Posted on 08/23/2009 1:49:03 PM PDT by NYer
.- The bishops of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) have issued a statement to the state’s Catholic faithful expressing their “deep concern” about a state provision that requires providers of health insurance include contraceptive services. The rule will force Catholic dioceses and other agencies to pay for a “gravely immoral” service, the conference says.
A provision in the new state budget mandates the coverage as a “benefit.”
Signatories of the August 20 WCC letter were Bishop of Green Bay David L. Ricken, Bishop of Madison Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of La Crosse Jerome E. Listecki, Bishop of Superior Peter F. Christensen and Bishop William P. Callahan, the Administrator for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
“This mandate will compel Catholic dioceses, parishes, and other agencies that buy health insurance to pay for a medical service that Catholic teaching holds to be gravely immoral,” the Wisconsin bishops explained. “Contraception prevents the full and reciprocal self-giving that is essential to Christian marriage and diminishes the role of God, the giver of life, within marriage.”
The statement explained that only dioceses or agencies that are self-insured, such as the dioceses of La Crosse and Superior, will not be covered by the mandate.
“As Catholic teachers and pastors, we strongly object to this blatant insensitivity to our moral values and legal rights,” the bishops continued, noting that most other states provide accommodations for those whose religious or moral values are compromised by such mandates.
The bishops charged that the state government’s mandate violates constitutional rights as well as religious values, citing the right of conscience established in the Wisconsin Constitution. Religious freedom also includes the ability to publicly witness to one’s values in what one does and in what one declines to do, they explained.
“Nowhere does the Constitution say that the right of conscience is protected except in matters related to human reproduction,” their statement said. “Whatever course we pursue in this matter, we want all Catholics in Wisconsin to know that we will also continue to affirm and communicate the teachings of our faith.”
The bishops of the WCC also objected that the mandate was not a matter of open debate and “due deliberation.”
Acknowledging that many Catholics find Catholic teaching on contraception “difficult to accept or live out in practice,” the bishops emphasized that the immorality of artificial contraception is not a “Catholic issue.”
“Rather, the prohibition of artificial contraception is a principle of the natural moral law, which is inscribed in the mind and heart of all human beings,” the statement said. “The bond between husband and wife, in their inseparable love-making and life creating Vocation, is evident to human reason itself – another powerful consideration which should lead our legislators to take very seriously our conviction.”
The WCC statement suggested that this truth is not recognized because the “fashionable proposition” that there is no objective truth renders human reason “directionless.”
“We commit ourselves to continue listening to your objections and to explaining the Church’s understanding of human sexuality in such a manner that you may discover a greater understanding and appreciation of this teaching and the reasons for it,” the Wisconsin bishops pledged.
They added that Catholic teaching only seems overly restrictive of human freedom and in reality serves a “greater freedom” for both individuals and society.
“Our faith always challenges us,” the bishops said in conclusion. “We are measured by how we respond to those challenges. We ask for your support and prayers as we respond to this one.”
In the early 1960s, promotion of the eugenics agenda of John D. Rockefeller III and Planned Parenthood was being frustrated by the Catholic Church's stubborn moral opposition to contraception. Rockefeller and Planned Parenthood considered public acceptance of contraception to be the key to public acceptance of eugenics by abortion, euthanasia, and genetic manipulation, and they actively sought a prominent Catholic voice to assist them in successfully opposing the strength of the Church's teaching on that issue. Notre Dame became their willing accomplice in this quest.
Contraception: the history you may not want to know
abortion will be next. How will the Church respond? Close Catholic hospitals, or cave in? My guess - cave in.
Personally, I’d realy like to see All Catholic Services in WI.. to Immediately SHUT DOWN.. shuttling all current Patients to Secular hospitals.
Sanger who wanted contraception and abortion to keep DOWN ... certain Populations.
BIGOTRY, thy name is LIBERAL!
The bishops and their faithful have two moral options:
1) Close down their insurance plans and hospitals.
2) Stonewall and be willing to go to prison.
Number 2 is the better choice. Flood the jails. Cost the municipalities millions. Overload the system. Make the bastards pay so much through the nose that they will never, ever screw with the Church again.
I’m just saying...
The Catholic Church cannot and will not allow abortions to be performed in their hospitals. And that is a fact you can stake your bet on.
Bump to save my spot.
Our parish priest told us today that in the next couple weeks the Diocese of Camden is going to start a letter writing campaign to our legislature.
This one I believe is in regard to Defense of Marriage Act.
The Church is not going to give in to this one.
Just as Fr Groeschel said, The Persecution is coming.
When did he say that? Recently?
They should file a discrimination, and 2nd amendment violation law suit. I'd like to see them force the "religion of pedophilia, rape and murder" to provide condoms.
The whole point of providing health insurance has been to attract high quality employees. You can do that with a payraise as well.
I'm sure alternatives can be pursued, and the employees are then free to do whatever they wish.
The secular government nowsadays pays no attention to what the Catholic Church thinks, knowing that pro-abort politicians suffer no external consequence. So much more the Church needs to publicly excommunicate blatant pro-abort politicians, or worse is yet to come.
So long as there are Nazi Pelosi and Kennedys running around claiming to be catholics in good standing, the Church and the faithful will continue to suffer big time.
Just shut up and provide abortions, stupid Catholics.
You want us to look in to your tax exempt status?
We are the gubmint. And where is your brown shirt?
I was taken back because he did not say a Persecution he said The Persecution
This is part of my problem with American Catholic Church it is in favor of government as long as the government doesn’t cross some.
May God continue to give them strength and clarity in this battle.
bookmark
This will only continue so long. Many younger seminarians and priests are of a more conservative political perspective just as they are of a more conservative theological one.
You are almost,(just a smidgen less) as important as FR in keeping up with the world.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the background information. I had never heard this until you posted your comment.
And a law suit that the state is violating the religious rights and freedoms of the churches members. The state cannot establish any law regarding any religious establishment, Which means they can't force a church to violate its religions tenets.
Imagine if they tried outlaw the tenets preached and practiced by Islam. They'd have to tear practically every page out of the Koran and its "prophets" hadith. Leaving only the front and back covers.
They'd have to declare Islam a cultlike war manual (which it is), not a religion in order to do that.
Catholics, especially the orthodox-minded ones, have to start becoming intimately familiar with the idea of civil disobedience.
Contraception: The history you may have missed and would rather not know
Press in a Dither Again over Pope’s Reaffirmation of Catholic Teaching
How Birth Control Changed America for the Worst
If You Are Contracepting, You Are Part of A Very Big Problem
Vatican and Italian government criticize sale of RU 486 in Italy
New Condom Ads Target Catholics, Latinos
St. Padre Pio, Humanae Vitae, and Mandatory Abortion
Responsible Parenthood in a Birth Control Culture, Part Two [Open]
Responsible Parenthood in a Birth Control Culture, Part One [Open]
Humanae Vitae and True Sexual Freedom — Part 6 of 6 [Open]
Contraception v. Natural Family Planning — Part 5 of 6 [Open]
Sex Speaks: True and False Prophets — Part 4 of 6 [Open]
Contraception and the Language of the Body — Part 3 of 6 [Open]
Does Contraception Foster Love? — Part 2 of 6 [Open]
Contraception and Cultural Chaos — Part 1 of 6 [Open]
Priests still suffering from effects of Humanae Vitae dissenters, Vatican cardinal says (Must read!)
"Provoking reflection" (Contrasting views on Humanae Vitae)
Humanae Vitae The Year of the Peirasmòs - 1968
Catholics to Pope: Lift the Birth Control Ban
[OPEN] The Vindication of Humanae Vitae
Catholic Clergy Challenge Colleagues to Reacquaint Themselves and Their People with Humanae Vitae
White House proposes wide "conscience clause" on abortion, contraception
THE EX CATHEDRA STATUS OF THE ENCYCLICAL "HUMANAE VITAE" [Catholic Caucus]
“A degrading poison that withers life”
Australia Study: 70 Percent of Women Seeking Abortions Used Contraception
[Fr. Thomas Euteneuer] In Persona Christi: The Priest and Contraception
A Challenging Truth, Part Two: The Day the Birth Control Died
A Challenging Truth, Part One: How Birth Control Works
Ten Challenges for the Pro-Life Movement in 2008
The concept of the "intrinsically evil"
Pope Tells Pharmacists Not to Dispense Drugs With 'Immoral Purposes'
Massive Study Finds the Pill Significantly Increases Cancer Risk if Used more than Eight Years
Birth Control Pill Creates Blood Clot Causing Death of Irish Woman
Seminarians Bring Church’s Teaching on Contraception, Sexuality to YouTube
Abortion and Contraception: Old Lies
History of Catholic teaching on Contraception
Pope: Legislation "Supporting Contraception and Abortion is Threatening the Future of Peoples"
Contraception: Why It's Wrong
On Fox News Fearless HLI Priest Takes on Sean Hannity (may be indebted for saving his soul)
VIDEO - SEAN HANNITY vs REV. THOMAS EUTENEUER (must see!)
The Early Church Fathers on Contraception - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Pope on divine love vs. erotic love
Conjugal Love and Procreation: God's Design
Being fruitful [Evangelicals and contraception]
| 2399 The regulation of births represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood. Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception). |
| 2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil:
|
**Personally, I’d realy like to see All Catholic Services in WI.. to Immediately SHUT DOWN.. shuttling all current Patients to Secular hospitals.**
You beat me!
I do think this will start happening. More people out of work due to Obortion Obama! Go figure!
Those are hard teachings.
What are you talking about?
I just heard him say it on the radio tonight. I am not sure if it was live or pre-recorded.
Thank God, you know any in NYC?
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