That is the question.
The USCCB's statement
Fr. Z's take on it
The dissenting catholyc nun, Sr. Keehan, supports the 'accommodation' from HHS. Realize this, her statement was released through the White House's website, along with another dissenting Catholic group. The President is pitting the faithful against one another in his game of chess. That said, I am not sure how faithful Sr. Keehan is. Here's Te Deum laudamus! on Sr. Keehan. Both Planned Parenthood and Sr. Keehan are pleased by the 'accommodation'. That kinda tells you where this gal is at spiritually. She needs prayers, poor thing.
Cardinal-designate Archbishop Timothy Dolan's cagey response here.
Government as Religion (a must read). Here's a snippet:
In this case, the Obama Administration has ruled unilaterally that health insurance programs provided by the Catholic Church must pay for abortions. Forget about the welter of discussion about whether the Federal mandate extends beyond those of many states. That’s not the core issue here.
For the government to say, as it has, that its goals are prior to the Catholic Church’s core beliefs, is precisely to say that government power is unambiguously senior to all other claims.
This is radically counter to the doctrines of the American founding. It’s more radical than anything that even FDR said during the New Deal. It quite simply elevates government to the level of a religion.
Political Theater (from the Cardinal Newman Society)
Fr. Longenecker's favorite take on the so-called accommodation. Another must read. This one makes it very clear that what is at stake is religious freedom.
Read the bishops' leaked memo here.
Here's a rundown of articles about the HHS battle against religious liberty, and a little bit of talk about excommunication. Perhaps it's a 'Come to Jesus moment'.
Update: Understand this: it really is about eugenics and eliminating poor people. George Neumayr's searing take on the HHS mandate.
It seems the man is not going to budge. He thinks he can divide us over this issue and thereby boost his reelection chances, garner more power, and continue the implementation of the culture of death in our country and around the world.
I think your proposal is a great idea. However, I think that the 90 percent of
ReplyDeleteCatholics in their child bearing years and the 60 percent past those years might feel like great big hypocrites in doing so. Sad but true. Look around, do the math.
But that's okay. God's mercy is new every morning. Who knows, adoration could be a wonderful part of Catholics coming home, or for those who have been estranged for whatever reason. And does it matter if we have strayed over abortion or contraception? What matters is coming home to the loving arms of God and finding forgiveness and healing. I believe that. I've lived it.
ReplyDeleteWhen is the last time we have heard it proclaimed from the pulpit that the use of artificial birth control is a sin? We tip-toe around this issue, always have.
ReplyDeleteSo that makes it okay? I stopped having anything to do with birth control once I found out the Church DID NOT leave it up to my conscious whether to use it or not as I was told in my pre-Cannan class before Marriage. All the 60 percent of Catholics who use it should KNOW its against the Church's teaching, but they really want to believe its okay because Father hasn't said so from the Pulpit. Of course, in this diocese, there has been a fair number of "thinking" Catholics helping to confuse the issue either from the pulpit or the ranks of lay leaders. What a sad state of affairs.
ReplyDeleteSo if it's hypocritical, would it be better to stop it? Besides repentance is always a good thing, better late than never at all.