Bishops rip HHS mandate That Forces Coverage of Birth Control, Abortion Drugs

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Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia:

“ the current Administration has undermined both the principle of religious conscience and the First Amendment to the Constitution in an unprecedented way. Unless the ruling is overturned, faithful Catholics will be forced either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees and suffer the penalties for doing so. The Administration’s only concession was to give our institutions a one-year delay to comply. This is not merely inadequate. It is dangerous. And it betrays the good faith of many Catholics who – until now – have supported the current Administration with an honest will.”

archphila.org/press%20releases/pr001912.htm
 
CMatt25 said:
I know a lot of conservatives here seem to think of themselves as Constitutional scholars and that their interpretation is right. But being Catholic doesn’t make one any more of a Constitutional scholar or interpreter of the letter of the law than say someone who is a member of one of those religions who disagrees with your interpretation that this infringes upon religious liberty. Nor more than someone who disagrees with your opinion that houses of worship, including Catholic houses of worship, won’t be exempt.
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Well… Here is a Constitutional Law Professor… If you take the time … He explains clearly what Obama is doing … and why he is doing it.
I defer to his expertise… and agree with every word.

youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JJnWoDskkHU
 
Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago:

“We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens because of their religious beliefs. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights.”

catholicvote.org/discuss/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ReligLiberty-HHS-RulingLetter.pdf
 
JimG said:
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston

pilotcatholicnews.com/upload/HHS_RULING.pdf
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Here’s the list.

catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=26170

All but 8 bishops have spoken out publicly against the HHS mandate. Of those 8, several are also swamped fighting same sex bills or gay marriage bills in their own states, and that’s why they’re not reacting quickly, and one of the bishops is gravely ill in hospital and that’s why he’s not responding.

It’s virtually unanimous.
 
 
1voice said:
Well… Here is a Constitutional Law Professor… If you take the time … He explains clearly what Obama is doing … and why he is doing it.
I defer to his expertise… and agree with every word.
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YouTube takes entirely too long to load on the computer I’m using. I’m sure the professor’s take was interesting though. I also watched a legal expert and professor give his take on television earlier this evening that it has nothing to do with the Constitution and religious liberty. So again just goes to prove there are different opinions. So we on this forum sure aren’t going to solve the matter. Blessings and peace to you.
 
“According to the Wall Street Journal, Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Fla., has intimated the need for “civil disobedience” and said he would drop insurance coverage for diocesan workers rather than comply with the ruling.”

This is what’s going to happen across the country if this mandate isn’t rescinded.

womenofgrace.com/blog/?p=11882
 
I am not sure if this has been posted:
catholicsocialservice.org/home/news/46-social-justice/184-cardinal-rigali-urges-house-committee-to-support-pro-life-amendments-to-health-care-reform-bill
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, which is comprised of the 65 canonical Orthodox bishops in the United States, Canada and Mexico, join their voices with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and all those who adamantly protest the recent decision by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and call upon all the Orthodox Christian faithful to contact their elected representatives today to voice their concern in the face of this threat to the sanctity of the Church’s conscience.
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In this ruling by HHS, religious hospitals, educational institutions, and other organizations will be required to pay for the full cost of contraceptives (including some abortion-inducing drugs) and sterilizations for their employees, regardless of the religious convictions of the employers.
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The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. This freedom is transgressed when a religious institution is required to pay for “contraceptive services” including abortion-inducing drugs and sterilization services that directly violate their religious convictions. Providing such services should not be regarded as mandated medical care. We, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, call upon HHS Secretary Sebelius and the Obama Administration to rescind this unjust ruling and to respect the religious freedom guaranteed all Americans by the First Amendment.
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CMatt25 said:
YouTube takes entirely too long to load on the computer I’m using. I’m sure the professor’s take was interesting though. I also watched a legal expert and professor give his take on television earlier this evening that it has nothing to do with the Constitution and religious liberty. So again just goes to prove there are different opinions. So we on this forum sure aren’t going to solve the matter. Blessings and peace to you.
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:rolleyes: And to you, sir. And to you.
 
Problem I’m seeing is the panel of Democrats Obama has now put together, is simply addressing “Womens Choice”, to defuse the pro-choice/pro-life situation and take the focus off the US Constitution issues involved. Distraction, with emphasis on incorrect statistics to support their position.

The question/answers are complete rhetoric and very deceptive. The constants are many issues which have been covered here. The false assumption that a good percentage of Catholic Facilitys “nationwide” already allow this practice, this is a misrepresentation. A constant referrence to Mass. and Romney with Heath Care which is misleading. Misinformation on the Bishop and the Military Chaplins situation, stating the Chaplins are always able to speak freely, thus avoiding the issue. Completely staying away from the Constitution, and the one time I did hear it mentioned Seperation of Religion and State was completely misrepresented. Let alone how that connection was made to the Constitution is beyond me. Another constant is how 31-thousand Churchs are exempt from HHS which has nothing to do with the issue.

However, whats important is the correct message “is” being address by EWTN for example. The Republican candidates also are not addressing this because they choose to oppose Obama alone. They address it also because of it fundemental flaws with Religious Freedom/Conscious and the 1st Ammendment/Comstitution. All which Obamas administration ignores and refuse’s to discuss at all.

Everyone should have received a memo from your area Archbishop or Bishop in your area I would assume? Then, here it would have indicated those in your state advocating for Pro Choice with HHS.

So while we see the problems, we constantly must first always be aware of whats being fed to you by this administration, clearly understand whats being said to you, and then check the facts. For they have been vague, lacking, and very misleading, and then…most important are the realistic measures we can take to counter them.

When issues come up like this I always think of Thomas Merton and the Catholic News with the civil rights. Once we can identify the issues, the next phase is to put forward a realistic plan to counter the issue. The question must always come back to us. What can we do and what are we doing. And most realistic is what can actually be done.

Correctly relating the information here helps, talking to others who pay no attention but are members of your parish helps. Obviously this was a very big issue in 08 and by the suggested use of Catholics of contraceptives is still an issue [according to Obama]. Though I don’t agree with the statistics, it also can’t be totally ignored. Realistically we all know that of the 100% Catholics some are very, very involved and live this life. Some are somewhat connected, and others come to church on Christmas or Easter if that. So its a matter of honest dialogue and not suggesting someone isn’t Catholic enough or questioning their faith. But saying; Hey, we need your help, this is where we are at, won’t you help us? Rarely when you enter into an honest open appeal people will shut you down. They will listen, and they are Catholic, so to appeal to their moral logic in faith can go a long way.

There’s a window of opportunity this year to make a postive change. Not just for Catholics but for “Christianity and the USA”.

Peace
 
CMatt25 said:
YouTube takes entirely too long to load on the computer I’m using. I’m sure the professor’s take was interesting though. I also watched a legal expert and professor give his take on television earlier this evening that it has nothing to do with the Constitution and religious liberty. So again just goes to prove there are different opinions. So we on this forum sure aren’t going to solve the matter. Blessings and peace to you.
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Right depends what server your using.
 
GaryTaylor said:
…
There’s a window of opportunity this year to make a postive change. Not just for Catholics but for “Christianity and the USA”.

Peace
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Well, that’s the thing, Gary. There’s really nothing at all vague about this. IF the ruling doesn’t get rescinded, the bishops are not going to comply. Period. They’d rather pay the fines, and I don’t blame them one bit. It’s what they’ll have to do to keep this thing from escalating.

I’ll be praying that this thing gets rescinded before August 1st which is the go-date. If it doesn’t, and the bishops stand firm and don’t comply, then I, for one, will personally be backing them up every step of the way in this courageous stand. I think a great many others will also.
 
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