Bishop Ricken read his letter to the faithful at Mass yesterday, receiving a standing ovation.
I was at Mass on Sunday and the priest did read this letter from Bishop Callahan, but I'm not sure if it was mandated that priest read it or not. Also I wasn't at the Cathedral so I don't know if he address the issue in person. Maybe someone who was there could chime in.
The Superior Catholic Herald did have coverage of the March for Life but nothing on this latest development.
So with all that said (not that I want to jinx such an excellent first response from the bishops) but this has already happened in Wisconsin.
In 2007, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference was neutral on a bill, now Wisconsin law, that forced ALL hospitals in the state to dispense emergency contraception to rape victims. During testimony about the bill, Kim Wades of the WCC said many Catholic hospitals are already dispensing the abortifacient drug, so the proposed law wouldn’t change much. Wisconsin Right to Life was neutral on the bill as well. Bishops Morlino and Listecki broke with the WCC to oppose the emergency contraception mandate.
In addition, we know that Wisconsin Catholic Hospitals already make millions of dollars prescribing contraception and abortion inducing drugs.
So not to go all negative, but shouldn't we have an equally strong response to our own Catholic institutions within the state?? Was the 2007 decision to remain neutral the wrong decision? I think it was, but are we really going to do something about this problem or just wave pom-poms for the people? The Obama administration already knows that bishops do not enforce Catholic teachings in their own institutions within their dioceses. Isn't his mandate just a formality?
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8 comments:
It's not just the EC mandate. Wisconsin's health insurance plans are also required to cover contraception, and our bishops did squat.
Couple of things. All that is in the past. The Bishops realize their errors and are now taking a stand. The key issue is not what the hospitals are doing (though is wrong) it is the government forcing policies that go against someone's conscience.
How is it in the past when the law(s) passed?
Virginia and BC -- you're muddying the waters of the current debate. While it is very serious that Catholic hospitals are dispensing contraception, it is not the same as the current HHS mandate that all employers and insurance must cover contraception/abortifacients/etc. for "free." Dispensing is not the same as paying for.
It is also distinct from the wording of the current law in Wisconsin forcing all insurance carriers to cover contraception. While atrocious, the Wis. law does provide a loophole for self-insurance. The HHS mandate says pay up or get fined (and your fine will go towards what you object to). Oh, and, Veridicus, the bishops did a heck of a lot against the Wis. health insurance plans, but we couldn't beat it either time.
While it is valid to acknowledge these problems we have in the state, we need to stick together on this HHS deal or we're going to fall. Stay on target.
For the record, I am 100% behind the bishops latest effort. The 2007 effort, not so much. I complete support Listecki and Morlino in that arena, and I'm grateful they had the courage to stand up and do the right thing.
Too little, too late! I side with V. and V. above. After nearly 50 years of wretched catechesis and and even more wretched liturgies, Catholics haven't a clue as to what all the "fuss" is about; and if they do have a clue, they simply don't care. Don't believe me? ask around.
It is wonderful that the bishops are taking a united stand against this religious persecution. But those who think this issue will be easily won in court may be in for a very rude awakening when they discover that our anti-Catholic government can easily present evidence of precedent--in that some Catholic hospitals/pharmacies and other organizations already provide the services and drugs that the government is now mandating.
@Kat, "Dispensing is not the same as paying for." You're right. Dispensing is actually worse.
Let's talk a bit about the elephant in the sanctuary. While +Listecki and +Morlino made an 11th hour reversal, ++Dolan remained silent and neutral. As for +Listecki, in May of that year I caught him after a Mass and begged him to oppose the bill while it could still be killed in committee. I'll give you a nugget from that conversation. He said, "You know how we would take a beating in the press on the rape thing." Yep. Fear of unpopularity. I'm cynical and he's shrewd. My opinion is that an 11th hour doomed reversal was a good career move. The press had no time to mount any attack on him as the bill passed within a day or two.
+Morlino. Love the guy. But he's already doing in Madison what the HHS mandate orders. Yes, there is a self-insuring loophole to the WI law, but the D. of Madison found it "too expensive" and provides insurance with contraceptive benefits. +Morlino has a doctorate in moral theology. If I were the Obama defense lawyers, I'd submit +Morlino's decision to offer the same insurance as evidence before the Supreme Court that the insurance does not violate Catholic teaching/consciences and let the USCCB and +Morlino squirm to try to explain why the D of Mad. offers the insurance.
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