Legatus stirs the faith

Editor PATRICK NOVECOSKY says Legates who know their faith will not cave to the culture . . .

Patrick Novecosky

Legates are fighters. This should come as no surprise since most business leaders have Type A personalities. But we have a distinct advantage: the Catholic faith.

Legatus founder Tom Monaghan established Legatus with one interesting provision: no projects. Legatus doesn’t do fundraisers or endorse political candidates, and it doesn’t take up causes because it has only one purpose: to form Catholic business leaders in their faith. Once that process begins, amazing things happen.

Well-formed Catholic leaders have the potential to change the culture for Christ in a big way. And it only takes a little religious persecution for a tenacious Legate to stand up and say, “Stop!” When Chris and Mary Anne Yep were faced with an Illinois state contraception mandate a few years ago, they filed a lawsuit. When the federal government did the same, they filed another lawsuit. And they’re still fighting. (Click here for a related link.)

That kind of tenacity doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from a serious understanding of Church teaching on contraception and a deep conviction in the Church Christ founded — the Catholic Church.

The Yeps are not alone. Dozens of Legates have filed lawsuits against ObamaCare’s contraception mandate, and they’re winning. Just as we were going to press, Denver Legates Andy and William Newland received a permanent injunction against the mandate that employee health plans include coverage for sterilization and contraception, including some drugs that can cause abortions.

The March 16 permanent injunction from U.S. District Judge John Kane for the District of Colorado said the plaintiffs in the case were protected by the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In June 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the act protects closely held private companies with objections to the mandated coverage.

Without formation and conviction in Catholic teaching, there would be no reason to spend the time, effort and money to fight contraception mandates and other breaches of religious liberty. But when people understand the spiritual and psychological damage cause by contraception (not to mention abortifacients’ ability to kill the unborn), there is a great motivation to fight such unjust mandates.

The Newlands were bolstered by the peer and prayer support of their fellow Legates — and from the expert legal team at Alliance Defending Freedom, led by Legate Alan Sears. The Yeps are drawing similar support from members across the country. Monaghan has taken heat over the years for not allowing Legatus to get behind causes, but in hindsight his decision to focus on members’ growth in holiness has born abundant fruit with more on the way.

PATRICK NOVECOSKY is Legatus magazine’s editor-in-chief.