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New HHS rules mandating contraception and sterilization insurance coverage could cause the ‘persecution’ of Catholic institutions, Auxiliary Bishop James Conley of Denver has said. However, Catholics should imitate the Christian leadership of Vietnamese Bishop Nguyen Van Thuan, who used his unjust imprisonment to witness to the Gospel.
“In opposing unjust laws, we can positively articulate the truth we have been given. In the weeks and months to come, we can witness to the Catholic belief that sexual relations are a beautiful and integral part of marriage, and that contraceptives rob them of their true and full meaning,” he said in his latest Denver Catholic Register column.
If a new federal rule goes into effect, coverage for sterilization and contraception would be mandatory for many Catholic institutions’ health-insurance plans. If implemented, the bishop said, “there could be persecution ahead for Catholic institutions.”
“If the Catholic Church is forced to comply with this rule, it will be forced to compromise the core principles of its Christian identity. This is a grave violation of religious liberty and is unacceptable.”
Bishop Conley said the rule is unjust because it treats pregnancy and fertility “as diseases instead of gifts.” He noted that mandatory contraceptive coverage includes the “morning after pill,” which can cause an early abortion by preventing the implantation of the human embryo.
The rule also requires coverage for “education and counseling” to promote these measures among women of child-bearing age.
“We can fight this injustice,” he said. He noted the Department of Health and Human Services comment period lasts until Sept. 30, and he urged Catholics to use the contact information provided at www.usccb.org/conscience to voice their opposition.
However, it is not enough only to express opposition to laws that violate religious liberty, Bishop Conley added. Rather, Catholics should follow the example of Bishop Nguyen Van Thuan and “engage in Christian leadership in the face of injustice.”
He recounted the bishop’s imprisonment after his appointment as coadjutor bishop of Saigon. Vietnam’s communist government believed the appointment was a conspiracy between the Vatican and Western governments.
During Bishop Van Thuan’s imprisonment, he ministered to thousands of inmates. He provided pastoral care to Catholics and evangelized guards and non-Christian prisoners.
He celebrated Mass with hidden hosts and drops of wine. He heard confessions and preached.
“In the face of unjust imprisonment, Bishop Van Thuan found an opportunity to witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Conley said.
Bishop Van Thuan, who later became a cardinal, said that the “greatest failure” in leadership is for the leader to be “afraid to speak and act as a leader.”
“Today, more than ever, Christianity needs leaders committed to truth in the face of injustice,” Bishop Conley said.
The bishop praised Regis University for saying it would not comply with a state law requiring contraception coverage in its student health plan. It could face a costly legal battle and significant opposition from opponents of Catholic teaching on contraception.
“Regis has seized an opportunity to lead — to express what we as Catholics believe and why,” Bishop Conley said. “This is what a Catholic institution of higher learning should do.
“Imitate the courage of Bishop Van Thuan. Commit to Christian leadership. Let’s join together in witnessing to the truth of the Gospel and the dignity of the human person.”
Sept. 27 story below:
(CNA/EWTN News)—Catholics across the U.S. are mobilizing against a proposed Health and Human Services mandate that requires health insurance to cover contraception and provides a narrow exemption for religious groups.
“Under the new rule our institutions would be free to act in accord with Catholic teaching on life and procreation only if they were to stop hiring and serving non-Catholics,” explained Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee.
“Although this new rule gives the agency the discretion to authorize a ‘religious’ exemption, it is so narrow as to exclude most Catholic social-service agencies and health-care providers,” he warned.
The HHS department announced federal rules on Aug. 1 that will require nearly all new health plans, including those of most religious agencies, to cover all government-approved methods of contraception as well as surgical sterilization.
The guidelines, which were created in response to the 2010 health-care law, require new health-insurance plans to cover what it calls “women’s preventive services.” These include breastfeeding support, domestic-violence screening and contraception without charging a co-payment, co-insurance or a deductible.
The proposed mandate, announced by department Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, offers exemptions only if a religious employer “has the inculcation of religious values as its purpose,” “primarily employs persons who share its religious tenets” and “primarily serves persons who share its religious tenets.”
Bishops and Catholic organizations across the U.S. have reacted strongly against the proposition for weeks now, urging the faithful to oppose the measure by contacting HHS before the Sept. 30 deadline.
“The administration’s brazen attempt to attach the binding strings of its secularist agenda to something as basic as health insurance constitutes an unprecedented threat to individual and institutional religious freedom,” Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Archdiocese said on Sept. 23.
“Never before has the government required private health plans to include coverage for such morally objectionable procedures as contraception and sterilization,” he noted. “In a free society, women and men of faith cannot be compelled to fund medical practices that violate their religious principles.”
On Sept. 21, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn added to criticism of the mandate, saying that U.S. Catholics should send a clear message “that pregnancy is not a disease.”
“We must insist that sterilization prescriptions and contraceptives be dropped from the list of preventative services that the federal government is mandating,” he emphasized. “This is especially important to exclude any drug that may cause an early abortion,” Bishop DiMarzio said, referring to contraceptives like Ella.
In recent weeks, other American bishops have also drawn attention to the potentially negative effects that the proposal could have on Catholic institutions.
“Unintended or not, this mandate is an attack on Catholic beliefs and on the religious liberty of Catholics to adhere to their beliefs as they serve the community in which they live,” Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh wrote in a Sept. 15 letter to Sebelius.
The bishop noted that Catholic Charities in his diocese alone has served more than 80,000 people last year “without regard to the religious belief” of those they ministered to.
But “under this mandate, Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh would either be forced to cease to exist or restrict its employees and its wide-ranging social services to practicing Catholics alone.”
In a Sept. 21 letter to HHS, the bishops of California reiterated Bishop Zubik’s concern, saying that the Catholic Church “has an unparalleled record of serving the poor and needy through its religious institutions.”
However, the mandate “disregards the firmly held belief of Catholics and ethical and religious directives by which their religious organizations abide.”
The Catholic Health Association was also critical of the exemptions, with executive director Sister Carol Keehan saying that she is “very concerned about the inadequacy of the conscience protections with respect to the coverage of contraception.”
“As it stands, the language is not broad enough to protect our Catholic health providers,” Sister Carol added.
“Catholic hospitals are a significant part of this nation’s health care, especially in the care of the most vulnerable. It is critical that we be allowed to serve our nation without compromising our conscience.”
The proposed rules are set to take effect in August 2012.
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I am glad to read that the Bishops including Carol Keehan are complaining Loudly about Obamacare. The Bishops need to get Louder because their voices cannot be heard from the general media. Carol Keehan made a ‘Photo Op’ with Obama and Joe Biden endorsing Obamacare. She did this after being told what was in The Bill. Reality is a good motivator. I hope I start hearing the Bishops’ messages from the pulpit. So far, I hear nothing.
Sounds like we are in China with a “Catholic” at the head. I would not want to be Kathleen Sibelius when she dies. It’s like that old saying “the devil made me do it” which was supposed to be funny but realllly is true. I will continue to pray for her.
Please consider adding a link to the Regulations.gov comments page to this post so that readers can click through to comment.
Setting aside, for a moment, the obvious incursion of government into matters of faith and doctrine, Ms. Sebelius has over-stepped the line of constitutionality. Placing those narrow restrictions on the hiring and service practices of selected healthcare plans constitutes mandated government discrimination. Who insurers hire or serve should not be the concern of government agencies hoping to press specific agenda-driven policies.
Amen. Perhaps the beginning of the American catacomb church… caught in the cross hair of the nationalist socialist fascist right wing and the nihilist neo-liberal left wing… that serve their mutual master, the socialist oligarchy.
What about employees of these organizations who need access to contraceptive for other conditions like PCOS?
Here’s the link to the Regulations.gov page where you can leave a comment. Something to the following effect:
I protest the inclusion of abortifacient pills and other artificial contraceptives under the heading of “preventive care”. This is an infringement of the rights of conscience of millions of Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the United States, thus it is also a violation of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The proposed changes would have the practical effect of restricting the availability of faith-based provision of the public good of health care to only those sharing the same beliefs. As such, the contribution of religious people to the common good will be greatly diminished, a situation in which everyone, religious and irreligious alike, loses. Please reconsider this regulation.
Would this be also having a positive implication, like, that people may come to the Church and got converted to avail some benefits, and perhaps being lead then to a more true conversion as they move on?
I agree with others that it’s about time the Bishops are waking up to the dangers of Obamacare to the Church and our society in general. I was dissapointed in their tacit approval during the final stages of action by Congress. They got dupped with promises that things would be ok for the Church. They abandoned the principle of subsidiarity. It’s never too late—keep the pressure on—scrap the whole thing and start over again
am happy the church is rising up against this obamacare. let us declare fasting and prayers for divine intervention.
The tide may be turning so far toward outright Paganism that even our Bishops take notice…..............even if only about 40 years too late! Better late than never I suppose. It reminds me of the old joke when the little boy and his mother were attending the Consecration of a new Bishop and the Bishops all came up and placed their hands on him:
Little boy: What are they doing to him mommy?
Mother: ..............They’re removing his back bone.
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let’s all remember that we will gain nothing by being rude or hostile in our emails - be calm, reasonable and to the point!
Appeasement never works - it only emboldens tyrants - so we must protest loudly, vocally, and insistently against everything that will oppress the Church and individual consciences - or it will soon be too late - so while we should be polite in emails to HHS and so on, if they unjustly pass these rules, we should be vehement in non-cooperation - not just bow down and say, well, it’s too late and be nice and polite as our consciences are violated - which already happens far too often in this corrupted society!!
Sounds good. Lets see how the liberals will like American healthcare when 30% of the hospitals stop providing services to non-catholics. Hopefully the bishops will have the will to stop Catholic services and shut down hospitals, and let the liberals reap what they sow.
Also how would an agency who only employs catholics or only serves catholics not violate equal employment/opportunity laws? The logic of progressives is dizzying.
Sounds like the bishops are reaping what they have sown by not speaking out against anti-catholic politicians and not urging their flock to vote against and immoral politician. I guess tax exempt status is mroe imporant than defending the faith.
How about some links to government .. . some addresses for snail mail? Time is short. . it would be helpful for those of use who’ve not yet said anything.
I support the bishops in this. Too bad they did not speak out more about the ill effects of the Obama Administration. I thank the bishops who wrote letters last Presidential election to point out that abortion was the most important issue in that election. I hope more bishops do the same.
Re: stephen on Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011 4:00 PM (EDT)
Good question. In my opinion, a positive implication is that religious people are not bound to do certain evils against members of their religions and can serve people of their religions without fear of evil.
But a negative implication is that those who believe the services are evil will either have to omit serving certain people, which is evil, or violate the state rights of people, which is illegal.
It’s a battle between morality and politics, in a way.
A link would be helpful.
I’ll say it: this is what happens when Catholics of good conscience vote for Democrats. Please, for the sake of life everywhere, don’t do it again.
You can submit your concerns via email to HHS using this link:
http://capwiz.com/ccsww/issues/alert/?alertid=53750526
I hope no one thought my comment rude. I love my own Bishop here in Vermont. He’s a fire brand. But too often our Bishops have become politicians and business men, forgetting or ignoring the reality of the spiritual warfare between Heaven and Hell. They too often become so worldly and comfortable that they forget the role they play as Apostles, who were almost all martyred for standing against the evils of the pagan state. Very few of our Bishops have any real back bone to even stand against the liberal innovators within their own ranks, to say nothing of martyrdom. Our Bishops need to put their own rank and file clergymen in good standing with cannon law and the magisterium as any leader must do, lest his own unruly ranks become his greatest opponent. We need courageous Apostles willing to lead again, or Hell will surely finish us off!
What about the Catholic individual. We have NO rights whatsoever. And even though I am of child-bearing age I have been in menopause for five years. Will I have to be “educated” even though it is no longer possible for me to have children?
Just call me Thank God I’m A Virgin”
I really miss the old USA. 40 years ago life was more simple, more sane, more respectful to human beings. I guess we were more in tune with the founders of this beatiful country. Today it is like a completly different place with socialist influence. Are we actually FREE in this land? May God help us and have mercy on US.
No matter how you squeal, the PRO-ABORTION, prior Gov. of Kansas will diss you in favor of her hero, the muslim-communist in the oval office. Beware of all of the Fake-Catholic groups who duped you into voting for the ultimate Pro-Abortionist in 2008, they are still at it.
Our Bishops would do us a favor by shutting down the heretic inspired annual CCHD collection. For over 40 years they have permitted these misfits to distribute millions to Pro-Abortion, left-wing communist, anti-Catholic groups while lying to the Catholics in the PEWS that the money was for the poor. Disown the idiotic seamless garment, social justice, common good trash implemented by the originator of the CCHD. Communism is not “social justice” as they would have you believe.
I am no long able to bear children.But I lived in a time when life was so presious and joyful. Now considered a disease, my heart is heavey and sad for my children and their children. I have also adopted two and now fostering a special needs child…and let me tell you he is no disease. He is the light of many lives. Please do not allow the goverment to take away these blessings from above…we already morn the loss of so many babies thrown in the trash,,and their dear Mothers left to be in a life long grieving for her lost baby.
Ellie, to answer your question, I am well aware that some people use contraceptives for innocuous medical purposes. However, keep three things in mind: a) these uses are considered secondary or ‘off-label’; b) many people do use them as exactly what they are; and c) HHS has indicated no interest in trying to determine which is which (and I suspect if they did, we’d see a significant rise in manufactured ailments—not that I am at all, I dunno, skeptical of human nature in the face of the temptation of free stuff!).
ellie—no one needs contraceptives to treat PCOS. That is a lie of the fertility industry. Natural and hormonal treatments to PCOS are far more effective. Check out the Pope Paul VI Institute for more information.
I am afraid your A,B,C remark made no since to this simple mind.I quess. Human nature is a vague statement. We Catholic Christians believe that human nature without the fullness of the Faith in God and even then is not where it should be. Its not about just a freebie, its about calling contraceptives preventitve medical care. No one can tell me why sterlizing a man is preventive medicine. I do believe in preventitive medical practices. List I dont believe in any of the Obama Care. You would think I should I have been without health care for 3 yrs. and since I have a stent no one can insure me that doesnt cost most of our wages. Cannot throw the baby out with the bath wash. There are answers to my plight but Obama welfare minded health care is not it…And trust me we have been though alot….
The above mandate clearly shows where this administration is leading into. It reminds me of the communists take over of many countries. We may think that it will never happen in our country. But if we do not respond to this in a cleverly fashion, before we know it, they will enslave our society. We have to do something very big; like having a million people march to the White House. It must be done before the upcoming election because in an election year everyone pays attention.
The HHS mandate is automatically null and void because the president and everything he’s done in his illegitimate presidency is unlawful. Why? Because he’s an illegitimate President, being born outside of the US, as stated in the Constitution, the Supreme Law of the Land.
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