Comments on: Statement of the USCCB on HHS Mandate

By: Ralph Bak

Ralph Bak — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:52:10 +0000

Like so many other Catholics, I have been closely following the HHS-USCCB controversy almost since its inceptiion. Emphasizing the Religious Freedom aspect of this issue is obscuring the fundamental moral issues involved: the mandate “Thou shalt not kill” and its corollary “Thou shalt not use a hired assasin”, the Insurance Companies, to do the same in your name or on your behalf!
An additional issue, in the health field, is becoming clearer: contraceptives are not conducive to women’s health! But, as recent research is demonstrating, are contributing to an increasee in breast cancer rates among women! (cf. article in LA toimes Thursday March 15, 2012 A9 ‘C admium etc.)
Hoping the courts will favorably settle this “religious liberty” controversy may be illusory. It disregards a graver cocern lay catholics have about the Hierarchy looking the other way when Catholic politicians look the other way and vote contrary to the Church’s teachings!

By: CatholicMom

CatholicMom — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 15:10:09 +0000

@ Chris,

That is not how it works…the sheep do not direct the Shepherd. We know who were are and we know Who our leader is…Jesus Christ…and His anointed leaders here on earth.

You are the one oinking up the wrong path.

By: Cindy Brown

Cindy Brown — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 17:11:23 +0000

Thank you Cardinal Dolan for your wisdom, strength, and courage in the face of this great evil and attack by the federal govt on religious freedom and the Catholic Church. We love you and are praying for you and all the bishops, down here in NC! God bless and keep you!

By: Jody Geoghegan

Jody Geoghegan — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 23:56:48 +0000

Dear Cardinal Tim, This issue has nothing to do with religious freedom. Decent practising and long contributing Catholic women have been appalled by the abuse and cover up scandals by your clergy against our Catholic children, and so badly handled by you and your episcopal fraternity. Statistics show that over ninenty percent of Catholic families use contraception to control the nonsensical expansion of families to an unmanagable and unsupportable degree. In today’s modern and enlightened society of families in order that they may do the necessary for the children they have already parented. The harsh policy defined by the Roman Curia in 1968 was a grave mistake. Catholics worldwide have been using birth control for two generations since then.

Bringing this issue up in an election year is meddlesome to say the least, and political interferance by your hierarchy hypocritical. You want the government to give church privilage by exempting it from providing healthcare except on your terms while you while you criticise the universal care plan over which an election is being fought. How about you ” render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and render unto God the things that are Gods”, and let our President get on with his good work. The church has been given a compromise. Surely you have enough on your hands to clean up the corruption within your abuse riven institution before you go fingerwagging at the nation (see Huffington Post Fri Mar 16). Besides, the contraception issue was decided by practising Catholic women in this country two generations ago.

Have a very happy St. Patrick’s Day, Cardinal Tim

By: David Tommy

David Tommy — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:47:01 +0000

If the Catholic Church is serious about this matter, it should excommunicate Pelosi and Sebelius immediately.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:33:23 +0000

It has become clear that the Bishops and the Cardinal care more about saving face the political power than the healthcare of their employees. This statement and others from the do not show leadership, it only shows that the Catholic Church rather dig in its heels in a political fight against the right of workers and women. The Bishops are for the most part standing alone, the American Catholics are leaving and other Catholic leaders from hospitals and universities are openingly ignoring your pig head stance. The Bishops need to understand that the laity are not mindless sheep. The Bishops are going to either learn that that they must also listen to their flocks or their flocks will abandon these old men.

By: Rene

Rene — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:49:25 +0000

Bravo for the US Catholic Bishops! Finally, they show they are willing to confront the secular culture! The Catholic Church in the US, however, faces a big problem, it is a house divided, and we know what Jesus said about a house divided. The progressives, who have used the hermeneutics of rupture to interpret Vatican II (the Spirit of Vatican II), oppose the bishops. The CHA, the Jesuit Colleges, the LCWR and others oppose the bishops. Sadly, they are not a minor and powerless segment within the Church. Distressfully, they have been tolerated for far too long. Now we see the US Church reaping what it sowed by tolerating dissent for too long. Let’s pray that the bishops succeed.

By: Don Barnett

Don Barnett — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:07:02 +0000

If this goes to court, the Bishops will win. Just two weeks before the HHS mandate, the Supreme Court overturned a federal lawsuit against a religious school on First Amendment grounds. The decision was unanimous. Associate Justices Alito and Kagen opined:

“To safeguard this crucial autonomy, we have long recognized that the Religion Clauses protect a private sphere within which religious bodies are free to govern themselves in accordance with their own beliefs. The Constitution guarantees religious bodies “independence from secular control or manipulation—in short, power to decide for themselves, free from state interference, mat¬ters of church government as well as those of faith and doctrine.”

By: Mary Y. Dilworth

Mary Y. Dilworth — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:50:36 +0000

It irks me no end when some say we are thrusting our beliefs on society by challenging the imposition of this mandate. Look at whose MANDATE it is…the government’s, not the Church’s!
The smokescreen of “women’s health” is odious. The totally secular society wants employers and/or insurance companies to provide the free exercise of sexual activities without the consequence of participating in the procreation of a child.
The church in NOT attempting to ban contraceptives which are readily available. The church is standing up for the proper enforcement of the First Amendment which guarantees the free exercise of religion. But this Administration is violating that by requiring employers to violate their long-held beliefs and pay a heavy penalty if they resist.
It appears the alternative is to rely on the Supreme Court and to pray they do not make so grievous mistake as they have in the past.
Also we must pray for those misguided supporters of the mandate whose evident gain is the almighty dollar but at the terrible expense of the citizens of the U.S.

By: K. Michael O'Donovan

K. Michael O'Donovan — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:43:02 +0000

I fully support the Bishops in their Defense of Religious Freedom. I am disappointed that they don’t have the same regard for the individual citizen’s personal liberty, regardless of religious beliefs. This mandate that the USCCB supports, if a “Conscience Clause Exemption” is included, still violates our individual liberty. It supports a totalitarian imposition on all citizens. To seek affordable health care access is a good thing. To do so at the cost of individual freedom is not a good thing. The Good Samaritan didn’t delegate or impose on anyone. He acted of his own free will. Let us follow his good example, and do the same freely.