100% of Roman Catholic Bishops Have Now Publicly Denounced HHS Mandate

Health care mandate also opposed by 65% of lay Catholics

CHICAGO, Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CatholicVote.org, a leading national grassroots Catholic advocacy organization, has confirmed that all 180 Roman Catholic bishops who lead dioceses in the United States have publicly denounced the HHS mandate issued by President Obama's Department of Health and Human Services.

"Our Catholic hospitals, schools and charities are under attack by a federal government which refuses to recognize their First Amendment right to religious freedom. These organizations are pillars in our communities, built over the centuries with love by generations of Catholics," said Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org

"Our bishops recognize that they are stewards of this proud heritage. That's why every single bishop has come to the defense of our precious Catholic institutions. Lay Catholics of all backgrounds and viewpoints stand united with our bishops in defense of our right to the 'free exercise' of our religion," said Burch.

"A new Rasmussen poll indicates that 65% of Catholic voters opposed the HHS mandate. Even Catholics who struggle with Church teachings on birth control can agree that the federal government has no right to force the Church to violate its teachings," said Burch.

The list of 180 Roman Catholic bishops was compiled on the American Papist blog authored by award winning blogger Thomas Peters, and carried exclusively on CatholicVote.org.

"The completion of this list is a testament to Catholic pride and reveals the solidarity that exists between the laity and their bishops. Grassroots Catholics came together from across the country and helped build this list, which reflects their desire to unite with their bishops and fight for our Constitutional right to live out our Catholic faith in America. Catholics across the country have sent a clear message to their bishops: 'When you lead in unison, we will stand with you!'" said Peters.

The list of bishops and links to their public statements can be found here - http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=26957

Background on CatholicVote.org:

CatholicVote.org was launched in September 2008 as a new effort to educate, organize, and mobilize the Catholic vote.  The national group was responsible for one of the most watched online commercials during the 2008 presidential campaign, watched by nearly 3 million viewers on YouTube alone.  The group also received national attention for a second life-affirming viral ad depicting ultrasound images celebrating the life of President Obama.  The popular website hosts the award winning American Papist blog, along with other political commentary relevant to Catholic voters.  The organization regularly communicates with nearly 600,000 email subscribers and supporters.

SOURCE CatholicVote.org