On March 23, 2016, Wednesday of Holy Week, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments for the Little Sisters of the Poor and other faith-based non-profit organizations in their legal challenge to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contraceptive coverage mandate. This mandate requires these organizations to facilitate provision of insurance coverage of contraceptive services, in violation of their religious beliefs. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on March 23 at 10:00 a.m. We invite you to join us in prayer for this important intention of the Little Sisters of the Poor and the other organizations involved in this case, and for the protection of religious liberty in our country.

Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty
O God our Creator, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society. We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith. Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your Church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome— for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us— this great land will always be “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Copyright 2012, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC