"Sister" Carol Keehan of the CHA (echoing Boss Tweed): "And what are you going to do about it, Archbishop?"
Posted on 03/23/2010 11:58:14 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
As current federal health-care legislation moves forward toward law, we need to draw several lessons from events of the last weeks and months:
First, the bill passed by the House on March 21 is a failure of decent lawmaking. It has not been “fixed.” It remains unethical and defective on all of the issues pressed by the U.S. bishops and prolife groups for the past seven months.
Second, the Executive Order promised by the White House to ban the use of federal funds for abortion does not solve the many problems with the bill, which is why the bishops did not -- and still do not – see it as a real solution. Executive Orders can be rescinded or reinterpreted at any time. Some current congressional leaders have already shown a pattern of evasion, ill will and obstinacy on the moral issues involved in this legislation, and the track record of the White House in keeping its promises regarding abortion-related issues does not inspire confidence. The fact that congressional leaders granted this one modest and inadequate concession only at the last moment, and only to force the passage of this deeply flawed bill, should give no one comfort.
Third, the combination of pressure and disinformation used to break the prolife witness on this bill among Democratic members of Congress – despite the strong resistance to this legislation that continues among American voters – should put an end to any talk by Washington leaders about serving the common good or seeking common ground. Words need actions to give them flesh. At many points over the past seven months, congressional leaders could have resolved the serious moral issues inherent in this legislation. They did not. No shower of reassuring words now can wash away that fact.
Fourth, self-described “Catholic” groups have done a serious disservice to justice, to the Church, and to the ethical needs of the American people by undercutting the leadership and witness of their own bishops. For groups like Catholics United, this is unsurprising. In their effect, if not in formal intent, such groups exist to advance the interests of a particular political spectrum. Nor is it newsworthy from an organization like Network, which – whatever the nature of its good work -- has rarely shown much enthusiasm for a definition of “social justice” that includes the rights of the unborn child.
But the actions of the Catholic Health Association (CHA) in providing a deliberate public counter-message to the bishops were both surprising and profoundly disappointing; and also genuinely damaging. In the crucial final days of debate on health-care legislation, CHA lobbyists worked directly against the efforts of the American bishops in their approach to members of Congress. The bad law we now likely face, we owe in part to the efforts of the Catholic Health Association and similar “Catholic” organizations.
Here in Colorado, many thousands of ordinary, faithful Catholics, from both political parties, have worked hard over the past seven months to advance sensible, legitimate health-care reform; the kind that serves the poor and protects the rights of the unborn child, and immigrants, and the freedom of conscience rights of health-care professionals and institutions. If that effort seems to have failed, faithful Catholics don’t bear the blame. That responsibility lies elsewhere. I’m grateful to everyone in the archdiocese who has worked so hard on this issue out of love for God’s people and fidelity to their Catholic faith. Come good or bad, that kind of effort is never wasted.
Alluding to many problems with the bill, that may simply be all the places where the bill calls for funding that can include funding abortions. Though I hope they pick up on the economy killing and provider decimating features.
And, there is the fact that the EO cannot trump law.....
This may be of interest to you.
"Sister" Carol Keehan of the CHA (echoing Boss Tweed): "And what are you going to do about it, Archbishop?"
Good that the Bishops are onto the CHA and other “Catholic” advocacy groups not aligned with the Bishops, but it was the democrat Catholic congressmen and women who voted this monstrosity into law. Excommunicate them.
I think it’s true that without the Catholic vote, Zero would have never been elected.
I also think that when bishops talk of “immigrants” they really mean “illegals”, who will vote for more socialism.
I think it’s true that without the Catholic vote, Zero would have never been elected.
Yeah, but Ted Kennedy was not the only morally deficient Catholic who got continuously re-elected for decades by other Catholics pulling the Democrat straight party lever.
That's absolutely true, ducdriver, but his margin of support from self-identified Catholic voters (53%) was almost exactly the same as in the U.S. electorate as a whole. Since 3% voting the other way would have flipped the outcome, you can just as truthfully say that without the votes of the ____(Jews, Episcopalians, Methodists etc. fill in th blank) Obama would never have been elected.
You know, from the way "reponsibility" is assigned by many FReepers, I get the impression that, as denominations go, only Catholics are held corporately responsible for whatever goes on in government.
Catholics comprise almost exactly 30% the U.S. Congress (House + Senate= 536 total). That's a bit less than the sum of Baptist + Episcopalian + Lutheran + Methodist.
African Methodist Episcopal 4
Anglican 1
Assembly of God 1
Baptist 59
Buddhist 2
Catholic 161
Christian 27
Christian Reformed 2
Christian Science 3
Church of Christ 3
Church of the Nazarene 1
Community of Christ 1
Congregationalist 4
Disciples of Christ 2
Episcopal 38
Evangelical 1
Greek Orthodox 6
Jewish 43
Lutheran 24
Methodist 53
Moravian 1
Mormon 14
Muslim 2
Not Affiliated 1
Not Stated 7
Presbyterian 43
Protestant 20
Quaker 1
Reformed Church of America 1
Serbian Orthodox 1
Seventh-day Adventist 2
Southern Baptist 3
Unitarian 3
United Church of Christ 1
Sadly, and of course without any sense of satisfaction, I must say there's plenty of responsibility to go around.
Catholics no more or no less than others.
But the bishops should lead the flock, not follow them. When they allow Catholic Democrat politicians to remain in the faith for decades, they have no one to blame but themselves for Sunday's vote.
That’s a disturbing possibility. I am so thoroughly disgusted with the USCCB, and I am well aware that they are a snakepit. But I wonder if it’s the case for the more conservative bishops like Chaput. We’ll see.
Give that man a red hat!
I beg to differ with you.
Catholics did not vote for Obortion O.
Catholics in Name Only voted for him.
But not REAL Catholics!
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