Religious groups uniting in religious liberty rally at state Capitol on Friday, June 8

Christians for Religious Liberty is co-sponsoring with The National Coalition to Stop the HHS Decrees, a public rally on Friday, June 8 at noon to speak out and stand up for religious liberty. The rally will be held on the West steps of the state Capitol in downtown Sacramento.

Among the speakers at the rally will be Steve Patton, associate director for family and respect life ministries of the Diocese of Sacramento, Legionaries of Christ Brother Andres Emmanuelli, of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Janet Barbieri of Christians for Religious Liberty.

In a letter of support for the rally, Bishop Jaime Soto wrote: “I am grateful for those who stand up for the religious freedom of all faith communities in the United States. I thank everyone who will gather on the steps of the state Capitol on June 8 to support the freedom to do all the good God asks of us.”

“Religious faith has long compelled Americans to seek the path of freedom,” the bishop added. “Recent generations celebrate how the unfettered dreams of Americans with the fire of faith burning in their hearts stood up for the rights of all God’s children ‘to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.’ (Rev. Martin Luther King, August 1963) Faith gave hope to many during the difficult days of struggle for civil rights. Time and time again, faith has helped this nation move closer to her founding vision of ‘liberty and justice for all.’

“Faith still kindles this same courageous hope as today we wrestle with the attempts to fetter our faith communities with a contrived, contorted definition of a religious organization. It has never been the government’s place to limit the work of a church.”
The purpose of the rally is to bring public attention to repeal the mandate by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding all private health care plans.