March 23, 2012: "Stand Up For Religious Freedom" Rally in Del Rio, Texas

On March 23, at 12 noon, a group of a little over 100, gathered at Greenwood Park in downtown Del Rio in solidarity with the national movement “Stand Up For Religious Freedom” in collaboration with “Pro-Life Action League” and “Citizens for a Pro-Life Society”.

This peaceful and prayerful assembly of concerned citizens was led by Father Clay Hunt, pastor at St. Joseph Church; along with Father Tom Edelen, local chaplain,  and Father Martin Laird from Louisiana.

The reason for this rally was to bring awareness to all the citizens of our country about the national crisis of conscience that we are experiencing at this time. Our cherished right to religious freedom guaranteed in our national constitution is being undermined and under attack by the very government that is supposed to protect our precious right to practice our religion and adhere to our conscientious moral convictions.

In January the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a mandate under the Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”) that forces all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, free sterilizations and free abortion-inducing drugs regardless of any moral or religious objections, and if not then face exorbitant fines.

This is mistakenly being presented to the public under the pretext of women’s health care, when in fact; research has proven that this is overwhelmingly contrary to women’s physical and psychological health and well-being, not to even mention that this is against God’s law of life and love, and the spiritual and societal ramifications that ensue.

The ministries of schools, hospitals and charities are not exempt from this mandate and these institutions will be forced to provide services that contradict the teachings of their faith.

We can no longer remain comfortably complacent; we have a choice to either confront this or be complicit in allowing the erosion of our constitutional right to religious liberty.  Let us all contact our representatives and voice our vote for religious freedom.

A coalition of churches is planning to bring the recently released movie “October Baby”, the story of an abortion survivor, to our local movie theatre.