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WASHINGTON — After President Obama announced accommodations to the controversial Health and Human Services mandate that stirred a backlash from Catholics, Christians, Orthodox Jews and others, responses rolled in.
They range from caution to rejection.
As the official statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was readied and released, some individual bishops remained studying the government’s “accommodation” before commenting on it, while some began to weigh in on the matter quickly.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput rejected the Obama administration’s attempt to revise its contraception mandate, saying the rule remained “insulting” and “dangerous” to believers’ rights.
“The HHS mandate, including its latest variant, are belligerent, unnecessary and deeply offensive to the content of Catholic belief,” he wrote in a Feb. 12 Philadelphia Inquirer column.
“Any such mandate would make it morally compromising for us to provide health-care benefits to the staffing of our public-service ministries,” Archbishop Chaput said.
Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, Okla., expressed gratitude that the president began listening to the concerns many had regarding the intrusion on First Amendment rights.
“However, we are dismayed that he does not understand the root issues which are involved here,” Bishop Slattery said, listing three of these issues:
First, no one wants to know why the Catholic Church opposes artificial birth control, direct sterilization and abortifacients.
Second, the government ideology labels these methods “preventive care” and considers pregnancy a disease.
Third, “who ultimately pays for this immoral coverage has remained unanswered by the president,” Bishop Slattery observed.
He also stressed that the U.S. Constitution “does not merely guarantee the freedom of religion to institutions, but to every American.”
Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh expressed a sense of comfort that religious liberty was coming into focus. But then he turned the focus on the need for caution.
“I think in terms of whatever the president is presenting, we have to have guaranteed our religious liberty — that means following the tenets of our particular religion,” Bishop Zubik said. “It’s a point of major concern. We’ve been dealing with a mandate that requires us to go against our conscience — which we can’t ever do.”
“We really do have to be guaranteed our religious liberty,” he concluded. “We’re not going to be forced to do something against our consciences.”
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas responded to the president’s modification of the mandate by saying it “gives a glimmer of hope that the administration is taking seriously the outcry against the infringement upon religious liberty and freedom of conscience created by the HHS mandate.”
Still, the proposed accommodation does not call for any caution flags to be lowered, especially in light of the limited release of what the modifications really entail. Archbishop Naumann did not make light of this aspect.
“As the current crisis has made us painfully aware, the devil is in the details,” he noted. “I have particular concerns about the impact on religious institutions that are self-insured. I also have concern about what relief this modification provides to Catholic business owners who desire to provide high-quality health insurance to their employees without paying for morally objectionable procedures and/or pharmaceuticals. The past actions and promises of the president and his administration do not inspire confidence.”
In his response, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami mentioned that we can appreciate the White House efforts to “quiet the furor” over this mandate that would violate the religious freedom of millions of Catholics and other Americans.
But Archbishop Wenski did not soft-pedal the attempt at accommodation the government made.
“However, it is still not clear whether the proposed ‘compromise’ offered today is acceptable to the bishops and other Catholic leaders,” he stressed. “The devil, as they say, is in the details — and we await more information as to the details. For example, it is not apparent that dioceses that are self-insured would be granted relief by this proposed compromise. …”
“There’s cause to be vigilant and cautious because the concerns and comments given by hundreds of Catholic universities, colleges, hospitals and other bodies given before the mandate was announced were given short shrift by the administration, noted Archbishop Wenski.
There is also the major focus, or lack of it, on the real problem.
“The administration continues to insist that the issue is about contraception; we disagree,” he explained. “It is about the first freedom of our Bill of Rights: the freedom of religion and respect for the rights of conscience.
“The president, in thinking that somehow fertility is a disease and pregnancy a pathology, insists on classifying access to contraception, sterilization and chemical abortions as ‘preventive care.’ In doing so, he is riding rough shod over Americans’ First Amendment rights.”
Archbishop Wenski finds it gratifying that most Americans across party lines and of all faiths and also those of none appreciate this is really about religious freedom. It appears the accommodation is a quick fix that does not address the real problem.
“Despite the apparent willingness of the administration to consider some changes to its announced HHS mandate,” Archbishop Wenski concluded, “a legislative remedy to this overreaching and unprecedented incursion of state power into the domain of religious freedom and the rights of conscience is still necessary.”
Many religious orders run or sponsor apostolates employing laypeople, and thus their insurance programs would be subject to the mandate. One such order is the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, whose superior, Mother Mary Assumpta Long, said in a statement, “These institutions will still have to pay the insurance company that is mandated to provide these services for free to any employee who wants these services.”
“It is insulting for President Obama and his administration to suggest the so-called compromise ‘should be net-cost neutral,’” Mother Assumpta said. “It is simply impossible to ensure that the insurance companies will not pass on those costs to the organizations and individuals who conscientiously object to their insurance policies covering abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization and artificial contraception.”
Added Cardinal Roger Mahoney, archbishop emeritus of Los Angelus, on his blog (CardinalRogerMahonyblogsla.blogspot.com) Feb. 11: “Mr. President, you are trying to resolve the wrong problem. Your HHS new federal rule governing mandated health-care services is not just about women’s services and who pays for them.
“Rather, the real question is what protections and guarantees are afforded Americans and our various institutions by the Constitution. Your ill-placed focus should be frightening to all Americans. ...
“Your ‘accommodation’ actually makes the entire matter far worse. Every effort must be undertaken to reverse your ill-conceived revocation of our constitutional rights.
“I encourage all Catholics and millions of others of good will in our country to challenge candidates for election to Congress and to the presidency to take a strong stance in favor of guaranteeing and protecting our nation’s constitutional rights.
“I fear, Mr. President, that you are knowingly and intentionally trampling upon and reversing our constitutional rights.”
Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, Ill., told Catholic News Agency Feb. 10 that Catholic politicians contribute to attacks like this against the faith, for they “not only do not live their faith, they collaborate in the assault against their faith.”
“Determined secularists see the Catholic Church as the largest institutional block to a completely secularized society, and not for the first, and probably not for the last time, we’re under assault,” he said. “It is always difficult to predict the future, but the intensity of hatred against Catholic Christianity in elements of our culture is just astounding.”
Register staff writer Joseph Pronechen writes from Trumbull, Connecticut.
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I only wish the Catholic higherarchy were speaking with same degree of resolve as you, Mr. Pronechen. Some speak strongly, some are weak. We need one strong voice!
Weapplaud the Bishops, particularly Cardinal Mahoney, for standing up to the President. Their conviction and courage remind us of Becket and Romero.
The President and Kathleen Sebelius should respect the rights of Americans and not cause so much uproar. They should not bring this moral religious matter into politics in the first place. They are supposed to keep church and state separate. I thought they are supposed to be peace makers? After all, not everyone thinks like them!!!! They are trying to implicate us Catholics into this mess, making us have “blood on our hands” from all those who will die use abortifacient contraceptives. They aren’t stupid. If so many oppose them on this INVISIBLE moral issue, they need to respect that INVISIBLE or not!!!! This is America! Contraception does not HAVE to be covered in insurance, millions of Americans have been able to be on it without implicating the innocent of us. Now, Mr. P, please respect the American people and STOP ramming us.
American Bishops stay strong, praying for you every night in the family rosary. So proud to see you all pulling together. We will ALL go wherever this goes with you. St. Michael pray for us in the battle!
Many Catholic leaders are nothing but mush-mouths. I stopped going to the Novus Ordo, the ordinary mass, beacuse of the lovey-dovey sermons. There are no more “fire & brimstone” sermon-nothing about mortal sin, confession, abortion, gay marriage, etc. Blame Vatican II for most of what is gong on. The liberals clerics have been trying to get hold of the reins of power since, at least, during the tenure of Pius X. They finally got in power during Vatican II.
The final sentence sums the entire matter concisely. Support the USCCB!
Too bad all of the bishops can’t agree on this. Our Diocesan bishop obviously is not concerned with the details, as he applauded the Obama Administration’s Friday announcement.
The “Catholic” hospital Association should be ashamed of their readiness to embrace this mandate. Only if this mandate is changed, as some of the good Bishops have said, our religious freedom is at stake.
EWTN’s example of NOT dropping the lawsuit says it all. When will the Catholic Bishops as a body unite and every single one of them , not the handful thats quoted in the article along with Catholic organizations such as Catholic Charities, say NO WE WON’T. Perhaps now we need some civil disobedience or a march on Washington to get our point across!
memo
One comment: separation of Church and state never meant not allow the two to interact. However, today it is far different than meant in the past. It was meant to keep GOVERNMENT from intruding on religion, but individual’s religious beliefs were INTENDED to shape their public discourse and action. Just look at Toqueville and others. NOW, on the other hand, the “intelligentias” thinking is reversed. They are (wrongly,and dangerously so) convinced that it means government is to be clear and safe from religion, that secularism must dictate the world,including the world of faith. This is totally backward - and that’s what makes it so dangerous.
And it is precisely true as you say that the effect is that they are trying to put blood on our own hands. I think deep down they know they are wrong, and as we might say , sinners (misery) loves company. I,for one, will not go down that path just for the sake of ‘peace’ and tolerance. And I too pray that the bishops won’t either.
It amazes me that when the politics of religion and country get into anything to do with the public, all they do it talk and spin. The fact of the whole matter is, this is a MORAL ISSUE AND NOT, [again] NOT A HEALTH ISSUE. It should not be included in a HEALTH insurance. If there are people in the world who agree with contraceptives & abortions then maybe it would be a lot easier if the insurance companies would issue this type of insurance to people who want it. CONTRACEPTIVES AND ABORTIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HEALTH. The big question is: WHY IS IT IN THERE?
Is it in there because that type of insurance would say “you have a right to kill” and that would lead to other discussions? Lets face it, if a woman wants an abortion because her doctor says that the baby if ‘deformed’ or ‘something’, he does it and it already comes under her health insurance. Also free contraceptives are available the public now & they know where to go for it.
This whole thing is heading toward the United Kingdom and what they have already passed and that is that girls 13 and over can have a contraception device inserted into their bodies. WHAT IS NEXT!!!!
joe DeCarlo, why do you keep on whining that your Priest and Bishops have not been hectoring you on the Teachings of the Catholic Church?. Are you an illiterate such that you cannot buy yourself a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and educate yourself on the Divine Teachings of our Holy Mother Church??? If this 73-year old widow ensures she is abreast of what is going on in Mother Church, what excuse do you have?. We are always exhorted - if in doubt on any Church Teaching on Faith and Morals seek advice. So sitting back and whining that your Priests and Bishops have not been preaching against the Evil Culture in your country is drivel and a defeatist attitude of refusing to face your own failings and seeking to push the blame on the Priests and Bishops. A totally useless exeercise. The salvation of your soul does not depend on what your Priests and Bishops preach on Sundays. It depends on the efforts you make each and every single day to Live Your Faith with Fidelity. To live the Sacramental Life in Full and in Fidelity. Not on the Sermons you listen to on Sundays. To all of you, American Catholics…..we are with you on this struggle. Obama has declared total War on the Catholic Church - the Universal Catholic Church. Refuse to BOW OR KNEEL BEFORE THIS HIGH PRIEST OF SATAN
@Mary@42…I think in all fairness you give too little credit to Joe DeCarlo’s point regarding the lack of solid teaching coming from most pulpits over the past 50 years.
In order to counter-balance the human secularists vociferous voice in our culture we need to hear,at every mass, not just a reading reference to the catechism, the teachings of the Church that are relevant to today’s societal mores, often and clearly. Not the “wimpy” homilies that could be read in any Protestant Church without raising a whisper of objection. Joe makes a valid point: our shepherds have not been adequately teaching the catechism. Thus 72% of Catholics do not go to mass regularly, most Catholic women do or have used artficial contraception, most no longer receive the sacrament of penance nor believe in the Real Presence, etc. etc. I am so sorry that Joe is stunting his own spiritual growth by leaving and not remaining and making the fight from within.
But you are placing the blame disproportionately on Joe! It is not the fault of people like Joe DiCarlo who became dis-spirited but rather the hierarchy for failure to teach,lead and inspire the flock. Sadly, I see little changing even now as the “bark” is listing left, at least in America.
@Mary, I am older than you by 12 yrs I went to Catholic School, Sang the Mass in Latin,& was in all the processions. I personally do not like the Latin Mass,I do not like fire and brimstone. Jesus taught, he did not scream. I have been thru “when you come to Mass your arms should be covered”. I do not like incense, it gives me a headache and bad for asthmatics. I do not like too much ritual with pomp and circumstance. Jesus was a plain person who walked the earth and taught. Where in the Bible does it show him with all the gold and silks. A recent Bishop died and before becoming a bishop he was our Pastor in the late 70’s & early 80’s; our Mass in English was beautiful, the guitar music was beautiful, the voices in the group that led the congregation in singing was beautiful [yes the whole congregation did sing along, not just listen]. He had a bible study class and half the class was Protestant. [words gets around]. Yes, we went to church and participated, we did not just attend and observe, we worshiped all together. I believe the problems in the Church today are “internal”. So many Catholics do not know what is going on internally within the Vatican. I still compare it to our Government. We have liberal Bishops and Priest who pushed for Obama’s presidency. The Church has always leaned Democrat because they are the ones with the “give away programs”. Jesus taught us differently. [did He give the men in the bible fish to eat, or did He give them a fishing rod/nets] Also, why would they give an honor to Pres. Obama at Notre Dame? For what? He is laughing up his sleeve at Notre Dame; it certainly has not helped us with his health insurance that provides for abortions. The press/TV does not help as they pit the “Catholic Church against contraception” as their headlines, you have to delve into it to hear abt the abortion part of it. Sly isn’t it? Also we do not learn everything from the pulpit, there is the Bible first, then books and the internet. I also am dispirited for all the nonsense going on in the Church today; the Church that I was brought up to be as the ‘perfect Church’. I also try very hard to separate the imperfect humans who operate the Church from God’s teachings. It is not easy.
Sue, I also grew up with the Latin Mass and the incense, also went to Catholic schools all my life. I like some of the things in the New Mass, but I loved the Latin Mass Liturgy (maybe because I sang in the choir). I don’t remember many fire and brimstone sermons though other than Retreats and Missions at our Church.
I do remember though the Legion of Decency pledge we took every year and the reverence that was prevalent during these Masses, especially when receiving the Eucharist. Now my husband and I belong to a parish that has the Tridentine Mass and Benediction every Sunday (although our Bishops isn’t crazy about the idea).
I agree too that many Catholics come from a Democratic background that once represented the common man but gradually drifted away from that into secular ideas. Unfortunately, many bishops fell into this mode without examining what the government really meant. And Catholics, because many of them were “always Democrats” didn’t question what the party was representing let along changing it. It is very difficult for me to see where the Church is going with some of the so-called Catholics in government and our Bishops waking up way too late. Maybe God feels we need a “shake up” to take up the Church and separate the wolves from the sheep.
Thank you, Sue and Rosemarie. As a Cradle Catholic, I love my Catholic Faith. We all need to remember the Church is the “Hospital for Sinners ” ...I did not come for the righteous..” Do those words ring a bell??? They should. We are all sinners but the Church is Holy because God is Holy and the Holy Spirit subsists in the Church to preserve, protect and proclaim the Truth and reveal the Saving Power of Jesus. And let me ask you again, who was with Jesus during His Passion????? Only young John. The rest of His beloved Apostles ran away. But did Jesus rebuke them when He appeared to the in the Upper Room on the Eighth Day???? Of course not. He, instead re-confirmed them….“As My Father has sent Me, so do I send you…”. “Receive the Holy Spirit. The Sins you forgive are forgiven. The sins you retained are retained” True some of your Bishops have been sleeping on the job. But now the entire Catholic Church is under attack from the Evil One. Remember what happens in America, affects the entire world where your Government has a vice-like stranglehold on those Countries. Here in my beloved Kenya, your Planned Parenthood imported the “Reproductive Health” Abomination which has abortion on demand - for whatever reason - same-sex marriage, sex education and contraceptives for our children from 10-years without the knowledge or consent of the parents, and instant abortion when the contraceptives fail - again without the knowledge or consent of the parents, euthanasia and other horrors. And using the Civil Societies which are funded by your Government,even your VP Biden came here personally to ensure these Satanic Clauses were included in our new Constitution under the “Bill of Rights”...that was to ensure we shall never, ever be able to amend those Clauses for the next 100 years or ever. And this was done despite very vehement opposition from the Catholic Church. My plea to you, my beloved American Catholics is that we move away from blasting the Bishops and stand up as ONE AND BE COUNTED. Let us all defend our Mother Church. It is clear now to everybody that the aim of Obama - who has declared publickly that he does not believe in “Organized Religion” - is to force a split of the Catholic Church in America, aided and abetted by the Bidens, Pelosis, Sibelius et al - all fallen Catholics. This is no longer a War on American Catholic Church - it is TOTAL WAR AGAINST THE UNIVERSAL CATHOLIC CHURCH AND WE ARE ALL IN IT. So stand firm with your Bishops now. Refuse to bow or kneel before the Graven Image that is Obama and his Administration. Defend our Mother Church with all your might, with prayers, and - if it comes to that - Civil Disobedience. The Church Triumphant is fighting with us. Be bold and fearless.
Thank you so much for your comment, Mary. It is a sad commentary on our present administration and I believe that most Catholics unfortunately here don’t care. I read a poll yesterday saying that the majority of people supoort his mandate.
Yes, this is a war on the Catholic Church everywhere. I am sorry what our government is imposing on yours in Kenya. Few want to admit it, but abortion also means genocide against our black population, minorities, and children in the womb who will be born with certain problems. We are already hated for that, but especially now toward same sex marriages.
There are many of us that will stay firm, but I believe too that this may be a wake up call from God or a punishment because we are breaking his laws, just as the ancient Israelites did.
Mary will be able to pull us out if enough of us sacrifice and repent as well as pray the Rosary. I will also be praying for you and your country.
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