Zanesville Catholics Speak Out For Religious Freedom

Recently, the Dominican parish of St. Thomas Aquinas in Zanesville, OH, together with the neighboring parish of St. Nicholas, began a public campaign of speaking out for religious freedom.  Pope Benedict XVI has said:  “[W]henever religious freedom is denied, and attempts are made to hinder people from professing their religion or faith and living accordingly, human dignity is offended, with a resulting threat to justice and peace….”  The Catholic parishes of Zanesville have heeded the call to speak out on the current violations to freedom of religion wrought by the abortion, contraception, and sterilization mandates of the Patient Protection and Affordability Act.  Below is a recent ad funded by Catholics in Zanesville to run in the local newspaper.  Their advertising also includes flyers and billboards proclaiming the message of religious freedom. The ad reads:

As Catholics, our faith plays an important role in our daily lives. We comfort the sick, feed the hungry, care for the poor and protect life. This November, voters across our great nation will decide whether our freedoms stand or fall. With this administration’s implementation of the Health and Human Services mandate, our freedom of religion has been challenged. If this first of our freedoms can be lost, all can be lost. Will you stand with us to protect the freedom of religion, and thus all the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights? In a country founded on religious freedom, government should not force us to contradict our faith. Be counted for religious freedom this November. Choose to vote our values. Vote your faith.