The Honorable Orrin Hatch
United States Senate
by fax

Dear Senator Hatch,

I am deeply troubled by the recent turns of events in the US Senate regarding Catholic nominees to the Federal Court. It appears to me that a faithful Catholic, that is one who upholds the Catholic teaching on the inviolability of innocent human life from conception onward, cannot be confirmed for the Federal bench by this Senate.It very clearly is a religious test for office, and therefore a violation of our Constitution. Moreover, it is an insult to millions of faithful Catholics in this country.

I think of the young mother, stuggling to raise her children in what is a challenging culture. She raises them to be good citizens and good Catholics. What should this mother tell her children? "Sorry, in order to serve our government, you will have to shed your Catholic beliefs." Putting Catholics in this position is shameful and not a proper measure of our great land.

I am writing to urge you and your colleagues to stand firm for Bill Pryor and Carolyn Kuhl. We must not return to a darker time in our nation's history when Catholic children grew up knowing they could not serve.

Yours truly,

Austin Ruse
President