By Hugh McNichol
Op/Ed
Catholic Online

Most Catholics do not pay attention to the daily activities that surround the constant threat to our Catholic freedom and identity. However, we should. In the Archdiocese of Denver for example, Archbishop Chaput is engaged in a matter that affects the future of all Catholic health and social services in his archdiocese and perhaps even the whole United States. HB 1080 is directed against the free exercise of Catholic charitable and health services to offer employment only to those individuals that maintain and practice a lifestyle that is compatible with Catholic social, moral and ethical teachings.

The legislation, is attempting for one thing to eliminate the Catholic Church's rights when it comes to hiring, and seeks to undermine the application of Catholic social services and charitable work across the board. Once again, the attempt of the governmental agencies to inject secular values into the social mission of the Catholic Church is at stake here. The Archbishop's clear message to Catholics in his own jurisdiction is: "Catholics wake up!" That is precisely what all of us need to do.

The Catholic hierarchy and indeed all of the Catholic faithful need to unite in a singular voice and protest any activities or legislation that compromises our Catholic social and humanitarian programs. As faithful members of our Church, we really need to make a strong statement to secular, political and other denominational representatives that our Catholic faith is not open for secular compromise.

This potentially means Catholic charities and social services might have to be halted if our legislative bodies insist on interference in our Catholic freedom of autonomy sans government intervention and control. Well then, for the sake of Gospel integrity and the proper implementation of Catholic moral teachings…let us shut down all of the social services provided by the Catholic Church until there is a realization of our moral and ethical convictions that are sovereign in our humanitarian activities.

We are engaged in a political campaign year in the United States. It is critically imperative that our Bishops find their voices and proclaim our Catholic beliefs are without compromise, and cannot be dictated to by civil and legislative bodies. In the history of the American Catholic Church, there has never been an attempt to inject any government control into the process of hiring workers and in the proper administration of our Catholic facilities. We should not let this overt action of secularism and government control happen on any level of our Catholic faith. The true success of all Catholic social and humanitarian services is rooted in our ability to remain Catholic in our actions and maintain a position that is not influenced by secular influences.

Catholics…indeed need to WAKE UP and speak in a united voice against legislative and governmental intrusion into our Catholic social activities. The Constitutional right of religious freedom is at stake here and the ever-growing secular attempt to erode its religious autonomous foundation.

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Hugh McNichol - Catholic author, 302 6339348

Email

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Keywords

wake up