WASHINGTON — Cardinal Timothy of New York, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a letter to his brother bishops today, reporting that negotiations between the conference and the White House had “stalled” and that he was exploring legal remedies to address the First Amendment threat posed by the contraception mandate approved by the Obama administration.
“[O]ur bishops’ conference, many individual religious entities, and other people of good will are working with some top-notch law firms who feel so strongly about this that they will represent us pro bono. In the upcoming days, you will hear much more about this encouraging and welcome development,” wrote Cardinal Dolan.
If the conference decides to sue, it will be joining several other entities who have brought legal action against the federal government, including the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and Belmont Abbey College, both represented by the Becket Fund for Religious LIberty, a public interest group.
The Register is a service of EWTN.
Cardinal Dolan’s letter reported that the legal strategy would be addressed “at our upcoming administrative board meeting and our June Plenary Assembly, when we will have the chance to discuss together these important issues and our way forward in addressing them.”
Today’s letter marks an escalation in a church-state dispute that has now become a hot-button election-year issue, entangling the bishops’ conference — and Cardinal Dolan — in a deeply partisan battle.
Yesterday, March 1, Democrats in the Senate defeated the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S. 1467), designed to provide broad exemptions for employers and insurance carriers that objected to coverage of specific services on religious or moral grounds.
Yet Church leaders and their allies contend that the 51-48 vote in the Senate to table the bill only confirms the need for more effective outreach to the faithful and the general public — even as they continue to pursue other legislative and legal remedies.
“We will not rest until the protection of conscience rights is restored and the First Amendment is returned to its place of respect in the Bill of Rights,” said Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Conn. Bishop Lori chairs the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty of the USCCB.
In a statement issued after the vote, Bishop Lori expressed his gratitude to the bill’s chief sponsor, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and the 47 other senators who backed the bill.
“We will build on this base of support as we pursue legislation in the House of Representatives, urge the administration to change its course on this issue, and explore our legal rights under the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” said Bishop Lori.
After the defeat of the Blunt Amendment, House Speaker John Boehner vowed to find a legislative solution. But even if such a measure passed in the Senate, few expect that it could survive a presidential veto.
Downward Spiral
Cardinal Dolan’s March 2 letter echoes information and themes covered in a March 1 post on his personal blog. But the decision to release a letter may reflect a growing awareness that legislative remedies are unlikely to effectively address the threat posed by the HHS mandate.
Cardinal Dolan’s letter reviewed the events of the past weeks that have marked a downward spiral of relations between the USCCB and the White House, from Secretary Sebelius’ Jan 20 approval of the new rule t to President Obama’s Feb. 10 announcement of an accommodation. The adjustment, in which insurance companies, rather than employers, would be responsible for the total cost of abortifacients, contraceptives and sterilizations, was roundly rejected by the bishops and many other groups.
“At a recent meeting between staff of the bishops’ conference and the White House staff, our staff members asked directly whether the broader concerns of religious freedom — that is, revisiting the straight-jacketing mandates, or broadening the maligned exemption — are all off the table. They were informed that they are,” wrote Cardinal Dolan.
The White House, the cardinal reported, “advised the bishops’ conference that we should listen to the ‘enlightened’ voices of accommodation, such as the recent, hardly surprising yet terribly unfortunate editorial in America. The White House seems to think we bishops simply do not know or understand Catholic teaching and so, taking a cue from its own definition of religious freedom, now has nominated its own handpicked official Catholic teachers,” wrote Cardinal Dolan.
The cardinal referred directly to an editorial in America magazine, a Jesuit journal, that criticized the USCCB’s stance and recommended acceptance of the accommodation.
Meanwhile, public statements issued by Sister Carol Keehan, the president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, appeared to endorse the president’s accommodation. The White House and the Democratic leadership have repeatedly noted the lack of unity among Catholics on this issue, casting doubt on the validity of the bishops’ ongoing objections to the mandate.
In his letter, Cardinal Dolan said the conference would “continue to accept invitations to meet with and to voice our concerns to anyone of any party. … But as we do so, we cannot rely on off-the-record promises of fixes without deadlines and without assurances of proposals that will concretely address the concerns in a manner that does not conflict with our principles and teaching.”
He told his brother bishops that they should “prepare for tough times,” but that the nation’s legacy of religious freedom was worth defending.
Educating the Faithful
Cardinal Dolan’s apparent decision to explore legal action will likely galvanize his allies on Capitol Hill, the academy and in the pews. But a future legal challenge is likely to parallel a stepped-up communications effort to deepen public awareness regarding the issues at stake.
Such a campaign will be fought at every level, from the nation’s pulpits to newspaper editorial pages to the campaign trail. This month, for example, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, an ecumenical initiative established by Father Richard John Neuhaus and Charles Colson, published a statement about religious freedom in the March issue of First Things. The U.S. bishops have reached out to evangelicals, but there is growing awareness that a great deal more must be done to educate the faithful and collaborate with a range of religious and political allies.
Robert George, the prominent Catholic author, public intellectual and McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, suggested one plan for accelerating the bishops’ campaign against the HHS contraception mandate.
On the run after giving the keynote address at a March 1 conference sponsored by the Berkley Center Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University, George paused to outline his idea. He proposed that a videotape should be produced and distributed throughout the nation that featured both Cardinal Dolan and a constitutional scholar outlining the threat posed by the HHS mandate.
George said his plan was based on Cardinal Dolan’s original request that every Catholic pastor in the United States read a letter explaining the Church’s objections to the mandate. Most dioceses complied with that request, reportedly prodding Obama to produce his accommodation.
The Princeton scholar was among hundreds of academics and other prominent Catholics that signed a statement attacking both the original HHS mandate and the president’s accommodation.
“The reason for the original bipartisan uproar was the administration’s insistence that religious employers, be they institutions or individuals, provide insurance that covered services they regard as gravely immoral and unjust. Under the new rule, the government still coerces religious institutions and individuals to purchase insurance policies that include the very same services,” said a portion of the “Unacceptable” statement, marking the Feb. 10 “accommodation.”
No doubt, the USCCB will review a host of proposals designed to fuel a more intensive engagement with ordinary Catholics and other Americans sympathetic to religious-freedom concerns. But the path ahead poses significant difficulties for the conference.
Over the past five weeks, Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Lori have struggled to get their message out to the public. As the bishops and their allies have sought to clarify their objections to the accommodation, they have been ambushed by an intensely partisan campaign that characterized the bishops’ stance as an attempt to bar access to contraception, rather than a defense of religious freedom.
Two recent House hearings, scheduled on Feb. 16 and Feb. 28, were supposed to frame the HHS mandate’s threat to First Amendment rights, but also featured rhetorical attacks on the Church leaders’ true motives.
Partisan spin marked the March 1 vote on the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., described the bill as “the latest ploy in the Republican agenda of disrespecting the health of American women,” and Planned Parenthood charged that the proposed bill would permit a woman’s boss to dictate what prescriptions she could obtain.
A March 2 editorial in The Wall Street Journal noted the distortions contained in Pelosi’ rhetoric. “It sounds medieval. But, in fact, the provision that the Senate tabled yesterday would merely have restored the status quo ante of one month ago. Those were the dark ages before the Obama administration overturned traditional conscience protections with its birth-control insurance mandate under the Affordable Care Act,” wrote the Journal.
That said, the Journal’s editorial suggested that the partisan obfuscation should give opponents of the mandate cause for hope: “The fact that Democrats don’t dare to accurately describe their own positions, or the regulations that they want to foist on everyone else, shows how extreme those positions and regulations really are.”
On Saturday, March 3, Cardinal Dolan also urged Catholics to take action: “It is a freedom-of-religion battle. It is not about contraception. It is not about women’s health. We’re talking about an unwarranted, unprecedented, radical intrusion” on “a church’s ability to teach, serve and sanctify on its own.”
Register senior editor Joan Frawley Desmond writes from Chevy Chase, Maryland.
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I am pleased to see the Bishops not back down. We have stepped away for far too long. God bless the Church.
I write as a senior, retired attorney and long time pro-life activist. I am very concerned about “Obamacare”, not only the Mandate, but also the fact that I understand that Medicare recipients will be denied treatment under Obamacare.My conscience, formed by Catholic teaching, tells me that I have a duty to take ordinary measures to preserve my health, the right and sometimes a duty to seek extraordinary measures. Yet I understand that Obama care allows “capitation” in Medicare and panels of non-medical personnel to make decisions about which treatments we are allowed and when.Capitation which I understand was finally eliminated after long fights in HMOs, allows for a “pot” which Medicare will pay out for patients. If doctors outspend the pot, they are financially sanctioned, if they underspend the pot, they participate in the “profits”. This would affect the type of treatment seniors receive radically.For the reasons above, and others, and because of the Contraception Mandate, the bishops should not cower. The rescinding of the mandate will only give our enemies the power to attempt to impose the mandate again. In a way, the defeat of the Blunt Amendment and the negotiations with the White house could be a blessing. The passing of another conscience law can be rescinded or as in the case of this current administration, ignored. I pray the Bishops just do file a suit. It is time to seize the moment and fight the good fight by putting all the Church’s energy into a First Amendment challenge which will allow the Church to FREELY EXERCISE its religious prerogatives in the public square. I am fearful that if we do not do this now, we will not have another chance. This administration is going to appoint the most liberal and partisan Supreme Court judges.However, given the recent ministerial exception case and the fact that it was a nine judge unanimous decision, we certainly would seem to have a chance now. And further, with all due respect to Catholics who support Obamacare, we really should support rescinding of the whole law and a more fine tuned and just policy of providing health care to people in America.
I am a cradle Catholic, aged 71 years, and a female. I support the Catholic Bishop’s position on the HHS matter, wholeheartedly.
I deplore the way the media is trying to portray the Church as “silly” ... because they say 98% of all Catholic women have used birth control. I know many Catholic women, and know of NONE who have take any such survey. I did finally find the stats on the survey, and am satisfied that it is biased and bogus, and based on a very small number of Catholic women, with only 60% of these being practicing Catholics, of a limited age group.
This whole issue has sent me to the internet,researching on my own ... from both sides of the controversy. While Sandra Fluke gave a good case for the right to use birth control, there were several inconsistencies. The case of the gay woman who needed birth control pills to prevent ovarian cysts was one issue that needs to be investigated. Since the mandate wasn’t even in effect, the young lady cannot blame the Church for not providing them. Did anyone even ask if the lady in the example had her doctor call the insurance company with the diagnosis? In this case (if it were factual) the insurance company should have paid the cost not as a contraceptive, but as a preventative to ovarian cysts. Nurses make this call for doctors frequently.
If she was turned down, there still was Planned Parenthood and other sources (free clinics, etc.). $3,000.00 for three years seems like a high cost until we find out the cost of attending Georgetown University as a law student, is $60,000.00 per year (with room and board). Until Ms. Fluke was asked how much her tuition was during the mock hearing by the Democrats, I thought she was arguing the case for POOR people!
I resent the news media and the Democrats for calling this a contraception mandate. It is clearly an attack against the first amendment, and is an affront to persons of ALL faiths and NO faiths. A lifelong Democrat, I recently registered as a Republican.
The only question I have left open in my research, is how we (John Q. Public) can obtain a copy of the actual HHS mandate itself. Everything the pro-life groups write is that the morning after Pill and Plan B are included. The pro-choice people all say abortifacients are not included (if they even discuss this point all all).
My conscience has been stirred up. I HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY ABORTIONS ARE PERFORMED IN THE U.S. ANNUALLY BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD. GOOGLE, GOOGLE, GOOGLE. Google up photographs as well.
Your words give me assurance that the best minds and most courageous leaders of this fight against religious persecution are at work. With God’s help, they will bring about relief from the relentless march of Evil in this country. God brings good out of all things, if we let Him. Perhaps this fight will revive our Church and all who seek to love and obey God in this country of every religion. Perhaps it will bring the lax and misinformed to their senses and convert the hearts of those who now at the least detract and at the worst scandalize those who don’t know better. Let us all be of good courage, prayerful, trusting in God and willing to do our part to fight the good fight. Thank you for all you do proclaim the truth.
Once legal action is taken by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops there will be no other available recourse for negotiations with this administration. How long do you think it will take to play the little battles in the lower courts before the date will be set for a real decision in the Supreme Court, if you get such a date at all? I think I would look for the common ground between the bishops and this administration and build on that if everyone’s intentions are what they claim.
I think that they SHOULD sue as we need to stand up for our rights as laid out in the constitution! When the talks fail and you realize that the government in place has an agenda against the faith, we have to stand up for what is right and even be ready to give our own lives.
The Church has been supporting the Democratic Party for yrs. on the premise of “helping” the poor. Their idea of helping the poor is subsidized abortion and birth control. The problem isn’t the Socialist Democratic Party, the problem is Catholics opposing Catholic teaching. Pres. Obama and his administration, knows full well what “catholics” believe in his own cabinet. This is not a political gamble on his part. It’s already been spun as the Church oppressing women, and the “Catholic” politicians have chosen to follow Obama. That’s not the problem, the problem is most Catholics do too. Your leadership is a reflection of your people.
Thank you Cardinal Dolan you are in my daily prayers. God Bless.
The issues have been ‘addressed’ over and over with no results because prominent Catholic politicians like Pelosi,Sebelius,Biden, Kerry, Murray, etal declare publicly they have Catholics on their side; they voraciously and aggressively promote the abortion agenda and now Pelosi is promoting gay marriage…Pelosi constantly mocks the bishops and is causing tremendous harm to the Catholic community and to the image of the Church.When asked why she considers herself to be a Catholic in good standing though promoting the slaugher of innocent babies in the womb she tells everyone that the Bishops are divided and that, in fact, her Bishop has never spoken to her about the issue. Until those who publicly and aggressively promote abortion and mock Bishops and the teachings of the Church are told “NO MORE!” and are told not to present themselves for Communion, nothing will change. Pelosi is convinced the Bishops are afraid of her, that they are wimps and she gets away with it. And so the killing of the unborn continues and Pelosi and others are embolded to go further. When will the Bishops say enough!! Not only for the lives of the unborn and for the honor of the Church but for the soul of Pelosi and others, like Sr. Keehan. Talk is cheap. Card.George says Catholic hospital will close rather than submit. What say you Cardinal Dolan?
So the Government now gets to decide who speaks for the Catholic Church, and who do they pick? All the usual suspects: the radicalized nuns, the Jesuits. These groups have become a fifth column within the Church, pursuing their own agenda, opposing the teaching authority of the church with impunity. The Pope has the power to disband religious orders who contradict Catholic teaching and give scandal. The Jesuits were suppressed once before, I suggest that if the bishops are really serious they should petition the Holy See to do it again. Who speaks for the Catholic Church? The Pope and the bishops in communion with him, no one else.
March 3rd, I submitted a comment earlier but often Nat’l Catholic Register rejects comments something they never did before EWTN took over. I work in the pro-life field and the horrors that are being perpetrated against women are terrible - the lies put forth by Obama and Pelosi and Sebelius and Planned Parenthood and other anti-lifers are prolonging the killing of the unborn and the wounding of women…but until and unless those who are responsible are given consequences if they are Catholic, for the good of their souls and for the protection of the unborn and their mothers, nothing will change..this will not be changed legally…Catholic Bishops need to take Catholic procedures..or the killing will go on. This probably will be rejected too so I’ll post it on another Catholic web site…
Well, I guess he can double down. If my boss were a christian scientist, Wonder if he’ll get rid of transfusions and vacinations in our coverage, so morally reprehensible are those treatments.
Eminence
May I have the authority to read and print your Blog.
For years I have searched for a true North-American moral leader to guide me and my family.
I have been reading every statement of Benedict.
But allow me to add also your blog for they address serious North American issues.
I wrote North American because I am a Canadian and we too have serious problems.
Thank you. Thank you.
Moses
Let’s put some adult reasoning into the debate: This is about religious freedom. Whether health insurance covers a PAP-smear to check for early signs of cervical cancer or a mammogram to check for early signs of breast cancer is a legitamate women’s healh issue. Contraception and abortion services are a lifestyle issue. The Church must not be forced to directly or indirectly fund lifestyles which are contrary to her teachings on how we should treat each other in a respectful and life-giving manner.
As for the issue of a women being “liberated”, contraception and abortion have been readily available at all income levels for about the past 40 years, and with an out-of-wedlock birth rate of over 40 percent, the people who’ve been most liberated are deadbeat dads.
There is comfort in knowing Cardinal Dolan and we Catholics that strongly support him are in the right on this issue. Somewhere, somehow the moral race to the bottom in America and elsewhere must be challenged and reversed. This is an excellent place to start a real defense of those pillars of truth that set America apart from so much of the world. I was an Obama supporter and voter and rare in a wealthy and privileged part of a wealthy and privileged state. No longer am I an Obama supporter and voter. Power does corrupt and that may be what we witness here. Freedom of conscience comes not from a Constitution, much less from one man chosen to enforce and be subject to that Constitution. May God bless us all Raymond in Ct.
The open challenge to the bishops that we find in the Catholic Church regarding the HHS mandate is the result of the bishops looking the other way, and tolerating the dissent from Catholic teaching in “the spirit of Vatican II,” that has been so prevalent since the Council. The chickens have come home to roost! I am afraid that what we are currently seeing is only the beginning of an attack on a house divided for too long. May God have mercy on us!
Dear Bishops, this is a spiritual attack in a political environment by the Democrat Party against the Church. You have a legal right to defend yourself on your own property and ask God in prayers from the pulpit after the Homily to restore First Amendment Rights for freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof. You can also authorize speakers to address the congregations during the Homily to explain what is being done to the Church by this HHS regulation and why it is unconstitutional as well as the distortions being made about what the Church intentions are in defending itself against this attack. And you have a legal right to allow Voter Registration drives to be provided after every Sunday obligation Mass in which literature can also be handed out that explains the spiritual attack against the Church so that the faithful can be in an informed position of the truth and how there “voice” can be of help in this spiritual battle. This can and should be started as soon as possible, time is a wasting and you cannot rely upon the media or the Democrat Party to present the issues honestly. You have to act now as directed in James. This is not a PR battle, either, which you would lose anyway. Just look what has happened this past week. Read the late Catholic converts book, Aborting America by Bernard Nathanson, especially the first 45 or so pages to see how progressive used you, the bishops, in their battle to legalize abortion. They are doing the same thing now. Read and be prepared this time. We can win this this time, but your real fighting should be done using your best advantages - God and your individual parishes strategically located throughout the U.S., especially in areas represented by the Party attacking the Church.
Bishops, this is a spiritual attack in a political environment by the Democrat Party against the Church. You have a legal right to defend yourself on your own property and ask God in prayers from the pulpit after the Homily to restore First Amendment Rights for freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof. You can also authorize speakers to address the congregations during the Homily to explain what is being done to the Church by this HHS regulation and why it is unconstitutional as well as the distortions being made about what the Church intentions are in defending itself against this attack. And you have a legal right to allow Voter Registration drives to be provided after every Sunday obligation Mass in which literature can also be handed out that explains the spiritual attack against the Church so that the faithful can be in an informed position of the truth and how there “voice” can be of help in this spiritual battle. This can and should be started as soon as possible, time is a wasting and you cannot rely upon the media or the Democrat Party to present the issues honestly. You have to act now as directed in James. This is not a PR battle, either, which you would lose anyway. Just look what has happened this past week. Read the late Catholic converts book, Aborting America by Bernard Nathanson, especially the first 45 or so pages to see how progressive used you, the bishops, in their battle to legalize abortion. They are doing the same thing now. Read and be prepared this time. We can win this this time, but your real fighting should be done using your best advantages - God and your individual parishes strategically located throughout the U.S., especially in areas represented by the Party attacking the Church.
Cardinal Dolan, fight and fight hard: As an elderly person on Medicare, all I hear on the TV is that the government has to get rid of Medicare because it costs too much….yet they now want to give free “medical” to young people for contraceptives and abortions. I don’t get Medicare for nothing, I still have to have a supplemental and prescription drugs,costing me $340 per month. Yet the administration would like us to believe that these people are getting new health bill for nothing. This administration really believes that we the people are a bunch of ignorant “astro turfs” (as Pelossi called us) or “tea bags” [as the Pres. called us].
My husband had good medical insurance like so many working people and if it were not for Medicare [pushed on us by the democrats] we would have had other means to get insurance once we retired. I hope our bishops fight hard because this is a matter of the government controlling every aspect of our lives. Look at the countries that govern the religion in their countries and the problems. Read abt England in the past and also Argentina. Contraceptives are already being given out free by other organizations and we do not need the government in this. Also Pres. Obama and Administration you all are already getting too many entitlements from we the people, the taxpayers. Cut back on your entitlements.
Since Cardinal Dolan considers the HHS mandate to be serious, why is his sense of urgency not evidenced by an immediate bishops’ meeting to deal with it, to “...address the legal strategy..? The obvious strategy to any serious person is a lawsuit. His lack of action for the next four months until the June Plenary Assembly belies his words. And no one please give me the “line” that it needs further study. Priests For Life, EWTN and others have initiated lawsuits already. For the bishops to delay plays into Obama’s hands; the less adverse publicity for him the better his chances of re-election. Remember how Chamberlain, Prime Minister of England waited to declare war on Hitler until Hitler invaded Poland before WWII. The lack of real, active and effective leadership is an appalling abrogation of the bishops responsibility as shepherds of the faithful.
Go, Cardinal Dolan! We’re behind you and glad to have your strong leadership.
America!!!!! America!!! God shed his Grace on theeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! Beautiful!!!!
I am thrilled with Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Lori. It is fantastic that this issue will be in the news through the June general meeting of the USCCB.
This is an issue that needs to be front and center with every Catholic through the elections. I have found it a measure of the effictiveness of the liberal media, however, that even intelligent people think this is about birth control and not the first amendment.
Why does EWTN continually reject comments made in good faith, and which are respectful? I work hard for pro life and it is so painful to have comments such as: “The Church does not consider abortion a grave offense since Catholic politicians such as Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden promote the anti life agenda and are still considered Catholics in good standing.” thrown in our faces - and often these are comments/questions coming from those who are sincerely confused. Whoever edits this site should not dismiss those who sincerely seek to understand…Obama and his administration are trying to monitor web sites, EWTN should not unless something is truly offensive. This never happened while the Legion ran the website…sad and discouraging!
The issues have been ‘addressed’ over and over with no results because prominent Catholic politicians like Pelosi,Sebelius,Biden, Kerry, Murray, etal declare publicly they have Catholics on their side; they voraciously and aggressively promote the abortion agenda and now Pelosi is promoting gay marriage…Pelosi constantly mocks the bishops and is causing tremendous harm to the Catholic community and to the image of the Church.When asked why she considers herself to be a Catholic in good standing though promoting the slaugher of innocent babies in the womb she tells everyone that the Bishops are divided and that, in fact, her Bishop has never spoken to her about the issue.
I think that Robert George’s idea is an excellent way of helping people to know just what is at stake here. The situation is too important to assume that the truth would be shared with all who need to hear it. If we have video displays in church to announce the diocesan appeals once a year, we can certainly have them to promulgate critical information in this time of turmoil.
There are no negotiations in this matter, stay the course of our faith, stay the course of division of church and state. Demonstrate the power of the American Catholic Church, rally all Catholics to protest Obama and his leftist ways. Imagine if 75% of all Catholics protest his attempts of unconstitutional mandates, it would equal the second shoot heard around the world. There is strength in numbers and the numbers are in our corner. It’s time realize that the Democrats have sold the Catholics a bunch of lies, wake-up Catholics, wake-up America.
I wonder how many Roman Catholics voted for Mr. Obama in 2008 because it was about time a person of color was president. Did they not read or understand his liberal views on all matters of sex? Nor that he is really not a consitutional lawyer, despite the fact that he is said to have studied constituional law? I was chided by religious people for not voting for the man, but I looked past color and emotion into fact and what would be signed on the dotted line. Might not Clarence Thomas come to mind? The Catholic Church has gotten what it voted for, in my humble opinion.
I feel we should try to help people after they have sinned.
Its difficult stopping the sinner.
If the American citizen wants a service and her insurance company
will pay for the procedure, why should we try to stop her from
exercising her own free will as a christian and as a citizen?
Is birth control a venial sin or a mortal sin?
We need Obamacare, we never had an unversal health care program before, give this one a chance.
Is it true that 30% of the natural births in America are to unwed mothers?
Is that a venial sin or a mortal sin?
When we gave women rights, such as to vote, work outside of the home, things seemed to get out of control, ops, maybe i shouldn’t say control.
Woman are equal and should have the same rights as we do.
We all have the right to sin, if we don’t have the right then its not a sin, right?
When will the Bishops go after the immorality and sex shown on television and the sex and sex in movies, showing the kids of today how to sin?
Thank you for such a great article on this ever looming controversy. If every so-called and dedicated Catholic will vote against Obama in the next election we can overcome the ever more developing scourge against religion by a socialist President. Our future and freedom have never been more at stake in the history of our nation.
Sevemty percent of the Catholics of this country, rarely attend church services regularly. They have been caught in a web of need vs prayers.. my daughter works on Sunday and her husband’s job is evaporating. What can she do but work those days to keep her children fed? they already filed bankrupty is not like there is any where else to go but the streets.
They know this whole ‘O-man’ thing is wrong. I know they want to vote for the best but we don’t seem to have the best running this time around. Unless that Paul person supports the candidate he will spilt the vote and we will have 4 more years of harassment and bias. With so many kids turning to atheism, we need to storm Heaven with prayers, rosary and fasting.
The concept that the government of the United States of America can change the intent of the constitution without using proper procedures, an amendment, is reprehensible, regardless of the issue that they choose.
Two things are absolutely clear: 1)The Catholic Church, led by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict the Sixteenth, and the Heirachy, Cardnals, Archbishops, Bishops, Monsignors, Priest, work to establish the Theology that our members follow. 2)Disagreement among the Catholic membership does not result in the Church altering it’s doctrine. Our government has numbers of Roman Catholic members that are well aware of this. The false pride of our elected and appointed officials is astounding.
Thomas E. Deller
I think the US bishops have made serious tactical errors in this whole fiasco regarding health care. From what I have been able to glean from a lot of web surfing this matter, every Holy Father (except, of course John Paul I) since Pius IX in 1849 has condemned any form of socialism or socialist program. Their reasoning is that socialism, at it’s root, is fatally flawed because it addresses only the material well being of the people, purposely rejecting God in what they do. They have used words like “wicked”, “perverted”, “hideous”, and “destructive” to describe socialism. John XXIII noted that “No Catholic could subscribe even to moderate socialism”. Pius XI said that “Socialism cannot be reconciled with the teachings of the Catholic Church because it’s concept of society itself is utterly foreign to Christian truth”. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, besides condemning socialism as Pope Benedict XVI, proclaimed in 1992 that “Where a matter of common good is concerned, it is inappropriate for Church authorities to endorse or remain neutral toward adverse legislation even if it grants exceptions to Church organizations and institutions. The Church has the responsibility to promote family life and the public morality of the entire civil society on the basis of fundamental moral values, not simply to protect herself from the application of harmful laws”. Is not the Obama health care system Socialist? The Church should have been against the whole program from the start, and not sought an exemption from its worst features.
There has been too much emphasis on the protections embodied in the Constitutional Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights does not grant us any rights. It protects our natural, God-given human rights. I feel the thrust of the Bishops’ objections should emphasize those natural rights, which are supported, not granted, by the constitution’s Bill of Rights, rather than putting primary emphasis on the Constitution. Where will we be if the Supreme Court finds in favor of the Administration rather than our First Amendment rights? If we resist further, we are in the position of rebelling against the USA, rather than resisting an injustice (even if legal).
Finally, the Bishops have to clean up their staffs at all levels. One of the Administration’s points the Bishops found particularly offensive, the one about how the Administration’s strong partnerships with religious organizations will continue” was written by Cecilia Munoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and former USCCB staff member. The have got to root out any staffer at any level who is of her ilk. They are enemies who will do all they can to undermine the Bishops initiatives, and they are Legion in the Church.
Tom Jablonski
Cure’ of Ars Parish
St Louis, MO
Thank you,Archbishop dolan and Bishop Lori for standing firm and unwavering on this issue.
“Planned Parenthood charged that the proposed bill would permit a woman’s boss to dictate what prescriptions she could obtain.”
A representative example of the lying propaganda campaign of the pro-death crowd.
For the record here is the list of the 13 false “Catholic” Senators who fully informed by the Bishops of the gravity of the matter none the less still voted to support and sustain Mzz Sebelius and her evil HHH Mandate.
Spin it anyway you wish when they voted down the Blunt amendment they spat in the face of Holy Mother Church and all her Bishops. They also spat on Freedom of Conscience for the rest of us.
Catholic? Senator Mark Begich Democrat of Alaska
Catholic? Senator Tom Harkin Democrat of Iowa
Catholic? Senator Richard Durbin Democrat of Illinois
Catholic? Senator Mary Landrieu Democrat of Louisiana
Catholic? Senator John Kerry Democrat of Massachusetts
Catholic? Senator Barbara Mikulski Democrat of Maryland
Catholic? Senator Claire McCaskill Democrat of Missouri
Catholic? Senator Robert Menendez Democrat of New Jersey
Catholic? Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Democrat of New York
Catholic? Senator Jack Reed Democrat of Rhode Island
Catholic? Senator Pat Leahy Democrat of Vermont
Catholic? Senator Maria Cantwell Democrat of Washington
Catholic? Senator Patty Murray Democrat of Washington
Catholic? Senator Olympia Snowe Democrat* of Maine
Notice anything—They were ALL “Democrats” *For the slow witted ANY Catholic? Senator such as Olympia Snowe who:
Voted NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies.
Voted NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP
Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion.
Voted NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions.
Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.
Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during crime.
Voted NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions.
Voted NO on banning human cloning ... and
Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines.
Has EARNED THE RIGHT to be called one of these Democrats.
These 13 false Senators had their Vote ... There are 47 million Catholic voters in the United States. One quarter of all registered voters are Catholics.
This November 47 Million Catholics by their Votes can choose either to support the Church or like others throughout History have done and think they know better and spit in Her Face.
Obama and Company ... Fool me once shame on You. Fool me twice shame on Me.
As much as it elates me to hear that the USCCB is waking up to their responsibilities, I wonder if it is too much, too little, too late. They already roused the Catholic vote in the opposite direction when it was the Catholic vote that put Obama in the White House to begin with. Now, many of them are pushing Mitt Romney who is a Republican version of Obama.
Legal challenge, very “Holy” of you. Over 4000 Priest accused of child abuse, over 2 Bil spent on hush money and priest relocations. But you can hear crickets from the faithful regarding the issue. Prepare for the federal investigation. Jesus is watching, and is not happy.
I think a crucial element in raising awareness of the implications of the HHS mandate is getting people to realize how this mandate will impact them personally. This requires some thought and reflection. In addition to the First Amendment violation concern of religious conscious is the federal re-definition of what a religious institution is and is not. I live in a rural primarily Baptist community and drive my son 120 miles each day from home to his regional Catholic school to my work and back to his school and back home again. His school is a top 50 Catholic high school which was recognized as such for both high academics and strong Catholic identity. However at my son’s school, not all faculty, staff, or students are Catholic, so under the new federal definition of what a religious institution is, my son’s school would not qualify. Believe me I would not be spending nearly half my salary on tuition and gas and 3 hours on the road every day if I wasn’t giving my son a solid Catholic education at a religious institution. I am very concerned about the future of my son’s school in being able to continue with its 50 year tradition of educating Christian leaders according to the teachings of Catholic Church, which is its mission. By the way one of the strongest supporters of the school is the local Catholic hospital. If one of these Catholic institutions falls the other will fall. Catholic institutions are related in sharing the same mission. As a result, I feel my son’s generation is at risk of losing the faith that was passed down to us one generation to the next for the last 2,000 years. To say I am upset is putting it mildly.
As I wrote 3 years ago and it is partial confirmed this week by Sibelius, the government mandates will save money by having less pregnancies. Only a fool would suggest such a path. Contraceptives have been essentially given away for years and yet there is a high number of pregnancies. It is easy to see with that kind of thinking how the government saves so much through abortion. In short it is cheaper to kill than promote life and the sooner you kill the more money you save.
Take it a step further, and you know this is in their thinking, if we can only detect fetus defects in the womb, like genetic abnormalities, look how much money the government could save. Eliminate neo-natal care, special education and much, much, much more. The only thing standing in the way are those religious zealots.
Just like they twist the debate to focus only on contraceptives and not religious liberty, start telling the whole plan of riding our society of the potentially handicapped baby in the womb. You see it is all legal and now we simply have to show how we save millions and millions of HealthCare dollars just as Sebilius said this week. That is easy. Under the government health care program you simply inform the women that she has a defective baby, just as they now do for down syndrome and inform her that the government insurance doesn’t cover post natal care but does cover abortion. I should add that the government will require genetic testing of all pregnant women.
As has been said before if you forget history you are bound to relive it.
Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood and the Nazi had a lot in common. In 1939 they started doing away with the mentally ill to save money and people bought into it. The Church and Cardinal VonGelen stood up against it as Cardinal Dolan and others are now.
How sad to see it happening again but in a much more subtle way. How many will buy into it. The test will be in the courts or better yet get rid of the Obama Administration and all the Democrats who support them.
Cardinal,
Don’t compromise! “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” You already know this!
Us sheep are standing behind you, our Shephard, and will help you fight all the way!
God Bless You!!
Great article , be very careful of the two paragraphs that imply that the Bishops don’t speak for Catholics everywhere. We need the secular world to know just how proud we are about the positions taken by the Bishops, their unity among themselves and our sorrow and disappointment with anyone calling themselves Catholic that doesn’t accept the voice of the Bishops as our voice.
As for me and my house we will serve the Lord, the same Lord that anointed St. Peter and these men as Apostles of Christ.
Its time to be cunning like wolves.
Isaiah 45: 9-11. Woe to him who strives with his maker,
an earthen vessel with the potter!
Does the clay say to him who fashions it, ‘what are you making?’
or your work has no handles’?
Woe to him who says to a father,what’re you be getting?’
or to a woman,with what are you in travail?’”
Thus says the Lord,the holy one of Israel,and his Maker:
“Will you question me about my children, or command me concerning
the work of my hands?
I made the earth,and created men upon it.
Simply put; Embryonic Stem Cell research———Bad morals, Bad Medicine, Bad Law.
Gloria Schotten.
I believe the Church must go into court to preserve religious freedom guaranteed under the Constitution. I wonder how the 13 Catholic senators who rejected the Blunt amendment would feel about the recognition they would receive as a result of the court case ? There are too many voices being raised by Catholics who should know better. Jesuits, Catholic Health Association and others who oppose the Bishops should be silenced. If needed the Papal Nuntio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano should be utilized to approach the Jesuit representative in the Vatican. The Cardinal needs to state he is in charge and vigorously fight those who are hindering his effort. I think an idea proposed by Robert George of Princeton should be considered. He proposes that a tape or disk be prepared featuring the Cardinal and a constitutional authority explaining the critical issues connected with the HHS order. It should be required that this tape be shown in every parish in the country before the largest audience possible. This would provide great educational prospects for Catholics for voting guidance. Unfortunately I believe most Catholics don’t realize the full consequences if the Church loses this battle. It seems to me discussing this with the Bishops in June should be done sooner.
Please tell Cardinal Dolan that he needs to take a deep breath
and join the real world.
He says he is considering a lawsuit over brith control coverage: this comes right on the heel of Rush Limbaugh accusing women of being
“sluts” and “prostitutes” if they support insurance coverage for birth control coverage. Any action by Cardinal Dolan will only reinforce the message that the church will tell Americans what they can and cannot do in their sex lives. This will make for terrific campaign fodder.The good Cardinal must know that Catholics long ago ignored the churches teaching on birth control. And, yes, good Catholics
even have abortions.
Cardinal Dolan further states:
“We kind of got our Irish up when leaders in government seemed to be assigning an authoritative voice to Catholic groups that are not the bishops,” he said.
“If you want an authoritative voice, go to the bishops.”
Sadly, this entire issue is not about contraception—it is entirely about a loss of control by Catholic bishops who fail to grasp the realities of living. Most Catholics I know do not “go to the bishops.” And THAT is the heart of the matter.
These “faith-based institutions” are businesses - NOT churches….BIG businesses. The government is trying to protect the freedom of their employees, not to limit it! Seriously: The bottom line is that absolutely NO ONE is coming into our Churches or places of worship and telling believers what to believe…..or forcing them to use contraception. BUT If the Bishops (and other denominations) want to continue running businesses outside of their places of worship…businesses that employ millions of people of varying faiths -or no “faith” at all- THEN they must play by the same rules and rights that other workers live by and enjoy (especially if their businesses use our tax dollars, and skip paying taxes, in the process). If the Jehovah’s Witnesses church hires me, can they alter my health insurance to exclude blood transfusions? Even worse- what if they operated a hospital by their “rules”? This is not a “war on religion”. Never was. However, it IS a war BY some religions… on women and men who simply want to plan their families, to control their futures, to keep their jobs, and to have health insurance that allows them to do that. if the Cardinal wishes to be a politician instead of a preacher, and wishes to use his pulpit for that purpose, rather than a place of worship, then he should give up his tax exemption.
Fair enough, and may God bless Cardinal Dolan. But do the bishops have the people behind them? For more than a generation, young people have been taught heresy in many of our so-called Catholic schools. Congress has been asked to hear the testimony of a graduate of Georgetown University where Jesuits taught her that contraception and other offenses against the natural law are licet. Many in our church bureaucracies are dependent on government money, such as Catholic Charities. I should not be surprised if most of those employed in the bureaucracy of the Archdiocese of New York voted for Obama and will do so again. Will Cardinal Dolan clean his own house?
The worst enemies of the Church are not just the Obama Administration but so-called Catholic dissenters, especially “Catholic” politicians who are willing to sell Holy Mother Church for thirty pieces of silver. Yet, I can’t help blaming the bishops for this situation because even today, when they see the Pelosis of the world openly attacking the Church, they refuse to excommunicate the lady which would send a clear message that the bishops are willing to exercise their God-given uthority and that they can’t allow Catholics within the Church to openly undermine her moral teaching. Don’t the bishops see that even people outside the Church wonder why so-called Catholics are allowed to openly dissent and confuse people of all walks of life and yet the bishops don’t even mention the possibility of excommunication? Its high time the bishops follow the example of St. Thomas a Becket and St. Thomas More and they lost more than their good name, they lost their lives for defending Christ and His Church.
The best remedy is to defeat Obama in the upcoming elections. All real Catholics (as opposed to the Jesuit turncoats and the likes of Nancy Pelosi) must unite in this effort.
Until the Cardinal’s growing awareness brings him to understand that, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” then I have little hope of success in this fight.
If every diocese had a Timothy Dolan at the helm, the Church would be thriving.
Pope Benedict needs to get involved an issue an order that Catholics are not to vote for any party that spreads abortion and same-sex unions throughout the world
There are no maybes about it. Cardinal Dolan and the bishops need to seek a legal challenge post-haste because the White House has already made it very clear it is through “accommodating”. It has already said the HHS mandate is “final.” The Democrat Party has already declared war on religious liberty and will use the liberal press to step up its attacks on the church and use lies to hide the real issues. Dissident Catholics will continue to stab the church in the back.
Let’s face it: public and media relations are not strong suits of the church. It needs to use the resources at its disposal and become much bolder. Why aren’t they splashing the truth on page 1 of every diocesan newspaper and stop pity-pattying along. Hire the Becket Fund and others to take on their legal case. Pass over the naive people surrounding the bishops and get some advisors who know how to battle this stuff. And start getting some PACS that will run ads with the truth. The video mentioned is a start.
There is no time to waste, and the sooner the bishops realize the White House is out to destroy the Catholic Church and put away the one institution in society that opposes its all-out support of abortion and anti-life agenda, the sooner they have a chance to turn this thing around. If they hesitate, the Obama Administration will become bolder and bolder in destroying our liberties, etc.
outside of Pope Benedict getting involved there is no bishop, priest in the Church to stand up for it…..we had ONE real defender of the Church, MOTHER ANGELICA, who if not silenced by Gods plan,would be leading this fight for the Church….MAN UP YOU LEADERS OF WHATS LEFT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Time to Teach about contraception. And if your pastor won’t do it write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Most Catholics cannot articulate the Church’s Teaching and all those who Can follow.
The Dems know that the HHS mandate’s attack on religious liberty is a mistake, so they will not retreat from making this whole issue about contraception and “women’s health.” The bishops waste valuable time thinking they can reason or negotiate with the White House, especially since they have already said the January 20 mandate is ‘final’. The bishops need to stop listening to the liberal advisors around them and fight back wholeheartedly NOW.
Why aren’t they using the diocesean newspapers they publish to make this a page 1 priority? It’s still treated locally as if it’s not even a big deal. They need to get the laity more involved at the grass roots level. WE ARE IN A WAR. Stop pitty-pattying around!
This cannot wait. The church is about to undergo a persecution, and the enemy is testing its strength by appealing to a popular “entitlement.” What happpens when the rest of the mandate is revealed: abortion, forced sterilization, euthanasia, end-of-life issues, embryonic stem cell research, etc., etc.? HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius has unlimited authority to decide what the mandate will cover and what it will not, and if women aren’t told the “rest of the story,” they will buy into this carrot the administraitonis holding out to them.
At this point all Obama wants to do is convince voters that this is all about contraception so he can win re-election. If the truth gets out that there are 361 citations in the mandate that say the HHS secretary (Kathleen Sebelius) can “determine,” “mandate,” “define” and “establish” what’s covered, voters may not be as accepting when the other shoe falls.
Contraception is just the beginning. Legal briefs were submitted to the Supreme Court by the Becket Fund and the Bioethics Fund recently because the mandate, as currently written, will allow the HHS secretary to determine later that abortion, euthanasia, and other “care” is covered. By then, Obama hopes to be re-elected and won’t give a hoot if the majority of Americans object.
If the bishops have any smarts at all, they need to join the legal challenge NOW, and fight on every front. Obama has made it clear that if he is re-elected he will be unstoppable in his war against the church.
What is so hard about this? If the bishops want to succeed, they have to do what they’re afraid to do: create absolutely massive crowds of peaceful objectors to the Obama administration. I recommend holding Religious Liberty Masses around the country with the objective of having crowd sizes that the administration’s helpers in the media will be unable to ignore. I have suggested this plan to my bishop in Santa Fe and offered to donate $1,000 to help stage the Mass. We could hold it at the Balloon Festival grounds in Albuquerque and have an objective of 100,000 attendees, the largest public gathering in the history of New Mexico.
Thank you cardinal Dolan for joining us. Some of us have been fighting all
this for some time. Obama`s voting record from Illinois was very telling and it seemed to be an uphill fight for us when he gets invited to Notre Dame for an honorary doctorate degree and the USCCB sends out an article to diocesan newspapers across the country praising Secretary of Labor H.Solus as a model Catholic politician while ignoring her 100% pro-abortion record while a congresswoman of Cailf. where she even opposed partial birth abortion. We welcome the help of Bishops not only in defense
of life but in the defense of our constitutional rights and while you were
shocked by the about face he took with you, some of us saw all this coming a long time ago and not just from Obama but others as a Democratic state Senator as we have here in Penna. who claims to be pro-life and a Catholic and voted to fund Planned Parenthood and when I wrote him about it, he told me how much good they do for womans health. When I sent him an undercover video of Planned Parenthood advising illegal immigrant underage prostitutes how to get free abortions and help for veneral disease, he never responded but went on to proudly deliver a commencement speech at a well known Catholic college. This has been a tough fight without much support. Again, Thank you, we could use all the help we can get.Pax
Everything could be made much simpler.
The bishops could announce that they refuse to comply, and direct all Catholics to refuse to comply.
Then we could get on about our business of organizing the complete and crushing defeat of the Demoncratic Party, beginning with the excommunication under Canon 915 of Nancy Pelosi.
But you have to have fire in your belly to fight a war.
I don’t see it on our side.
I sure see it on the Demoncrats’.
They have sized up the bishops and figured them for a bunch of softies.
Sure hope they sized ‘em up wrong…....
Sunday, March 4…there were many comments on this side but they have all been disappeared…why?
Forget about threatening a legal challenge….DO IT! Excommunicate those public officials calling themselves Catholic, while they blatantly go against Church teaching as if it is frivolous and outdated. They are making a mockery of the Church and those in charge.
Call their bluff. Propose dropping health care insurance and pay the fines. Begin refusing government money. If institutions have to close, there will be outcry. THAT will get people’s attention and respect. More than any letter in a parish bulletin, which is only seen by the Catholics that attend Mass, doing things that directly impact people’s lives will be noticed. It’s a shame that it came to the crisis of losing our religious liberty to get the Bishops to act.
For far too long, and for whatever reasons, the Bishops have sat silently on matters that the Church teaching has always been very clear on, such as unjust war, environmental destruction, and, currently, the church’s stand on abortion and contraception so cleverly labeled by Planned Parenthood and others of their ilk, as “women’s healthcare”.
Now is the time to stand up and get involved.
Don’t just threaten legal action, DO IT! Take the Church teaching seriously every time, not just when it’s convenient.
This means War!!!
The whole contraception mandate issue highlights the failure of the American bishops to clean out their own house and put it in order. That the Obama administration tells the bishops to follow the advice of America magazine points to the scandal that this magazine has been allowed to teach heresy for so many years and undermine Church teaching without opposition from the bishops. The same goes for the apostate Catholic politicians who vote against Church teaching and voted down bills to protect the freedom of the Church. The politicians who should have been formally excommunicated by now, and penalized earlier by can. 915 as mandadted by the Vatican. There will never a united front and an effective opposition to the persecution of the Church, until the bishops clean house with all the error and heresy present in so many Catholic institutions, from the univerties, to the Catholic periodicals, magazines, seminaries, and religious orders.
Cardinal Dolan and Bishops,
It is wonderful that you are addressing and exploring methods to combat this healthcare monster.One major concern arises weekly here in the deep
southern part of America, and that is the liberal priest who offer
us communion at mass daily and weekly services.They hang pictures of radical office holders in their parish office and speak openly that they support this mandate of their President’s agenda.Four of the five deacons march to the same drum.
Eighty five perceent of the parish that gives generously to the church is
faced with this and many other insults. The pastor never speaks about abortin but votes and speaks proudly about ‘Social Justice’. Where is Moral Justice ? We follow the teachings of the church, we give the funds that support and run our local parish and diocese and yet our own ordained
priest go against and vote against the church’s teaching.
If it were not for 7 Godly Bishop’s we would still be supporting ACORN and the Chicago Saul Alensky method of destruction within our ranks. We continue to pray and speak out, but we now need our local Bishops to call these persons out of ministry if they cannot follow the teachings of the church. The local Catholic paper won’t print letters speaking to our disgust of the situation and issues. What a very sad day for our Church and country. May Almighty God have mercy on us all.
Cardinal Dolan, and Bishops, as NASA would say, “Houston we have a problem”; and it has to be addressed or the faithful will have to start with-holding funds that help many other programs that benefit the poor. What other choice do we have ? What a sad day for the Catholic Church.
We do not despise these priest but have great pity and pray for them.We can no longer sit by and allow this corruption and evil to continue.
Why can’t Obama get American boys out of Afghanistan. Dead total more than 1800 soldiers and more die every week…and disproportionate are Black. The cost is many billions and climbing. Seems he is too busy in promoting abortion. And Blacks account for 50% of total abortions while only 13% of the population.Is there something about Black people that Obama finds offensive?
The church and the political progressives are on an inevitable collision course as the progressives impose their moral values on the entire citizenship of America. The situation will require confrontation because hints have already proven to be improvident as a strategy.
It goes far beyond the issue of abetting fornication of a female law student with mandatory premium subsidies of free abortifacients and contraceptives. There is little distance between requiring state level insurance benefits to include elective abortion and assertions that they are required to maintain a woman’s “health” in a similar assertion to the abortifacients and contraception. Given enough time, Obama will require that insurance plans provide free elective abortions as a healthcare mandate in order to protect a woman’s “health.” The administration will try to promote a ridiculous proposition that it should be acceptable to the church if it doesn’t have to pay directly for the abortion deaths.
It will not be long before the church will be required as an employer to subsidize the homosexual community with spousal “marriage” benefits in addition to its faithful having to pay higher taxes and product and service fees. The progressives have erected a bridge to the 21st century from Sodom and Gomorrah and we all are culturally required to embrace and rejoice over what they have done.
Clearly this administration and those who support them have become a den of thieves who would lie and attempt to steal bit by bit the first amendment freedoms that God and our founding fathers have guaranteed us and we must have the moral courage to speak out or I fear that God will spit us out for our lukewarmness.
I hope that letter is better than this letter:
Bishops, in their latest USCCB letter, continue to advance positions that may become binding on public affairs when they have no qualifications or special competence on these subjects. These are matters of prudential judgment and bishops should not attempt to coerce outcomes as if correct answers are known only to the clergy.
See the bishops’ latest letter, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”, as they again give cover to politicians supporting abortion, euthanasia, homosexual marriage, etc.
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/forming-consciences-for-faithful-citizenship-title.cfm
excerpt
Part I – The U.S. Bishops’ Reflection on Catholic Teaching and Political Life
Making moral choices
34. Catholics often face difficult choices about how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-formed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if the voter’s intent is to support that position. In such cases a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate’s opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.
——
This statement says two things to me:
1. – It is OK to vote for a politician who supports the intrinsic evils of abortion, euthanasia, or homosexual marriage etc, if you are opposed to these practices.”
2. – “It is not OK to vote for a politician who opposes the intrinsic evils of abortion, euthanasia, or homosexual marriage etc, unless you balance that opposition alongside that politician’s position of other important moral issues.”
Those “other important moral issues” being a long list of “social justice” issues, as welfare policies, immigration policies, global warming policies, monetary policies, minimum wage policies, environmental policies, gun control, war and capital punishment.
Bishops have no special competence on these social, economic and political issues. They are accountable for the moral and spiritual condition of souls. That does not seem to have been a high priority for the last 40 years.
And I read that Rush Limbaugh is being lambasted for his criticism of a woman who claimed she needs birth control and admits to living a sexually active lifestyle. His terminology may have been wrong but he is being condemned partly for critising this behavior. And we can see where these policies are heading, that is as Robert Bork said in “slouching toward Gomorrah” we are as s society losing the ability to discriminate between good and bad behaviors, or as Benedict predicted we are becoming a “dictatorship of relativism” where those who judge behaviors are the outcasts. We must still judgte behaviors even though we poor sinners are not fit to judge the heart of another, which is God’s job.
In my opinion what is needed and what has been lacking within the realms of the Catholic hierarchy is moral and theological courage. For far too long the clergy has been too tolerant publicly all far too many social policies that are inconsistent with the Catholic faith on morals and teaching.
For far too long bishops and priests have either condoned or ignored Catholic politicians when their public policies directly violated Catholic canon law as a result of that we all are now it the crossroads we are at in relation to the loss of religious liberties and freedoms our constitution affords to the American people as well as the contraception issue which is code for abortion.
Years and perhaps decades of timid Catholic clergy not willing to fight too worried about political correctness and offending the laity has emboldened this president to take the stand he has against religious liberty.
There is the law of consequences and it has caught up with the Catholic clergy, for example when priests and Bishops allow Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Joe Biden Et cetera to get away with facilitating verbally or actively in policy to violate the code of Catholic canon law such as pro-abortion and or homosexual marriage without punishment such as excommunication until a full repentance is made to lift excommunication then you come to the stage where we are at.
We can at least partially amend this by doing the following: a directive or mandate if you will must be issued by bishops of all Catholic archdioceses throughout the United States that require priests in their homilies to be harshly critical of this president. They cannot beat around the bush. They need to do that strongly and often, once will not be enough.
While I can understand that clergy cannot overtly endorse a candidate running for president it can be done the lack of a better description by stealth for example singling out a candidate with the compliment or perhaps mentioning his Catholic roots in a general sense.
Unless we do this we may wake up one day and not be able to practice our or Catholic faith. May God Bless you all and God Bless America
Heather—
@Charles
There is so much to correct here first let me address the Guttmacher Institute flawed poll on women using birth control the sampling was flawed and designed to come up with a phony 98% number anyone with any common sense knows 98% of Catholic women are not using “birth control”, and lets call it what it REALLY is and that is abortifacients and it is not about control it is about the murder of unborn children. If one accepts and believes in Catholic Church Teachings, in the CCC and the Codex of Catholic Canon Law than you have to believe that reality. Life begins at contraception… abortifacients by is very definition causes abortion and abortion is the murder of an unborn child so lets call it what it is and not use these liberal clinical terms to defend an immoral act and mortal sin.
Next you mention sexual abuse in the clergy, I am well aware of the sexual abuse in the catholic clergy especially in me beloved Ireland with my being of 100% Irish ancestry. Let me explain first I am totally Catholic Educated K- through College I have two degrees A Bachelors Degree in Catholic Divinity and a Masters in Political Science, so I am fully able to intelligently discuss these issues.
Now as far as sex scandals within the Catholic clergy it exists and has grown exponentially for two reasons the most important is the Vatican II Reforms and that led to the second which is laxity within enforcing the codes of Catholic Canon Law. Sexual abuse is nothing new to catholicism it has existed for centuries. If you studied European History and the Papacy and Papal aristocracy you would now about the “Borja’s” perhaps the most depraved of well known European families and Roderic Llancol de Borja better known as Pope Alexander VI possibly the most depraved pope ever to hold the Papacy numerous adulterous affairs and father to the infamous Lucrezia Borgia his daughter and his murderous son Cesare complicit with him in multiple murders of his rivals. Now in current times probably the most widespread and worst of the scandals at least in a gay context if not pedophila was in South Florida Archdiocese then run by Archbishop Favalora forced into retirement. Its no secret about St. John Vianney College Seminary being a cabal for recruitment for gay priests but something must be done. It takes a leader with strong moral courage to enforce discipline and whistle blowers.
I agree with you on divorce and amendments must be made to Catholic Annulments, they have become far too easy to obtain, sadly better than 50,000 annulments are granted in the U.S.alone each year.
Now as far as your comment on this being a private war between Cardinal Dolan and Obama, I vehemently disagree! This is war that Obama has declared on Catholicism and the Catholic Church, there are many issues I can go into at length but this post is long as is but suffice to say obama lied when he said “We are not a Christian nation” Never would I ever believed I would have heard that statement from a US President! Also what made me ill to my stomach was obama at Notre Dame University and even worse him receiving an honorary degree which was a violation of Catholic Canon Law for personal reasons I am deeply hurt by the CINOism of Notre Dame which has lost it’s “Catholic” identity.
As far as Canada is concerned the catholicism that exists there is far too liberal for me to even engage in converstation over
God Bless All Catholic Clergy, and Laity and God? Bless America and may we all follow that path of Jesus to Glory and to Heaven, let us be ever humble, in a state of grace and peace with God? repentful of our sins and void of any arrogance and pride in Jesus Name I pray.
Sincerely Yours in Christ Jesus
Heather—
to Charles
There is so much to correct here first let me address the Guttmacher Institute flawed poll on women using birth control the sampling was flawed and designed to come up with a phony 98% number anyone with any common sense knows 98% of Catholic women are not using “birth control”, and lets call it what it REALLY is and that is abortifacients and it is not about control it is about the murder of unborn children. If one accepts and believes in Catholic Church Teachings, in the CCC and the Codex of Catholic Canon Law than you have to believe that reality. Life begins at contraception… abortifacients by is very definition causes abortion and abortion is the murder of an unborn child so lets call it what it is and not use these liberal clinical terms to defend an immoral act and mortal sin.
Next you mention sexual abuse in the clergy, I am well aware of the sexual abuse in the catholic clergy especially in me beloved Ireland with my being of 100% Irish ancestry. Let me explain first I am totally Catholic Educated K- through College I have two degrees A Bachelors Degree in Catholic Divinity and a Masters in Political Science, so I am fully able to intelligently discuss these issues.
Now as far as sex scandals within the Catholic clergy it exists and has grown exponentially for two reasons the most important is the Vatican II Reforms and that led to the second which is laxity within enforcing the codes of Catholic Canon Law. Sexual abuse is nothing new to catholicism it has existed for centuries. If you studied European History and the Papacy and Papal aristocracy you would now about the “Borja’s” perhaps the most depraved of well known European families and Roderic Llancol de Borja better known as Pope Alexander VI possibly the most depraved pope ever to hold the Papacy numerous adulterous affairs and father to the infamous Lucrezia Borgia his daughter and his murderous son Cesare complicit with him in multiple murders of his rivals. Now in current times probably the most widespread and worst of the scandals at least in a gay context if not pedophila was in South Florida Archdiocese then run by Archbishop Favalora forced into retirement. Its no secret about St. John Vianney College Seminary being a cabal for recruitment for gay priests but something must be done. It takes a leader with strong moral courage to enforce discipline and whistle blowers.
I agree with you on divorce and amendments must be made to Catholic Annulments, they have become far too easy to obtain, sadly better than 50,000 annulments are granted in the U.S.alone each year.
Now as far as your comment on this being a private war between Cardinal Dolan and Obama, I vehemently disagree! This is war that Obama has declared on Catholicism and the Catholic Church, there are many issues I can go into at length but this post is long as is but suffice to say obama lied when he said “We are not a Christian nation” Never would I ever believed I would have heard that statement from a US President! Also what made me ill to my stomach was obama at Notre Dame University and even worse him receiving an honorary degree which was a violation of Catholic Canon Law for personal reasons I am deeply hurt by the CINOism of Notre Dame which has lost it’s “Catholic” identity.
As far as Canada is concerned the catholicism that exists there is far too liberal for me to even engage in converstation over
God Bless All Catholic Clergy, and Laity and God? Bless America and may we all follow that path of Jesus to Glory and to Heaven, let us be ever humble, in a state of grace and peace with God? repentful of our sins and void of any arrogance and pride in Jesus Name I pray.
Sincerely Yours in Christ Jesus
Heather—
People better wake up. President Obama states he is a Christian, yet he continues to promote humanistic positions. There is a culture war… a war between Christians and Humanists.
@Charles
There is so much to correct here first let me address the Guttmacher Institute flawed poll on women using birth control the sampling was flawed and designed to come up with a phony 98% number anyone with any common sense knows 98% of Catholic women are not using “birth control”, and lets call it what it REALLY is and that is abortifacients and it is not about control it is about the murder of unborn children. If one accepts and believes in Catholic Church Teachings, in the CCC and the Codex of Catholic Canon Law than you have to believe that reality. Life begins at contraception… abortifacients by is very definition causes abortion and abortion is the murder of an unborn child so let’s call it what it is and not use these liberal clinical terms to defend an immoral act and mortal sin.
Next you mention sexual abuse in the clergy, I am well aware of the sexual abuse in the catholic clergy especially in my beloved Ireland with my being of 100% Irish ancestry. Let me explain first I am totally Catholic Educated K- through College I have two degrees A Bachelor’s Degree in Catholic Divinity and a Masters in Political Science, so I am fully able to intelligently discuss these issues.
Now as far as sex scandals within the Catholic clergy it exists and has grown exponentially for two reasons the most important is the Vatican II Reforms and that led to the second which is laxity within enforcing the codes of Catholic Canon Law. Sexual abuse is nothing new to Catholicism it has existed for centuries. If you studied European History and the Papacy and Papal aristocracy you would now about the “Borja’s” perhaps the most depraved of well-known European families and Roderic Llancol de Borja better known as Pope Alexander VI possibly the most depraved pope ever to hold the Papacy numerous adulterous affairs and father to the infamous Lucrezia Borgia his daughter and his murderous son Cesare complicit with him in multiple murders of his rivals. Now in current times probably the most widespread and worst of the scandals at least in a gay context if not pedophilia was in South Florida Archdiocese then run by Archbishop Favalora forced into retirement. It’s no secret about St. John Vianney College Seminary being a cabal for recruitment for gay priests but something must be done. It takes a leader with strong moral courage to enforce discipline and whistle blowers.
I agree with you on divorce and amendments must be made to Catholic Annulments, they have become far too easy to obtain, sadly better than 50,000 annulments are granted in the U.S. alone each year.
Now as far as your comment on this being a private war between Cardinal Dolan and Obama, I vehemently disagree! This is war that Obama has declared on Catholicism and the Catholic Church, there are many issues I can go into at length but this post is long as is but suffice to say obama lied when he said “We are not a Christian nation” Never would I ever believed I would have heard that statement from a US President! Also what made me ill to my stomach was obama at Notre Dame University and even worse him receiving an honorary degree which was a violation of Catholic Canon Law for personal reasons I am deeply hurt by the CINOism of Notre Dame which has lost its “Catholic” identity.
As far as Canada is concerned the Catholicism that exists there is far too liberal for me to even engage in conversation over
God Bless All Catholic Clergy, and Laity and God? Bless America and may we all follow that path of Jesus to Glory and to Heaven, let us be ever humble, in a state of grace and peace with God? repentful of our sins and void of any arrogance and pride in Jesus Name I pray.
Sincerely Yours in Christ Jesus
Heather—
This is my response comment to Charles… click the link to see full response…thank you… http://www.slideshare.net/Heather_/response-to-charles-at-national-catholic-register
This is my response comment click the link to see full response…thank you… http://www.slideshare.net/Heather_/response-to-charles-at-national-catholic-register
@Charles
There is so much to correct here first let me address the Guttmacher Institute flawed poll on women using birth control the sampling was flawed and designed to come up with a phony 98% number anyone with any common sense knows 98% of Catholic women are not using “birth control”, and lets call it what it REALLY is and that is abortifacients and it is not about control it is about the murder of unborn children. If one accepts and believes in Catholic Church Teachings, in the CCC and the Codex of Catholic Canon Law than you have to believe that reality. Life begins at contraception… abortifacients by is very definition causes abortion and abortion is the murder of an unborn child so let’s call it what it is and not use these liberal clinical terms to defend an immoral act and mortal sin.
Next you mention sexual abuse in the clergy, I am well aware of the sexual abuse in the catholic clergy especially in me beloved Ireland with my being of 100% Irish ancestry. Let me explain first I am totally Catholic Educated K- through College I have two degrees A Bachelor’s Degree in Catholic Divinity and a Masters in Political Science, so I am fully able to intelligently discuss these issues.
Now as far as sex scandals within the Catholic clergy it exists and has grown exponentially for two reasons the most important is the Vatican II Reforms and that led to the second which is laxity within enforcing the codes of Catholic Canon Law. Sexual abuse is nothing new to Catholicism it has existed for centuries. If you studied European History and the Papacy and Papal aristocracy you would now about the “Borja’s” perhaps the most depraved of well-known European families and Roderic Llancol de Borja better known as Pope Alexander VI possibly the most depraved pope ever to hold the Papacy numerous adulterous affairs and father to the infamous Lucrezia Borgia his daughter and his murderous son Cesare complicit with him in multiple murders of his rivals. Now in current times probably the most widespread and worst of the scandals at least in a gay context if not pedophilia was in South Florida Archdiocese then run by Archbishop Favalora forced into retirement. Its no secret about St. John Vianney College Seminary being a cabal for recruitment for gay priests but something must be done. It takes a leader with strong moral courage to enforce discipline and whistle blowers.
I agree with you on divorce and amendments must be made to Catholic Annulments, they have become far too easy to obtain, sadly better than 50,000 annulments are granted in the U.S.alone each year.
Now as far as your comment on this being a private war between Cardinal Dolan and Obama, I vehemently disagree! This is war that Obama has declared on Catholicism and the Catholic Church, there are many issues I can go into at length but this post is long as is but suffice to say obama lied when he said “We are not a Christian nation” Never would I ever believed I would have heard that statement from a US President! Also what made me ill to my stomach was obama at Notre Dame University and even worse him receiving an honorary degree which was a violation of Catholic Canon Law for personal reasons I am deeply hurt by the CINOism of Notre Dame which has lost its “Catholic” identity.
As far as Canada is concerned the Catholicism that exists there is far too liberal for me to even engage in conversation over
God Bless All Catholic Clergy, and Laity and God? Bless America and may we all follow that path of Jesus to Glory and to Heaven, let us be ever humble, in a state of grace and peace with God? repentful of our sins and void of any arrogance and pride in Jesus Name I pray.
Sincerely Yours in Christ Jesus
Heather—
I live in the archdiocese of Boston the letter was not read in my parish and I asked other people in other parishes and it was not even mentioned at Mass. many think that our cardinal told the pastor’s not to read it or mention it.
Any Bishop not responding to the Holy Father and the Conference of Bishops
needs to be taken out of office. Send letters to every paper in the Boston area.Withhold finances that fund and pay the bills and these Bishops will in fact get the message or get rid of them. Remember the Church belongs to the People. I would rather have a communion service by a Godly Deacon than a Bishop that will not follow the teachings of the church. Hold their feet to the fire.Its our church.
I forgot to also mention why why to this day has the Honorable Cardinal Dolan remained pertaining to Governor Andrew Cumo that signed into law in the State of New York the legalization of homosexual marriage, moreover Gov. Cumo was an outspoken advocate for what in the Catholic Faith is a grave mortal sin. It is a mortal sin on two levels, one, it is sex outside of marriage because any sexual union other than one husband one wife is adultery and second in Leviticus it states man laying with man is an abomination before the Lord. There you have both levels. Also I wish to touch on that by Gov. Cumo being an activist for homosexual marriage as well as signing it into law has made scandal for the Catholic Church which is another grave mortal sin, and on top of that Gov. Cumo is unrepentant over it! What will it take for Cardinal Dolan to punish Governor Cumo? This nonsensical “tolerance” psychobabble is making me ill! People, particularly liberals love to use the parable which is perhaps the most misunderstood parable Jesus said in John 8: 1-11 “AND Jesus went unto mount Olivet. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him, and sitting down he taught them. And the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman taken in adultery: and they set her in the midst, And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou? And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground. But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus? alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus? said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more”. now sure all liberals love to point out the non judgmental part but the part of that parable that is always ignored is the last sentence “Go and sin no more” and that’s what she did, she left sinned no more turning away from sin. But if one approves of homosexuality and its lifestyle they are doing the exact opposite they are encouraging sin and to sin more People have misconceptions about Jesus? he was not liberal and ALWAYS WITHOUT EXCEPTION devoted to His Heavenly Father. Matthew 5:17-19 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. Now what law was Jesus? referring to? The Ten Commandments yes, but also the Laws of Leviticus and remember in Leviticus man laying with man being an abomination before the Lord?? Cardinal Dolan how can you teach, be respected and have any moral authority if you do not apply some sort of disciplinary action against Catholic in Name only Gov. Cumo. You have the authority to do so, the only question is do you have the moral courage to do so? Who do you serve? God? or man? I always pray for our Catholic Clergy to have moral courage, that Jesus? strengthen them and Bless them always in Jesus’? Name
May God? Bless You All And God? Bless America
@ Heather. Thank you for your comment. Yes, individuals in the Church were and are corrupt, just as there are corrupt individuals in all elements of society. We have to realize that up to fifty percent of the accusations against priests in the US were false. The Catholic Church has by far the least problems with sexual abuse than any other institution. And, in spite of inexcusable “cover ups” by some bishops and/or their staffs, the Church has addressed the problem and largely corrected it. Just one (I think inexcusable) fact regarding transferring guilty priests: many of these priests, upon their behavior being brought to the bishop’s attention, were sent to psychiatrists who deemed them cured after a series of treatments. They were then reassigned to different parishes where they continued their perverted behavior. I believe that to a great degree some in the respective chancery offices lied to their bishop regarding these phony “cures”. Which leads to another critical issue: Bishops have to take action to identify and remove the bad members of their staffs. I have no suggestions as to how to accomplish this, but believe it is a large part of the problem. Case in point: the Bishops identified several policies and statements of the Obama administration to which they particularly objected. One of those points was authored by Cecilia Munoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Miz Munoz is a former staff member of the USCCB. If evil can reach the top of the Church’s structure in this country, how much more successful can the enemy be at the diocesan level? Please pray for our Bishops, their staffs, our priests, ourselves, and in particular for Mr Obama and the “Catholic” members of our government.
Tom Jablonski
St Louis, MO
Bud, you need to read The Catechism of the Catholic Church if you don’t know if contraception is a venial or mortal sin. Frustrated but Hopeful, I agree with your comments. I don’t see how people think this is hurting women and now an issue of religious freedom. They can get free contraception from Planned Parenthood now. So many people just don’t think past what their needs and wants are. So frustrating. I’m going to continue donating to the Beckett Fund since they are doing this pro-bono. They won a big case for religious liberty lately.
@Charles
Wrong! I do not have several names and I will explain. I was unfamiliar with this posting format when I would click “submit” I got a message “possible spam” so I was discussing my posting here with my best friend Di and I told her I was not sure it went through, then she asked if it were ok if she posted it for me, I said sure so she posted it but she got the possible spam error too. So she was doing me a favor, so clean your mind of wicked thoughts I have only one name I use all the time my REAL birth name Heather As for your view on the bible suffice to say its simplistic at best, it is not full of contradictions just your lack of ability to understand. It is easy to tell you are a misguided liberal. When someone disagrees with their liberal orthodoxy they resort to name calling and insults which is what you are doing . You talk about multiple marriages but do not go into detail so I cannot debate that without you detailing what you mean. As for what I rely on, sorry but its not the internet, its my education from K-through college all catholic and the Holy Bible Papal Encyclicals and various Catholic Compendiums etc. Your insult as to me being laughed at for my views is utter nonsense and I will not dignify that with a response. As for your assertion that this evil president obama is not at war with the catholic faith…you are terribly naive and have so much to learn and I did not use the word “religion” that is your mistake because of your inability or refusal to understand what I post
God? Bless All And God? Bless America
@Charles
Oh brother, I don’t know where to begin with you. I don’t think obama is evil I KNOW he is evil! It’s not because I can read his mind, its by his policies and actions that define him as evil. First, he is the most radical pro abortion president in history. He goes beyond abortion, that’s not enough for him, no no he goes on to late term abortions, you think that’s enough? No no no he goes beyond late term abortions to late term abortions that are botched and the baby survives and he still wants the innocent child dead murdered! That is evil to the core! What separates obama from King Herod that ordered the death of all first born male children other than obama doubles down on it by not discriminating against gender? Also what you do not understand is that obama wants to create a schism within the Catholic Faith, I can explain but you would not even begin to comprehend because it would involve the complexities of Catholic dogma, doctrinal precepts and philosophical orthodoxy in the various Catholic Councils and tribunals throughout history. Suffice to say according to the CCC and Catholic Canon Law by Catholic standards obama can be classified as evil. Now having addressed that the rest of your post is highly illogical and you seem to contradict yourself. I would like to state for the record I do not use the term “religion” you do. I refer to other denominations in a general term as “Christians or Christianity” not “religion” The reason I have for that is sadly many cults, some intrinsically evil i.e. witchcraft etc. the way U.S.law is now many of these evil cults qualify as a “religion” so I try to avoid using that term and to be more specific. As for me, I used to be a Republican I even did volunteer work as a strategist for the RNC but I stopped because they were supporting RINOs and not true core conservatives. I am a conservative FIRST then a Republican and the only reason I am a republican is because that is the most likely party you will find a core conservative i.e. Marco Rubio. So to address your comment I support CONSERVATISM not any party, I hope you can understand that. Also I personally am NOT affiliated with any evangelicals. Next, the rest of your comments are difficult to debate because you provide no foundation or details, that are simply haphazard wild statements and accusations. Specifically what rapes of nuns? What bishops? Who, what, where, when. how? I do applaud your help for the “victims.” As for women deciding for themselves that is their business and conscience. What I object to is Catholic Organizations being FORCED under obama death care to violate their conscience and provide abortifacients depriving them of the freedom to exercise their (Catholic) Faith. As for your daughter I do not understand why she was prescribed as “pill” when she is not sexually active and even more perplexing is why you allowed it.
Heather—
@ Heather and others.
Don’t pay attention to Charles and others of his ilk. He is so incoherent and inconsistent with his posts that it can’t be accidental. His intent must be to distract and stifle intelligent discussions. The only other possibility is that he might be an intellectual; as GK Chesterton said of intellectuals, “No ordinary person could be that stupid”.
As to the “Might be Spam” message, such posts are always reviewed, an posted if there is no problem with the comments. I believe excessive use of the Return key may trigger the Spam message.
Tom Jablonski
St Louis, MO
I will try to be as concise as possible. The seeds for the fruit we are reaping in american culture were inherent in the founding philosophy of our country.The so called “enlightenment” philosophical theories of the nature of man in society and protestant theology concerning these same areas. Capitalism as practiced in the United states and increasingly in the western inspired cultures are ultimately incompatible and as completely alien to Catholic moral teaching as any form of socialism or communism. Neither the democratic party which promotes an agenda moral license in the area of sexual behavior and the republican party who promotes moral license in the area of acquisition and retention of wealth are both in the respective areas mentioned promoting agendas that are immoral. Neither party nor most of the persons belonging to those parties are in any way worthy of a vote based on morality. At this point many Catholics are being persuaded to vote republican because of the abortion and gay privilege issues. Many Catholics who are rightly concerned about social and economic justice continue to vote democrat. Unfortunately a vote in either direction is an immoral choice. I’m sorry I can’t go more into depth as to why this is but I’m convinced that most people’s votes are ultimately meaningless as both parties are offering choices that in the end are immoral and a vote in either direction is remote cooperation with evil.
As far as politics, it is not the church that has changes, it is the Democratic party,m and some Republicans such as Michael Bloomberg in NY who have come to espouse ever more extreme Anticatholic policies. In the days of Kennedy many could be both good Catholics and good Democrats, despite Kennedy’s undermining of faith by believing he could too far separate his politics from his Catholic faith. After Roe V Wade, unfortunately too many so called “Catholic politicians and the Democrats caved by accepting the world’s standards instead of God’s. So in practice, just like the church needed to maintain a healthy separation of the church from the state, as we learned to do in opposing state churches in Europe for example, so we must question how closely a Catholic can be aligned with a political party in view of their increasingly evil policies, or, at least Catholics must be reminded that standing before God on Judgement day means more than standing before the latest political p;arty hack today.
@Thomas Jablonski
Thank you so much for your support, I am deeply humbled and appreciative for it.I love your mention and quotation of Gilbert Keith Chesterton after all my being of Irish ancestry I have a special affection for an Anglican “Londoner” converting to Catholicism. THank you so much and I totally agree with you!
God(L) Bless You Thomas and God? Bless Everyone And God? Bless America
Sincerely,
Heather—
Heather: I read the articles by SNAP….that Charles suggested and he is right. You have no idea as an 85 yr old how disenchanted I am by all of this and my Church {the Catholic Church}...Before the internet, these things were never discussed in Church. The Church did hide a lot of things thinking they could handle it, but I never heard any of this and I was always very active in church and Catholic schools. I never, never heard of Nuns being abused. How naive can a person be and sorry to say I was. So all of this has hit me hard. I really do not think SNAP would lie about these things. Never did I encounter these things in my childhood or up until the age of 85. Where have I been? Yes, as a child my mother warned us about taking candy and the like from strangers, etc. I have asked my grown children if this ever happened to them {they both attended Catholic grade and high school] and they said no. I just came to terms with the pedophilia by priests thinking they were people and it is not the Religion, now I hear so much about our Bishops allowing all these things to happen to Nuns also and also about the lesbian Nuns. What in the world is going on. What a sick bunch of human beings we have become. Between what is going on in my Church and my Government, I am glad on am on my last few yrs. of living. I pray for the generations to come. Well, those are my feelings and thoughts. Funny, the image word below is “fear”....Yes I do fear for my Church and Country
As for Catholic politicians, not dogma but contributing to the common good, but in the last few decades our society has gone so far down that anyone who calls sin as sin is considered a fanatic.
As for as SNAP they had their place in pointing out the filth in the church which must be cleaned up. I fear that SNAP is now beginning to generate it’s own kind of filth in feeding hatred and unforgivness which anyone who prays the Lord’s prayer knows we must forgive those who sin against us or we know that hatred will become a poison which will destroy us spiritually.
@ Bob Gravlin. You are right. SNAP has gone from a useful source of information and action to an anti-Catholic organization which is doing all they can to destroy the Church. SNAP has a program to support victims of the abusive priests; as of a couple of weeks ago, I read that they have spent a grand total of less than $600 on this support program. Their founder got his training either directly or by students of Saul Alinsky. ‘Nuff said. We need to pray for those folks, too.
Tom Jablonski, St Louis, MO
Claiming this is not a contraception issue but only a Religious Liberty issue is similar to the argument that the Civil War was not fought over the issue of slavery but was only fought over a State’s Rights issue. Any discussion on the Religious Liberty issue should include The Catholic Church’s teaching on contraception and Humanae Vitae. This could be a great teaching moment for The Catholic Church.
@Charles. First, you should recognize that, as horrible as it was (and maybe still is in some places), the Church’s problems are by far the least extensive of any public institution which deals with children. Do not point at me and say I’m covering or justifying any of this. I am not. It is a terrible scandal. I am saying that the secular commentators are focusing on the Church because of blatant hatred, not in the interest of openness or any legitimate search for truth. If they were, they would look at other institutions and expose the extent our entire culture has gone down this depraved road. That said, we are focusing on the scandal in our own Church here in the USA, not goings on in other countries where the problem may be as bad or worse. Tell me, can you provide credible evidence that our nuns are being abused? Also, where did you get the idea that almost fifty percent of priests are sexually active? Please cite the studies you profess knowledge of. Abstinence is not just a good bumper sticker as you snidely remark. It was proposed by St Paul as the ideal life style for our leaders, and I would say the vast majority faithfully follow Paul’s recommendation. As one of my high school teachers commented regarding priestly celibacy: “No, it’s not natural, it’s Supernatural”. You who measure all human behavior by your own weaknesses will never understand that. My wife and I followed the Church’s teaching regarding conjugal love. We have four children, and lost twins early in pregnancy back in 1981. This was a great loss for which we both still grieve. The great miracle in all of this is that doing something difficult for God, as a couple, has drawn us together far beyond what anyone who practices artificial birth control can ever experience. God has truly blessed us for our sacrifice.
Tom Jablonski, St Louis, MO
@ Nancy D. The Civil War did not start as a battle to end slavery. Slavery became the official reason after about a year. I think the reason for secession was the economic oppression of the South by the North. Tariffs were set so high the South had no recourse but to sell their cotton to northern textile companies st relatively depressed prices. Saying slavery was the original reason is like George Bush going into Iraq because of weapons of mass destruction, and later saying we went in to bring democratic institutions to the Middle East. In the case of slavery, I believe that “peculiar institution” would have died a natural death within a decade or two. Overseeing the death of over 600,000 people, to me, was inexcusable (I grew up in the Chicago area, no where near the south. Just my opinion).
Tom Jablonski, St Louis, MO
Obamacare was pushed on us as a “fitting” legacy to Ted Kennedy who championed this nonsense for decades. No doubt even now, Massachusetts Catholics will continue to vote Democrat and continue to worship at the altar of anyone named “Kennedy.” Is it no wonder the entire Northeast has legalized gay marriage as well. You people have been voting for people like Leahy (VT) Dodd (CT) and the Cuomo’s every election. You reap what you have sown.
@Charles,
Oral Contraception is at best a recreational drug.
This whole thing with President Obama wanting his Healthcare to pass while ignoring the Separation of Church and State & Religious freedom; adding free contraceptives; squeezing in abortion; the Georgetown student; etc. is his way of getting the women to vote for him.
Today he is fighting against another State who wants I.D.to be shown before voting. He is afraid if you must show an I.D. many immigrants will not vote for him because they would be found to be illegal. He will be politicking like this the rest of the year. Wonder what else he will come up with.
@Sue
First let me say I view Obama as extremely evil, having prefaced that First I like to state for the record Separation of church and state is a liberal canard. There never was any separation of church and state Either in the Constitution or in the Declaration of Independence not as liberals define it. As for I.D.‘s it is complete insanity and not worthy of Conservative or Republican support To fall for psychobabble that somehow because an I.D. is required will prevent voter fraud is foolhardy. People will just produce fake I.D.‘s They are easy to get or steal. This country is obsessed with ID’s We are now entering the state of the old USSR ID will be demanded for every little thing and are. THe other day a well known department store demanded ID from a woman who wanted a refund and did not have a receipt. That is needless and unnecessary invasion of personal privacy. I am sick and tired of a gutless society that is all too willing to surrender any and all civil liberties and reasonable rights to privacy to government in the name of this so called terrorism and idiot oeople saying well if it makes me safe I am for it, after all if you have nothing to hide why not produce it? I am sure the soviet secret police said the same thing. If these people keep this up they will be the ones accepting the mark of the beast, the technology is already being used in Europe, for those that will poo poo this and laugh it off I offer the following… Christians have no right to wear cross at work, says British Government
Christians do not have a right to wear a cross or crucifix openly at work, the Government is to argue in a landmark court case. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9136191/Christians-have-no-right-to-wear-cross-at-work-says-Government.html and in a semi related article Pope Benedict XVI Met with Tony Blair…here is the headline Tony Blair, a “Catholic” in good standing with the V2 “Church” backs gay “marriage” Tell me anyone how is it possible to be for Gay Marriage which in the Bible in Leviticus: Man laying with man is an abomination before the Lord be in good standing with the Catholic Church when you advocate in public policy that immoral sinful behavior? What have we come to when CINO Catholics openly defy the Pope? People please I humbly ask that we all wake up!
—Heather
@Charles: So you would also agree to remove 501C status from every church the (“Rev”) ?? Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton preach their brand of “social-political” gospel in year after year. And that also means having the IRS check into whether or not 1099’s were issued by all these churches for the stipends they paid Jackson and Sharpton as “appearance” money from their “free will” offerings taken up.
@Heather: It sounds to me that you would like a completely free society. “There never was any separation of church and state Either in the Constitution or in the Declaration of Independence not as liberals define it.” Sorry but my conservative idea of separation of church & state is that we do not have a “State Religion” as other countries in the past like Italy, France, Argentina, etc. and that the State not interfere with a religious liberties as long as it does not harm the people in any way. [Like sharia law] As to the I.D. I really do not see anything wrong with it, especially these days of “terrorist fear”. I have nothing to hide in my past, but it seems many people in our country today do because the government was too stupid to watch who came into our country. My parents were immigrants, I found their passage on the internet through Ellis Island and I assure you back in 1895 when Mom came here at age 10 and 1910 when Dad came here at age 21, they had to have a sponsor, a place to live and was checked for diseases. If they had so much as a rash, they were sent back. If our country could do that then why, with all the new electronic devices, today, we do not do that [because the ACLU and such Org.say we are tramping on their rights] The only people in this country who have the right to vote are citizens. They do have the right to be treated decently. If phoney IDs are bought, then the State ought to look into how these I.D.s are given, and be strict about it. What would your household be if you did not have some rules and regulations. The same goes for a State and for a country.
“The other day a well known department store demanded ID from a woman who wanted a refund and did not have a receipt. That is needless and unnecessary invasion of personal privacy.”... That dept. store had a right to know if that article was bought there and when. I knew a girl who would buy a fancy dress, go dancing and then the next day return the dress. You would be surprised at what people do…talk with someone in sales. I could really get into this subject abt. ID’s and what I know & experienced but this is too long enough.
To get on the lighter side of things here is a humorous story: My twin sister lived in CA {I in Penna}and when I was out there visiting she paid for her groceries at the store with a check and had to show her ID. When we left she said, I hate showing my ID, it is embarrassing. I asked why? and she said every other woman has a driver’s license and I don’t, makes me feel dumb. I said well, sign up for a driver’s course. She did and at the age of 41 she got her driver’s license and I always teased her that I got mine at age 21. R.I.P. my sweet sister, you are missed,tremendously.
@Charles,
I realize that Ms. Fluke must have been shocked and horrified at her having to pay
for her own contraceptives, and you and Obama see this as an infringement of her “rights”, but neither of you understand what true freedom is and that is sadder than the prospect of possibly spending another four years with this Idol of Baal.
I would suggest that Charles and all of us this lent should spend an hour or many hours in Eucharist Adoration asking Jesus to Fill our hearts with His love and His wisdom. As for me I am going to pray as too much time on this endless discussion can get time wasting, and Charles I wonder if more prayer and less talk, even online would do us all much more good.
@Charles,
The fertility to bring forth a new human life is a great good. To kill that is evil. It is never licit to do evil so that good may come from it. From contraception comes an anti child philosophy. The child becomes an enemy. With contraception man and woman do not give themselves to one another totally, contraception is anti marriage.
There can be a licit purpose for Viagra but not oral contraceptives. One treats a disfunction the other treats fertility like a disease. What I mean by “contraception is at best a recreational drug” is it is not needed. Fertility is not a disease. NFP works fine in regulating births. The question is why should Americans give up their First Freedom for this. There is no overriding principle for free contraceptives. None at all. Your esteemed ideological bent President knows this. See you in court or in the legislature or in the oval office.
Your small mind cannot see the obvious. All the Successors of the Apostles and Peter are of the same Mind. This is not some political group that you hard liberals can isolate and destroy. Because IT is undestroyable. You have no concept.
I really do not think that the State can dictate to a religious organization, as far as providing health insurance which covers procedures
of which that particular religion is opposed. After all, no one is forced to be employed by The Catholic Church and if they choose to be; then they have to accept the insurance that is provided. If not, they are free to work somewhere else.
A post I just read on the conflict between governments which are increasingly coming to value death vs the call of God to respect life, and at the very least if our government is increasingly choosing a path we consider evil, at least they should respect our right no not follow that path.
http://www.markmallett.com/blog/2012/03/the-judas-prophecy/#more-8031
@ Charles ( again). Charles, try to think. Viagra is a drug to correct a physical disability; artificial contraception is a drug designed to CAUSE a physical disability. Used ethically, Viagra enables a man to engage in conjugal relations with his spouse; the Pill enables a woman to have sex with men she doesn’t want to have children with, including her husband. The really sad part is, you will never know the joy and love that NFP produces in a couple who live in accordance with the will of God. That is your choice. That is a bad choice which you cannot ever comprehend.
Tom Jablonski, St Louis, MO
All the objections are based on religious beliefs. If the government capitulates, it spells a death knell for American independence from authorities within Italy, namely the Holy See. The bishop’s first allegiance is to the Bishop of Rome, & only secondly to the United States of America. The vast majority of American women use methods of contraception, according to all polls & experts.Caving in to the demands of the bishops , who have always been partisan (Republican), is to accommodate one denomination over others, as opposed to accommodating diversity in a secular republic.
If People choose to use these things that is their choice but she church should not pay for it.
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