Nation and World News

February 3, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following response to the Feb. 2 post on the White House blog.

Full text follows:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A new "Protect Our Conscience" campaign has been launched to help Catholic individuals, families and parishes voice their opposition to the newly confirmed federal contraception coverage mandate.

The image has spread rapidly around social media networks: It's a photo of Pope Paul VI, and in the likeness of those popular inspirational posters, includes the saying, "Humanae Vitae No. 17: I told you so."

It's a humorous but stark nod to a reality that Catholic Americans are facing today: a slow, but sure dissolution of freedom of religion, this time through forcing artificial contraception upon Catholic institutions.

PARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy rejected calls for secular values to be enshrined into his country's constitution and urged religious leaders to do more to spread their message in the country.

"A secular society is one which has decided to separate churches from the state, so the state doesn't have to account for its choices to churches, and churches don't depend on the state to live and organize — this is secularity, a secular republic," he told religious leaders at a traditional New Year meeting Jan. 25.

WASHINGTON -- The same-sex marriage issue will be facing lawmakers and voters in several states this year.

Democratic-controlled legislatures in Washington state, Maryland and New Jersey are considering legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage, while Maine voters will vote on a same-sex marriage referendum in November.