Posted on 09/23/2009 5:22:23 PM PDT by NYer
September 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a recent interview with CNSNews.com, Cardinal Roger Mahoney declined to answer a question about whether or not he agreed with Cardinal Justin Rigali that the Obama health care bill should include language explicitly excluding any public funding of abortion. "This is way beyond my field," the cardinal responded.
"My field is immigration," said Mahoney, who is the archbishop of Los Angeles. "I really haven't kept up on that, and I spend all my time on this other. You have to get somebody who spends time on that."
When asked whether he believed abortion should be funded under the health care bill, Cardinal Mahony said: "No, but that's what the president said, too, so."
Cardinal Rigali, the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' pro-life committee, has spoken out against Obama's healthcare plan as currently formulated, due to the fact that it would use taxpayer money to pay for abortions.
In a letter to legislators on behalf of the U.S. Catholic bishops, Rigali wrote that, under the plan, "federal taxpayer funds will subsidize the operating budget and provider networks that expand access to abortions. Furthermore, those constrained by economic necessity or other factors to purchase the 'public plan' will be forced by the federal government to pay directly and specifically for abortion coverage."
The President and the White House have consistently denied that the health care reform would include funding for abortion. In a recent address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama said: "One more misunderstanding I want to clear up - under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place."
However, this claim has been dismissed by pro-life leaders and legal analysts as little less than a fabrication. The Associated Press, as well as the non-partisan FactCheck.org have both confirmed that the healthcare plan would indeed funnel public money to abortion.
In response to concerns about the Obama healthcare bill and its effects on the right to life, the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) on Monday issued a letter expressing its formal opposition to the legislation. "We must ensure that well-intentioned efforts to bring about 'change' are not exploited to create a federally controlled system that promises health care for all, but creates an oppressive bureaucracy hostile to human life and to the integrity of the patient physician relationship," wrote the Catholic organization.
According to a list compiled by Catholic blogger Thomas Peters of AmericanPapist.com, so far over 40 U.S. Catholic bishops have explicitly spoken out against Obama's healthcare reform for a number of reasons, the most prominent of which is the funding of the killing of unborn children with public money.
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Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
Speechless ping!
For crying out loud. He is a Roman Catholic Cardinal and he refuses to articulate the church’s position on abortion? What is wrong with this picture?
When does he reach retirement age???
If this apostate cannot figure out whether or not taxpayers should be forced to pay for the American abortion holocaust then he needs to be defrocked and excommunicated.
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It’s always awkward to remove a Cardinal Archbishop from office. The Vatican would usually prefer to let time do its work.
But I really think this heretic has got to go.
Somebody had a “Mahony Retirement Clock” on the internet not too long ago. I think he’s got about 2 years to go.
For those of you who haven't seen it, it was built with resale value in mind. It is almost entirely void of any semblance of sacred ground.
It could be an art gallery, a movie set for a Sci Fi flick, or a gym.
Now, the Cardinal who would approve such a building, has no thought to inspiring his flock nor does he have any respect for the Church and its teachings. It is all about him.
I wish B16 would give him early retirement.
Don't know about this Mahoney jerk, just sayin'...
Abortion is beyond his field? Gee Cardinal, you are living proof that you are no smarter than a 5th grader!
Immigration is one of those social/political issues much farther down on the list.
I'm counting the days until his retirement, and praying for a good CATHOLIC bishop to replace him.
Last week the LA Crimes quoted some guy who workind in Mahoney’s office who was ordered by Mahoney not to reveal to the DA any info about the child molestations. This guy should have been “retired” 7 years ago. Instead, during that time he got his Cardinal’s cap.
Cardinal Mahony Retirement Clock...521 days to go:
This moron needs a call from his immediate boss - in Rome. Hopefully that will happen before the big Boss loses patience.
Oh good grief!! What happened to men with backbones? Where are they? I know you guys exist! No more hiding! Come out, come out wherever you are!!
He'd be claiming - like Frederic the Pirate of Penzance - that he was only eighteen!!!!!
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