Kansas Bishops Criticize Healthcare over Abortion, Failure to Respect Subsidiarity

[Pro_Life_News]

By Kathleen Gilbert

KANSAS CITY, Kansas, September 2, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In addition to shunning abortion, euthanasia, and health care rationing, any national health care overhaul must align with another major aspect of Catholic social teaching: namely, the so-called “principle of subsidiarity” said the two bishops of Kansas City. The bishops made their remarks in a joint pastoral reflection published Tuesday.

The principle of subsidiary, which states that issues (such as healthcare) should be handled by the lowest and least centralized level of authority possible, is vital to maintaining “the transcendent dignity of the human person,” said Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert W. Finn.

“Despite the many flaws with our current policies, change itself does not guarantee improvement,” they said.

Full article…

 

[JimG]

This is, if I do say so myself, a particularly well written pastoral letter, emphasizing as it does, the principles of subsidiarity, protection of human life, exclusion of abortion, & conscience rights of healthcare workers.

The full text of the pastoral letter may be found here:
catholickey.blogspot.com/

 

[Corki]

This is, if I do say so myself, a particularly well written pastoral letter, emphasizing as it does, the principles of subsidiarity, protection of human life, exclusion of abortion, & conscience rights of healthcare workers.

The full text of the pastoral letter may be found here:
catholickey.blogspot.com/

I agree. Excellent duo they’ve got in Kansas.

Given the penchant of our courts over the past 35 years to claim unarticulated rights in our Constitution, the explicit exclusion of so-called “abortion services” from coverage is essential. Similarly, health care reform legislation must clearly articulate the rights of conscience for individuals and institutions.

I have been getting the unsettling feeling that if some watered down “no abortion funding” language is included in the current legislation, Obama et al are just going to expect conservatives and Catholics to jump aboard this run-a-way train. “Didn’t we give you what you wanted?” They will then try to use that as a way to discredit opponents of the plan. It isn’t just about abortion. That’s a deal breaker, for sure, but there has to be a reasonable “deal” on the table to start with.

 

[JimG]

I agree. Excellent duo they’ve got in Kansas.

While Kansas would like to take full credit, Bishop Finn is actually the bishop of the Kansas City-St. Joseph MO diocese, while Archbishop Naumann is bishop of the Kansas City KS archdiocese. Both sides of the state line are well covered.

 

[Corki]

While Kansas would like to take full credit, Bishop Finn is actually the bishop of the Kansas City-St. Joseph MO diocese, while Archbishop Naumann is bishop of the Kansas City KS archdiocese. Both sides of the state line are well covered.

Ooops! I should know that, I used to live in KCK. I was responding to the thread title.