This is more confusing. As an individual I need to be covered for ABC in case of an emergency but the Catholic institutions can’t cover it as a religious freedom issue.
How is me having it and not using it different from Catholic organizations having it and not using it?
What happens to a catholic that needs this procedure as a emergency measure and we’ve fought not to cover it? Isn’t this kind of shooting ourselves in the foot?
If the government imposes this mandate the Church will be appearing to support those things that are contrary to what the Church teaches.
You seem to be unable to separate the secular from the religious institution – and to separate the use of ABC or sterilization for others. And ABC or sterilization has more than one objective. Our objection is when the objective is to prevent procreation – not to prevent the cure or control of a primary existing condition.
You must make your choice, if your secular employer provides this coverage because it’s provided for ALL – including non Catholics. If your wife comes up with ammenorrhea, then ABC may be warranted because the object is to cure or control the condition. However, you may not use ABC for another objective – to prevent procreation – as a Catholic. You and I cannot impose that restriction on the remaining 75% of the country who may not believe as we do – that contraception to prevent pregnancy is okay.
However, the government has no right by virtue of the First Amend. to FORCE the Catholic Church to say one thing and then do another, contrary to it’s teaching.
If we are to win this fight, and we will, it’s about government infringement upon Church dogma and doctrine – not merely about ABC or fertilization and individual usage by others. The Church does not want to, by law, impose it’s will upon others. We don’t want the government imposing it’s will on us and using an illegal regulation to do an end run around the U.S. Constitution.
Sterilization by removing an ovary or uterus for cancer would be covered. The cancer is the covered condition – the removal of the reproductive organs affected is necessary and sterilization is the secondary consequence of the cancer. The objective is not to prevent pregnancy, thought it’s one consequence The objective is to prevent the spread of the cancer that has invaded the reproductive organs, with a secondary and legit consequence. You are covered and women can avail themselves if treatment warrants surgery.
The Catholic Church is NOT trying to eliminate coverage for conditions that affect the reproductive system. Where is it said or written that if you work for a Catholic university or Catholic charities and cancer devlops that the Church already does not provide coverage to treat the underlying cancer by removal of reproductive organs? They are trying to prevent the government from imposing contraceptive doctrine upon the Church.
We are talking about the government FORCING the Church to provide contraceptives, abortificants and sterilization for a different objective – the objective to prevent contraception alone.
Simply put the government cannot tell the Church that they must provide ABC to prevent pregnancy, provide coverage for vasectomies to prevent pregnancy, and to provide coverge for abortificants in the form of medication or IUDs – and that’s what the government wants to FORCE the Church to do.