When it comes to church-state relations, both church and government historically have watched to keep the government out of church business. The U.S. Constitution acknowledged the significance of the role of the First Estate, when it declared that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
It is a clear message that government must not stick its proverbial camel's nose under the church tent. Now, however, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has gone beyond nuzzling its nose where it does not belong. It has plunked itself right in the middle of the sanctuary. It is trying to define what a religion does and does not do.
This misguided move comes with a proposed HHS regulation to guide implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The regulation for the new health care reform bill demands that all health plans pay for contraceptives, sterilizations and education to use both.
In a tacit acknowledgement that this violates the Constitution's cherished respect for religious liberty, HHS provides an exemption for religious employers -- but with a catch. The church agency can only claim exemption if it primarily serves people of its own faith. It also must meet other requirements, such as employing mostly people of its own faith.
This means HHS is setting itself up to determine what constitutes church ministry and who Jesus meant when he referred to serving "the least of my brethren."
Catholic hospitals, charities and educational institutions provide about $30 billion worth of service annually in this country. No one presents a baptismal certificate at the emergency room. The hungry do not recite the Creed to get groceries at the food pantry. Students can pursue learning at The Catholic University of America, Villanova or any other Catholic college without passing a catechism admissions test. The commitment to serve those in need, the sick, the hungry, the uneducated, is intrinsic to Catholicism. No federal rule (except now HHS's) says the church must limit its service to Catholics if it is to be true to its teaching. HHS doesn't get the parable of the Good Samaritan, who helped the stranger simply because he was in need.
Look at the numbers. Catholic hospitals admit about 5.6 million people annually. That's one out of every six persons seeking hospital care in the United States. Catholic Charities serves more than 9 million people annually. Catholic colleges and universities teach 850,000 students annually. Among those served are Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, atheists, agnostics and members of any other religious or irreligious group you can name.
For the time being HHS has given itself wiggle room, saying that the public in the next two months can suggest an "alternative" definition of a "religious employer." That's good because health care reform ought to increase access to basic care, not push religious groups to either violate their principles or abandon service to those in need whatever their religious beliefs.
Meanwhile, the sanctuary is getting crowded. It is time for HHS to remove itself.
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COMPILATION OF PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
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Someone out there among Catholics voted into the office of US president a left winger.
Also
If the church is going to take non-believers' money then what did they expect would happen?
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If the practice of medicine is an extension of the practice of faith then the state has no say at all.
What the Sister wants as she speaks for the Catholic bishops, is for the Catholic Church to dictate to the public on the issue of birth control. Since the greater public including most Catholic women reject the teaching, the bishops should stop trying to impose the restrictions on employees which this regulation prevents. Bringing up emergency rooms and food locker clients is specious argument since this refers to patients and clients of the Catholic agencies.
As far as providing the actual benefit to patients (not employees) the church hospital is allowed to contract or refer out those who request this. Food locker employees usually are volunteers. Further, the clients of food locker are there for food not medical services. The whole argument is very specious. Father Ferguson, my Jesuit logic instructor, would have made mincemeat out of her position.
Sister, please reread the parable of the Good Samaritan and apply it.
Using a Jesuit to back up your position is like using Satan to back up Christ. Jesuits have lost the respect of faithful Catholics, sorry.
This Catholic woman wholeheartedly supports Catholic teaching, and that's because I've done the research on it as an adult. Do you REALLY want to offer oral contraceptives to the masses? According to the World Health Organization, it is carcinogenic, meaning it causes cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/GeneralInformationaboutCarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens
Scroll down to list (estrogen-progestin oral contraceptives)--includes injectables.
It's time for Mary Walsh's organization to remove itself (or maybe pay tax).
Stay out of our government and maybe we will do the same for you.
May God bless you.
God doesn't exist, so keep your blessings to yourself.
Abortion advocates often promote contraception by claiming that as contraception use increases, the number of “unwanted” pregnancies and therefore abortions will decrease. But a new study out of Spain has found the exact opposite, suggesting that contraception actually increases abortion rates.
The authors, who published their findings in the January 2011 issue of the journal Contraception, conducted surveys of about 2,000 Spanish women aged 15 to 49 every two years from 1997 to 2007. They found that over this period the number of women using contraceptives increased from 49.1% to 79.9%.
Yet they noted that in the same time frame the country’s abortion rate more than doubled from 5.52 per 1,000 women to 11.49.
Once again, you take the opportunity for a free people to have a choice and denounce it, only because you don't agree with one of the choices.
I would like to know what people think. Will or SHOULD the Catholic Church take the US Government to court on this issue; and seek a ruling from the Supreme Court? Would other denominations help with the cost and process collectively as Christians? I wish something could be done. Same Sex-Marriage in the State of NY is also VERY troubling.
I guess we should look on the bright-side: at least you're not currently advocating the stoning of disobedient children, or the keeping of hittite slaves.
Sister, what if that stranger is in need of services the Roman Catholic church deems unethical? The dying person who believes artifical delivery of food and nutrition is monstrously burdensome? The pregnant woman who is told she will die if she carries her pregancy to term? There are a myriad number of other examples. If the Church accepts funding from any government entity, the funder has the right to demand how the many is spent, not the one receiving the funds.
No one forces a dying person to go to a Catholic hospital. In fact, if they want no intervention, why would they be in a hospital in the first place? Secondly it is not Catholic teaching to withhold treatment to a women with an eptopic pregnancy, the fallopian tube would be removed.
Using your logic, then we the taxpayers should not be funding Planned Parenthood.
Two Southeast Asian countries both discovered their first HIV cases in 1984-5, both had similar populations and both were predicted by World Health Org. to have about 70-80 THOUSAND AIDS related deaths by 1999. Catholic Philippines chose abstinence to fight the HIV epidemic, Thailand chose the UNAIDS recommended 100% condom use program.
As of 2009, UNAIDS estimates the Philippines had 318 AIDS related deaths. Thailand? Over 610,000 AIDS related deaths.
The Church is not wrong about contraceptives. Actually look into the teaching with an open mind and you will be surprised.