From a February 16th statement issued by the Sisters of Life, "a contemplative / active religious
community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor for the
protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life":
In response to a call from God and to
the sheer beauty and goodness of the gift of life, each Sister dedicates
herself to God that all people might come to know the precious gift of
his or her life, and that every human life be protected and received as
an unrepeatable icon of the living God. To this end, we defend
vulnerable human life in the womb from the moment of conception,
supporting and upholding mothers in need through emotional, spiritual
and material support during and after their pregnancies. Because the
gift of life is intrinsically linked to love, we also affirm and fully
support the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church regarding marriage
and sexuality. This includes an understanding that sterilization and
contraception are gravely against God’s plan for human life and love,
and we believe, in the end, are false promises that undermine the peace
and freedom in commitment that are fruits of authentic human love.
Our special fourth vow, made in a
solemn and sacred ceremony and binding on us in conscience and in the
laws of the Church, is at the heart of our identity as a religious
community, and is a profound expression of the religious and spiritual
commitment of each of our Sisters. This new rule pays no heed to our
right to live according to our vows. Under the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act each of us will be required by law to obtain health
insurance, or face fines. Since this HHS mandate will require every
insurer to include abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and
artificial contraception, we will not be able to obtain any coverage
that is free from those “services,” and we will be forced to pay for
them directly. Since we are neither employers, nor employees, of any
religious institution, we cannot even take advantage of the “religious
exemption” contained in the new regulations or the “compromise.”
As a result, this mandate would coerce
each and every individual Sister of Life to betray her religious vows.
We will be forced to pay for “services” that attack human life and deny
the truth and beauty of human sexuality. This would directly contradict
our special religious vow to “to protect and enhance the sacredness of
human life,” and go against everything we believe in and have devoted
our lives to. To us, it would be comparable to a law requiring a spouse
to violate their marriage vows — an unthinkable intrusion upon a sacred
promise.
Read the entire statement on the Order's website.