minimal buy – launches on Fox Thursday)
3. We are calling on these 1 million Catholics to commit to an action item a day for the 14 days. http://www.thecatholicassociation.org/actionplan
4. TCA will also be reaching folks via Facebook — we have already built an active Catholic community on Facebook to over 70,000 on this issue in less than a week.
http://www.facebook.com/TheCatholicAssociation

Get more info at their new website