BY Martin Dunlop | February 1 2012 | 
3 COMMENTS 
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US Catholics urged to oppose healthcare reform
Publication Date: 2012-02-01
Protect Our Conscience campaign opposing mandatory contraception follows appeal from New York Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, bishops
Catholic individuals, families and parishes in the US are being urged to voice their opposition to President Barack Obama’s health care reform law.
The Protect Our Conscience campaign was launched this week after Church leaders in the US voiced anger over the new federal law that will force employers—including Catholic universities, hospitals and charities—to provide insurance for their employees that would cover for contraception.
At the weekend, New York Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan (above right) and other US bishops encouraged priests to read out letters from the pulpit urging parishioners to oppose the government ruling—which could force Catholics to violate clear Church teachings on contraception, sterilisation, and even abortion—that was enacted last month.
“Never before has the government forced individuals and organisations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience,” Archbishop Dolan, who said he felt ‘betrayed’ by President Obama’s (above left) ruling, commented. “This shouldn’t happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights. How about letting our elected leaders know that we want religious liberty and rights of consciences restored and the administration’s mandate rescinded? We can’t afford to strike out on this one.”
The Protect Our Conscience campaign, organised by Matt Smith, the president of Catholic Advocate, is currently seeking ‘parish leaders’ who will receive the necessary tools to answer questions, facilitate letter-writing, and help raise awareness within their churches.
Mr Smith announced in a statement that his goal was ‘to have at least 100,000 faithful Catholics participate each month until Congress acts’ to protect the rights of institutions that could be forced to cover contraception and sterilisation for their employees.
“There are 17,782 parishes in the United States,” Mr Smith said. “If faithful Catholics were able to average 115 letters per parish to their representative and each senator, Capitol Hill would receive over six million contacts on this issue. We would send a powerful message that cannot be ignored.”
Along with the reversal of the mandate, the Protect Our Conscience campaign aims to build support for the Respect for the Rights of Conscience Act, a bill that would amend federal health care reform to let employers opt out of covering some services.
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I am delighted to point out that I was on the internet within 20 minustes, denouncing Sebelius’ decision. Cardinal-designate Dolan follwed me a few hours later. (Always good to know that the hierarchy is in step with me.) In any case, most Catholics in the US are furious over this matter. With an election coming up soon and with American Catholics constituting 27% of the electorate, don’t be surprized if Obama backtracks, or gets a real lesson on Nov, 6th. I might add that the Jewsish communities in the US are also exremely upset with Obama. It is worthy of note that in the Republican party debates, all Republican candiates, including a Baptist minister and 2 Mormons expressed support for the Catholic position. A second term for Obama is anything but assured.
The bishops are being disingenuous. Allow me to explain. If they pay cash to their workers, and the workers take that cash and pay for contraception, does that infringe on the bishop’s freedom of religion? Does it/should it weigh on their conscience? If part of the pay package is insurance, and the workers use it for contraceptives, it is absolutely the same case. What the bishops want to do is make the worker’s health decisions for them. That is what this is all about — not the religious freedom of the bishops! The bishops are shrewd.
The bishops are not being disingenuous. They object to being forced to pay for services the find immoral,i.e. contraception and abortifacients. As I have noted before,it is like requiring the serving of pork chops in Kosher or Halal restaurants or butcheries, Or now Hindus should be required to eat beef. And further the drugs and services are to be made available without “co-payment”,i.e. absolutely free. I wish I could get y blood pressure and back pain mdeications on the same basis.