Father, we pray for the courageous governors and attorneys general who are fighting back for we the people against these mandates which threaten to override our freedom of religion, faith and decision-making power.

The largest Catholic healthcare system in the nation has not only defied a court order but is also ignoring one of the most foundational beliefs of the Catholic Church, that life is sacred and abortion morally wrong.

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But their defiance has not gone unchallenged.

Governors and attorneys general from 27 states have filed lawsuits against the Biden Administration in response to the federal overreach regarding the vaccine mandate. However, Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor, has gone a step further as he filed an emergency restraining order against Ascension Health Care after they announced they would suspend without pay employees and affiliates who had not yet received the vaccine effective November 12 with termination to follow by January 4, 2022.

Those heralded as heroes just a year ago are now being fired in droves for refusing to relinquish their freedom to choose what goes into their body. Doctors, nurses and medical personnel are more aware than anyone that the “one size fits all” approach to COVID and especially the forced vaccine is not the path to health as it refuses to take into account conditions unique to each individual.

I have heard reports that the decision to create these mandates was with the belief that only 5% would refuse to be vaccinated and thus terminated—a number that could be absorbed within the workforce. However, that number has turned out to be closer to 40% across the board which could result in a dangerous lack of skilled professionals to fill vacated positions, especially in the medical community.

Attorney General O’Connor, filed for the temporary restraining order in response to complaints from employees who faced loss of employment after their religious exemptions to the COVID vaccine were denied.

The restraining order was to allow the attorney general’s office thirty days to investigate the complaints as well as allow affected employees time to submit religious accommodations. In response to the filing, defense lawyers attempted to move the case to federal court to nullify the restraining order. However, it was granted and thus in effect before they could do so.

Ascension Health Systems based in St. Louis, MO, has been referred to as the largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system in the nation. Yet, they have refused most of the religious exemption requests which cited aborted fetal cell lines in the vaccine. This appears to be in direct contradiction to the Roman Catholic Church. According to the Catholic News Agency, “The Roman Catholic Church has consistently condemned abortion — the direct and purposeful taking of the life of the unborn child. In principle, Catholic Christians believe that all life is sacred from conception until natural death, and the taking of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong.”

The Ascension St. John employees were initially told they would be suspended by last Friday. Then, after the restraining order became effective, they were told they were no longer suspended. However, in yet another reversal just 24 hours later, St. John employees have said although they weren’t suspended, they were removed from the schedule.

“So what is happening, in my opinion,” stated O’Connor, “Is Ascension is playing games with the paychecks of these employees in order to bully them into getting the vaccine. They should obey the temporary restraining order and see what the court says about the religious exemptions. Let’s let that happen instead of using these techniques to pressure the employees to getting a vaccine they object to.”

Last December, Pope Francis also broke from traditional Roman Catholic tenants and referred to the use of vaccines produced with cell lines derived from aborted fetal tissue as “moral” as he chose to contradict tenants sacred to the Catholic faith. Ascension is now using his decision to justify theirs.

To date, governors and attorney generals in twenty-seven states have sued the Biden Administration for this federal overreach regarding the vaccine mandate and refusal to honor religious faith and freedom of the American people.

How to pray:

Father, we pray for the courageous governors and attorneys general who are fighting back for we the people against these mandates which threaten to override our freedom of religion, faith and decision-making power. We also pray for those who have not yet joined in this fight for the rights of the American people. Lord we pray they will have courage and that as one, American’s will stand fast for their religious liberty and freedoms on which this nation was established.

We ask that You would be with them and go before them. Give them victory as they stand up against this tyrannical overreach. We pray for those who have already been terminated or have had to make the decision to walk away from their employment due to this forced decision. We remember that You are Jehovah Jireh, our provider. You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. We lift up those who are now faced with questions and wondering how they will pay their bills. Lord we ask You for supernatural provision in their desert and protection and wisdom for those who are facing these challenging decisions.

Comment your prayers for those facing challenging decisions!

Karen Hardin is a literary agent and writer. She is the author of “Infected: How to Stop the Global Spread of Rage, Deception and Insanity” and “God’s Justice after Injustice.” Her work has been published in USA Today, Western Journal, World Net Daily, Intercessors for America, Charisma, CBN.com and more. She is also the co-founder of the city-by-city.org prayer movement to take back our cities and nation. (Photo by Canva.)