The extinction of Catholic hospitals due to the Obama administration’s contraception mandate would result in a loss of almost $100 billion, warned one columnist and talk-show host.
In a March 1 column in The Fiscal Times, political analyst Edward Morrissey said that if the mandate succeeds in shutting down Catholic hospitals and health-care institutions, it will “create a disaster for the delivery of health care in the country and rapidly escalate the public costs of health care.”
“Thanks to the economic models of these hospitals, no one will rush to buy them,” he explained. “Over 120,000 beds would disappear from an already-stressed system.”
The U.S. bishops have remained united and steadfast in their opposition to a mandate that was recently introduced by the Obama administration to require employers to offer health-care plans that cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.
Cardinal Francis George of Chicago recently warned that the archdiocese would shut down its institutions, including schools, hospitals and charitable organizations, rather than violating its core principles.
Morrissey observed that the Catholic Church runs “perhaps the most extensive private health-care delivery system in the nation.”
According to the Catholic Health Association of the United States, the Church operates 12.6% of U.S. hospitals and accounts for 15.6% of hospital admissions and 14.5% of all hospital expenses. In 2010, these expenses added up to $98.6 billion.
Additionally, more than 400 health centers and 1,500 specialized homes are operated by the Catholic Church.
If Catholic hospitals cease to exist, Morrissey explained, many patients would have to turn to institutions run by state and federal governments, which operate less efficiently, in order to receive important services. Wait times would increase significantly, and patients may not receive the same care they currently do.
The change would affect a myriad of individuals across the country, including Karen Hales, an occupational therapist whose children, Rachel, Sarah, Daniel and Monica, were born at Catholic hospitals in Texas and Arkansas.
Hales has also received outpatient services at Catholic hospitals throughout the course of her life.
“The medical care provided was excellent,” she told EWTN News, adding that she was “able to receive the holy Eucharist daily.”
She said that she was “particularly grateful” for the care she received upon suffering a miscarriage, including counseling that helped her understand “how miraculous” each child is.
Hales and her husband, David, have also worked for both Catholic and public hospitals and health-care companies.
“The thing that sets the Catholic hospitals apart is a concern for the soul of the patient, the employees and family members,” she observed. “Many hospitals can provide good medical care for a person’s body, but a Catholic hospital can provide care for the physical and spiritual needs of the person.”
Morrissey said that a loss of Catholic hospitals would likely be felt most strongly by the poor and vulnerable.
He noted that Catholic hospitals serve a significant number of seniors, disabled patients and low-income individuals, treating more than one in six Medicare discharges and more than one in eight Medicaid discharges.
Furthermore, Catholic hospitals often help cover the costs for patients who cannot afford to pay for their care, he said.
Catholic hospitals “take a leading role” in offering less-profitable services, he added, explaining that they lead the way in providing breast-cancer screenings, geriatric services, nutrition programs and social work.
Although some other nonprofit institutions come close in the coverage they offer, government-run hospitals “fall significantly off the pace,” Morrissey said.
In addition, he explained, nearly a third of Catholic hospitals are located in rural areas, and if they were to close, many rural patients would have to travel farther to receive health care.
He added that more than half a million people currently employed by Catholic hospitals would lose their jobs in a very short time span, causing a huge strain on the economy.
Morrissey warned that the Catholic Church is serious in its intent to uphold its teachings.
If the bishops feel that they cannot run Catholic institutions without violating their deeply held beliefs, they “will simply stop employing people in these religious organizations,” he said, adding that “once those doors close, they may never reopen.”
Meanwhile, an expert in bioethics refuted claims that the Obama administration’s mandate does not include coverage of drugs that induce early abortions.
Dr. Edward Furton, director of publications for the National Catholic Bioethics Center, said that a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter used a medically false premise in her attempt “to show that abortifacient drugs do not have abortifacient effects.”
In a Feb. 24 article, Furton responded to the claims of Jamie L. Manson in a Reporter column published four days prior.
The column commented on the ongoing controversy over the recent mandate issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Among the abortifacients included in the mandated coverage are the IUD, Plan B and “ella.” However, according to Manson, none of these drugs actually cause abortions.
Manson asserted in her article that “just because an egg is fertilized doesn’t necessarily mean that it will develop into an embryo.”
“For that to happen,” she argued, “the fertilized egg must be implanted into the endometrium that lines the uterus.”
But Furton refuted this claim, pointing to standard medical dictionaries, which state that fertilization creates a zygote, “which is the earliest stage of the human embryo.”
He further observed that even the National Institutes of Health, an agency that falls under the HHS Department, disagrees with Manson.
The agency offers a definition of “embryo” on its website, stating, “Embryo: In humans, the developing organism from the time of fertilization until the end of the eighth week of gestation, when it is called a fetus.”
Furton also noted that fertilized eggs sometimes fail to implant in the uterus lining, implanting instead on the fallopian tube, creating what is known as “an ectopic pregnancy.”
“What are we to make of these?” he asked. “Are they human or just implanted balls of tissue?”
“Manson’s science cannot provide an answer,” he said, because it relies upon a “magical transformation” in which a human suddenly comes into existence once the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus wall.
Furton explained that the rest of Manson’s argument is based upon the faulty premise that an embryo does not exist until it has implanted successfully.
Because she changes the medical definition of “embryo,” she is able to make the claim in her piece that “so far, there is no scientific evidence that any FDA-approved contraception is capable of destroying an embryo.”
Manson also asserts that “overwhelming scientific evidence” indicates that drugs such as the IUD and Plan B “work only as contraceptives.”
However, Furton pointed out, HHS admits on one of its own webpages that if “fertilization does occur, the IUD keeps the fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of the uterus.”
In addition, both the external packet and the insert leaflet of Plan B explain that one of the ways in which the drug functions is to prevent the “attachment of a fertilized egg to the uterus.”
Furton questioned where Manson had found the “scientific evidence” that she used in her article, speculating that it may have come from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization with former ties to Planned Parenthood.
He suggested that her article was “not intended” to provide a “scientifically based argument,” but, rather, to help the “current administration be successful” in its efforts to implement its controversial mandate.
The mandate is concerning more religious orders too.
The Little Sisters of the Poor say the HHS mandate threatens their continued ministry to the impoverished elderly. They are “strongly objecting” to the federal rule and say it should be repealed as soon as possible.
“Because the Little Sisters of the Poor cannot in conscience directly provide or collaborate in the provision of services that conflict with Church teaching, we find ourselves in the irreconcilable situation of being forced to either stop serving and employing people of all faiths in our ministry, so that we will fall under the narrow exemption, or to stop providing health-care coverage to our employees,” the order said on March 1.
“Either path threatens to end our service to the elderly in America. The Little Sisters are fervently praying that this issue will be resolved before we are forced to take concrete action in response to this unjust mandate.”
Their order serves 13,000 needy elderly of all faiths in 31 countries around the world. In the U.S., it has 30 homes for the elderly, accommodating 2,500 low-income seniors.
The Little Sisters of the Poor said that even the indirect subsidizing of such benefits is “unconscionable to us.” Their long-standing health insurance has always explicitly excluded sterilization, contraception and abortion from covered services, and this policy has “never been a matter of controversy in our homes.”
The sisters warned that the successful implementation of the federal rule could set a precedent for “further intrusion of government into health care.”
They have done their best to comply with all applicable government regulations and are not prone to making statements on politics or public policy, but they “cannot refrain from speaking out” about the mandate, the sisters said.
“If the federal government succeeds in enforcing this rule, what is to stop it from rationing health care to seniors or including euthanizing procedures on the list of required ‘preventive services’ as a way of eliminating the costs associated with caring for our aging population?” they asked.
“Would health-care providers like the Little Sisters of the Poor then be forced to cooperate in such practices?”
“We wish to affirm that the HHS mandate is an unjust and dangerous infringement upon the natural and constitutional rights of Americans and that the only just solution is to rescind it. The Little Sisters of the Poor call upon Congress and the executive branch to reverse this decision as soon as possible, and we pledge our prayers and sacrifices for the true good of our beloved country,” the order said.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said in a March 2 letter to all U.S. bishops that mandate negotiations with the White House appear stalled and that administration officials have said revising the mandate or broadening the exemption is “off the table.”
He urged his fellow bishops to “prepare for tough times.”
Edward Pentin: Images of Rome's 2013 March for Life
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You forgot to mention that with no Catholic hospitals, health care would be much cheaper, financially anyway. There wouldn’t be any health care for millions of Americans. The potential lives lost due to lack of hospitals will no doubt, I’m sure Ms. Sebelius would point out, result in fewer humans who need medical care. Imagine the savings! Just as the Nazis developed ways to cleanse the world of millions as quickly as possible, the closing of Catholic hospitals is a eugenist’s dream. Margaret Sanger would be proud.
My Jesus, Mercy!
Get a grip Kelly. Nazis and eugenist dreams? Do you really think that the government’s goal is some sort of evil population control? If so, please explain. The Cardinals are bluffing, this is complete politics. To even mention that they would shut down the Catholic health care system and cause misery for millions of people is repulsive and immoral. Except for a hard-core vocal minority, Catholics don’t have a problem with contraception. This is plainly evident in all the polls on contraceptive use, as well as the fact that even Catholics aren’t voting for 2 Catholics in the GOP primaries, who would allow employers to discriminate using religious views as an excuse.
tiger: The Catholic Church is not a democracy, but an absolute monarchy, hence the separation of Church and state. How many Catholics have a problem with contraception, or do not, is irrelevant. What is relevant is what the Church actually teaches, which Catholics believe is from God. Those who reject the Church’s teachings will not change the Church’s teachings no matter how many of them do so—they will simply be out of full communion with the Church. The doctrine has remained the same for 2000 years and it will never change. It outlasted other empires and it will outlast this one.
I have a grip, Tiger and it is firm. My comment was pointing directly into the face of Ms. Sebelius’ comment before a recent White House panel:
“The reduction in the number of pregnancies compensates for the cost of contraception”
I am Catholic and I am a woman. Don’t pretend to speak for me because you do not.
Tiger, you are so blind. Democrats have openly stated that contraceptives will result in fewer babies and thus lower healthcare costs. (cf Nancy Pelosi, “Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children’s health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.” Jan 2009) Eugenics is alive and well. Espoused by Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood and Hitler alike, the concept is to control the population so that only the most fit, brightest and in Sanger and Hitler’s cases white people survive, eugenics takes on a more acceptable mask today. Today eugenics is viewed as a way to “empower women” which in reality is a way to enslave women. Make them objects to be used without regard to their human dignity. Their worth is based on their utility. Contraception helps the utiliarian left paint the mask of compassion on the evil face of eugenics. The Church has always known and taught that using people or even using yourself for selfish ends results in pain and misery and yes Tiger hell. Evil does exist. Even Protestants called contraception a sin and evil until the 1930 Lambeth Conference. The Church has hard times coming to her for failing her people on this issue for so long. Thank God the Holy Spirit for sending us JPII and BXVI. These saints have fed and strengthened the brothers and flock who now, hopefully are willing to lay down their lives for their friends.
Tiger
Can you please tell me what non-bias poll are you talking about? Also, because people do sinful acts, does not make that act moral. Please do not speak for all Catholics, just speak for yourself. AS far as voting is concern, how do you know that Catholics are not voting for Catholics?
Let’s not over-exaggerate. If Catholic hospitals shut down, some other hospital will open up right across the street and fill the need. I will be thankful that if the hospital is a Muslim hospital, they will not be able to restrict their services only to women who wear a burka.
Catholic bishops are trying to distract from the continuing child sex abuse scandal, and know its about to blow up in Philadelphia. Four priests are on trial, and they are going to lose and look bad doing it. Cardinal Bevilacqua just died, and a week after he did, they found a document in a safe that Bevilacqua ordered shredded in 1994 which detailed 35 known pedophile priests. Those priests roamed free for 17 years.
They tried so hard to hide it, but one priest kept a copy of the document, and the stories of what these priests did will make the country throw up as the trial goes on for the next 4 months.
This is the distraction bishops are going to ride until November. It isn’t even about religious liberty. Religious liberty allows YOU to practice what YOU want to YOU. It doesn’t allow you to avoid paying taxes for stuff you don’t want.
I’d love to be able to claim I can’t pay Federal taxes because wars are against my religious liberty, and Federal tax money goes to fighting wars. Too bad - you live and run business in this country, you have to pay taxes, even for stuff you don’t want.
The Catholic church has never paid taxes before, so this is a newbie for them. (I realize its insurance and not taxes, but the point is the same).
If you don’t want to pay, get out of the business and let the Muslims do it.
Oh well. No one appreciates the work of Catholics in medicine, or in any other walk of life. We are frequently attacked in various circles be it news media, entertainment, etc. Our beliefs are not even respected by the Government any more. Let’s shut down those institutions and let the secular people step up.
The Church is not ran by the government, nor by polls or popular demand. God is the head of the church. So perhaps we all need to get a grip, because I believe God has decided to get a grip.
The issue of Catholic Health Institutions being given, in effect, a notice of termination by the HHS mandate is what is being “gripped.” The authentic leadership of our faith and some of the leadership of other denominational ran Health institutions is reality. No one should dismiss how deeply held are the articles of faith of Church leadership, and most of the congregations of active Church membership in MORE than name only. While it is easy to turn-off emotional responses being made to this HHS edict, the issue will not go away as easily. One can say that this is a bluff on the part of the Church, however it can be seen right away that the Administration strategy for re-election, was to select what was known to be a controversial issue because of the teachings of the Church, a free-be in the Affordable Care Act (everybody likes a free-be) of contraception and abortion (don’t forget abortion causing drugs).
This controversy directs focus away from other issues of how the Administration has performed. That is the strategy for re-election.
One of the placards raised high is that this is about Women’s Health. If that were true, why has not the other recommendations from the IOM been incorporated, such as, mammograms (should be free). Free being a façade store front, when inside is the fact that the citizens utilizing health care, will always pay, either by direct expense or insurance premimum. Have you had many free lunches lately?
If one is to believe the notion that other parts of the ACA have yet to be defined, should we be grateful that our Congress voted to give the President such an open check?
There can be many Polls that seem “plainly evident” and some can have what seem to be contradictory results.
In Illinois you don’t need Obama to shut down Catholic Hospitals-you have the State refusing to pay Medicaid owed the hospitals! Must be nice to pick and choose what bill you want to pay! Yet in an already strapped for cash system you have people like Ron Paul saying that if you have no money or insurance-go to a Catholic Hospital! Illinois should pay the moneys owed to Catholic Hospitals!
“Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you what kind of person you are”. Obama, his Administration, and Planned Parenthood are bed fellows. Both are evil and selfserving, willing to trample over the dignity of each and every citizen of this country, attacking our basic freedoms, just to further their twisted agenda. It is obvious that this HHS mandate is run by the Planned Parenthood killling machine. Of course they want the government to pay for the services they provide. And what poetic justice for PP to make the Catholic institutions pay for these services that strike at the core of the truth that life is sacred.This is a direct attack on our freedoms. I guess Tiger expresses the sentiments of many in this country, people blinded by the truth and believing the lies that PP has fed generations in our nation time and time again. Sad and scary times are coming our way.
Oh tiger you need to open your eyes and do some research into how the Nazis were able to implement their plan. If you can’t see that the government is trying to control the population you truly are blind. The Bishops and other organizations are not bluffing. Obamacare and the HHS mandate are major attacks on our right to religious freedom and our right to self determination. Besides why should we pay for this stuff when women can obtain free or extremely low cost contraception already. This is clearly a power move by the government to try and control everything and be a monopoly. You are the one that is blind and lost in the dark and that is so sad. Don’t use polls to support your points. If you ever took a probability and statistics class you would know how easily it is to manipulate the results of a poll to show what you want it to show.
They do have a third option of course… Since the Obama administration has defined the religious exemption to be catholic only, they could get rid of all of the non catholic, doctors, nurses, workers and patients.
But of course that is what “they” (the marxists or national socialists - I can’t guess which way they will ultimately present themselves) would like to see and that in the most over arching way goes against everything that Christ and his Church have taught and died for over the millenia, and will do the same today.
No, in truth, I believe that Obama and HHS will jail the Bishops and set up Gulags or Concentration camps for all people of “religious exemption”.
I am imagining the Little Sisters of the Poor voicing their opposition to the Obamacare mandate on televised news. Focus on the “most powerful man in the world” picking a fight with the Little Sisters of the Poor who have dedicated their lives selflessly to caring for the less fortunate. Perhaps the stark constrast would shed light on the truth of the situation and sway public opinion.
Tiger should get a grip and sop pretending to be a true Catholic. Yes, there is politics but it is the Obama Administration the one playing it. Polls mean absolutely nothing here. People sin, many people do. But that does not make their sin a good, no matter how many people sin. That is why we are all given the sacrament of confession, because the Church knows we all mess up at times. You are a leftist advocate and speak as such, not as a Catholic.
Tiger, do you know what eternity means? The Church is not based on opinion. That many imperil their souls does not mean the Church founded by Christ will illicitly cooperate with evil.
@Tiger: If Catholics are not voting for Gingrich or Santorum it is because they feel Romney could be a stronger opposition to Obama. Religion has nothing to do with not voting for the Catholics. We need to get rid of this administration. Yes, I was living long before WWII and this is how the Nazi’s started. They wanted the “Pure” White and Pure German population, meaning NO JEWS. [remember the holocaust?] The HHC Bill is not about health it is about abortion, the media is using the word “contraception” as a ploy because they know the CC is against it. I for one do not want to pay for free contraception and free abortions, which is what will happen if the Healthcare Bill passes. We need to get rid of it. Also remember China and the one child law & all the babies forced to be aborted. Contraceptives and the pill after and abortions have nothing to do with a woman’s health. You are “right on” Kelly.
“Posted by doug florey on Friday, Mar 9, 2012 3:18 AM (EST):
Let’s not over-exaggerate. If Catholic hospitals shut down, some other hospital will open up right across the street and fill the need. I will be thankful that if the hospital is a Muslim hospital, they will not be able to restrict their services only to women who wear a burka.”
First you say not to over exaggerate and then you do. Ironic.
What times of trial! How serious our situation is! Catholics have chosen to elect a historic president who has no respect for our closely held religious faith and views. Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa. I was seriously ill, on the verge of death and hospitalized in one of the secular institutions that this Administration loves. I begged to be transferred to a Catholic Hospital where I was treated with love, compassion, and the Eucharist. A cross hung on the wall with my Savior Jesus looking down upon me. To take all this away from us, the poor, the vulnerable, the faithful, and replace it with the Culture of Death would be unforgivable. And yet, we will forgive for we belong to a Kingdom not of this world.
Obama and the Marxist Democrat Party are a Eugenist’s dream. Margaret Sanger is cheering from Hades. Kelly said it correctly. Obama’s diabolic scheme is to eliminate Catholic Health Services to make “ALL” hospitals abortionaries. What esle can we expect from a Saul Alinskyite.
IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT CATHOLIC HOSPITALS WILL CLOSE INSTEAD OF COMPROMISING ON THEIR PRINCIPLES, JUST LOOK AT MASSACHUSETT’S CATHOLIC HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES.
AFTER THE MASS. STATE HEALTH CARE CAME INTO AFFECT, THE HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES WERE EITHER SOLD OR TAKEN OVER BY THE STATE. DO YOU THINK THE STATE SAVED ANY MONEY? MASS. HEALTH CARE DOES NOT SAVE ANY MONEY.
IT JUST MEANS THAT SINCE IT TAKES SO MUCH TIME IN ORDER TO SEE A DR, THE PEOPLE ON MASS. HEALTH END UP AT THE EMERGENCY ROOMS INSTEAD.
NO ONE IS BLUFFING. WE WILL NOT COMMIT A GRAVE SIN, IF THE OBAMA CARE EXEMPTION IS NOT CHANGED BACK TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE THIS MESS STARTED.
WE CANNOT GIVE UP OUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM; THAT IS UNAMERICAN.
For those of you who constantly attack Catholic priests for their sexual sins, you might want to read the following article.
http://forum.chnetwork.org/index.php?topic=2571.0;wap2
and it’s even worse in the secular population.
I agree, what times of trial! What so many unfaithful forget whether Democrate or Republican is that one day we will be asked by our Creator: Did you vote to kill lives, or save lives? Did you vote for a leader who has no respect for life, or one who believes that I gave life at conception? Did you vote for the enemy, or for one who believes as you do? Face to face, what would YOUR answer be? Think about it when you go to the polls. Santorum for President!
Mary S,
The Catholic church has a much, much larger pedophilia problem than any institution in history. Its not even close. The article that you showed talked largely about adult clergy having sex with adults, as opposed to priests and altar boys.
The Catholic church admitted 4,392 “Jerry Sanduskys” in their own John Jay report of 2004. The Catholic church and Catholic League tried to comfort Catholics by saying it was just as bad everywhere, but its not even close. The only thing the ever sited was the “Shakeshaft extrapolation”, which looked at 225 cases (181 in NY) between 1990-1994, and tried to extrapolate that to say that the whole country was that way.
Worse yet, Shakeshaft considered simple offenses, like a teacher pulling on a student’s shirt, to count as equally as a priest having sex with an altar boy.
Its never been near as bad in the secular population. Here’s a study that uses the Catholic church’s own John Jay report for its research http://bit.ly/yKiTt8
God wants you to seek the truth, not a convenient excuse.
Too many try to make it all about contraception, and “everyone is doing it.”
It is generally believed that the pill, injection or IUD prevents a woman from becoming pregnant. But it may not. They all have one thing in common. If the woman ovulates and is impregnated in spite of the progesterone-like drug in the contraceptive, it is backed up by a second drug which induces an abortion by preventing implantation. An induced abortion is the sole purpose of the IUD. Therefore, the “pill” cannot be morally justified as a means of birth control and its use for that purpose is seriously wrong. These are the reasons why knowledgeable people of good conscience cannot have any part in using or providing these things.
Because of the duplicity of the drug companies and the medical profession, millions of otherwise Christian and pro-life women are having silent abortions. It’s time that someone told them.
As for the “pill” being paid for by health insurance, it is obviously being used primarily for recreational sex. Why should health insurance pay for recreation?
@RC – link to non-biased poll:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/14/us-most-catholic-women-us-use-birth-cont-idUSTRE73D4SZ20110414 .
I’m sure you’ll disagree with its claims that 98% of sexually active Catholic women have used contraception at some point. Regardless, it’s the majority of Catholic women, wouldn’t you agree?
Catholic support of Santorum:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/why-is-santorum-losing-the-catholic-vote/2012/03/09/gIQAyDud1R_story.html.
I won’t even mention the other Catholic, Gingrich, the serial-adulterer.
Looking forward to more abuse about how I’m not a true Catholic. Apparently being born and raised Catholic, educated in Catholic schools, sending my kids to Catholic schools, regularly attending church, donating and help raise money for charities, etc. (but shares the same views on contraception as the majority of Catholics) doesn’t qualify someone as a Catholic in this forum.
@Kelly - Sebelius’ comment “The reduction in the number of pregnancies compensates for the cost of contraception” speaks for itself. It is the reason that insurance companies are willing to provide contraception free to the groups they insure, i.e. it makes them more profitable. If the government was adding birth control to our tap water or forcing people to use contraception, you’d have a point. But it’s clearly not the case, this whole silly argument is merely about who pays for it. Yes, the intention is that there will be fewer pregnancies – unwanted pregnancies. Helping to prevent unwanted pregnancies may also reduce the number of abortions, maybe not, but wouldn’t that be great? Is there a downside to preventing unwanted pregnancies that we’re not aware of?
Note to other commenters: once you include the words “eugenics” “Nazis” and “Hitler” in a discussion like this, you disqualify yourself as a rational thinker worthy of consideration. Equating providing coverage for contraceptives in health care plans to Nazi sterilization and eugenics betrays your stunning ignorance and inability to reason. Contraception was not invented by the Obama administration, it’s been widely available for decades. You have every right to disagree with using them, but you are in the minority, even among Catholics. Everyone is free to use them or not, the ACA changes nothing.
Here’s the best one – “No, in truth, I believe that Obama and HHS will jail the Bishops and set up Gulags or Concentration camps for all people of religious exemption”. Wow, what color is the sky on the planet you live on Steve?
Go ahead, vote for the pious Catholic Santorum if you can’t stomach the Mormon humanoid candidate. He would love to establish a theocracy here in the US, and ban everything that isn’t supported by the church. Then we can join only the Islamist countries as the only places where abortion for any reason is illegal. He shares the church-approved view on contraception, but that’s where it seems to end:
- Pope John Paul II was against the war against Iraq. Santorum ignored that Catholic teaching.
- The Conference of Catholic Bishops requires that health care be provided to all Americans. Rick Santorum’s opposition to universal health care is a betrayal of his Catholic faith.
- The Catholic Church opposes the death penalty for criminals in almost every case. Santorum supports them.
- The US Conference of Bishops has urged that the federal minimum wage be increased for the working poor. Santorum in the Senate repeatedly voted against the minimum wage.
- The bishops want welfare for all needy families. Santorum is a critic of welfare.
- Catholic bishops demand the withdrawal of Israel from Palestinian territories occupied in 1967. Rick Santorum denies that there is any such thing as a Palestinian.
- The US Conference of Bishops has denounced, as has the Pope, the Bush idea of preventive war. Santorum advocates bombing Iran.
Somehow these views are acceptable for a Catholic, but contraception is vile? And these views are more Christian than Obama’s?
jesus would say why are you peracuting me
I have an opposing view - perhaps it won’t be published.
However, we are not all Catholics and this concept seems to escape everyone. I was Catholic, educated in the UK by the wonderful Ursulines…married in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. But I separated from the Church over the vile sexual abuse of so many young children by priests, and protection of the priests by the Bishops and Rome. You see, sexual abuse of children is not only a crime, hurting a child of God in such a vile manner and ruining their young lives is so very much worse to me than a woman or man using contraception based on their personal conscience. So I feel there’s a good deal of hypocrisy going on with these protestations.
I’m naturally saddened when any fine institution must contemplate closing, but a Catholic Hospital is not a Church - - it’s a Government assisted secular health center. You see the HHS mandate as you being forced to do something you don’t believe in, but my friend was admitted to a Catholic hospital in the early stages of a miscarriage, heavily bleeding. The doctor was not allowed to conduct the D&C because Catholic management objected and she had to be transferred to another hospital, in great distress and pain. She suffered considerably. Who was forcing a mandate there? And hurting a young woman in the process.
The Constitution doesn’t give your secular hospital “religious protection” from the law of the land, as applied to hospitals they help fund. President Obama already exempted churches & religious institutions from the mandate. But President Obama and HSH must represent the health and needs of ALL women. If the Church wishes to insist on opposing Federal law, that is the Church’s prerogative so to do. However, it seems logical that HHS would then withold Federal funding (since you’d be the partner who withdrew)and Catholic hospitals could then function privately and independently of any Federal laws, rules or mandates deemed intrusive, and the Fed could redirect funding into some new secular facilities who will comply with the law.
The Church made this an issue and have said they will not allow Govt-assisted hospitals to abide by Federal law - that’s a violation . You must then take responsibility and stop making it about “what Obama has done to the Church.” It was your choice.
I also see from many comments here a hostility towards the President and certainly the Council of Bishops have made it plain that they would use the ballot as a way to protest and I hear priests are attacking the President from the Sunday pulpit and guiding votes to the opposite party. It is my understanding that such political meddling by religious entities in order to influence election outcomes may be another violation. I certainly have no respect for such manipulation.
So, you have another point of view. I hope a meeting of the minds can be reached. I will say a prayer.
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