United for Religious Freedom: US Bishops Unified Statement
Government has no place defining religion and religious ministry
Most importantly of all, we call upon the Catholic faithful, and all people of faith, throughout our country to join us in prayer and penance for our leaders and for the complete protection of our First Freedom-religious liberty-which is not only protected in the laws and customs of our great nation, but rooted in the teachings of our great Tradition. Prayer is the ultimate source of our strength-for without God, we can do nothing; but with God, all things are possible.
PrintWASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - WASHINGTON-The Administrative Committee of the United States Bishops is chaired by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of new York, the President of the USCCB. It is the highest authority of the Bishops conference outside of their semi-annual meetings. It has issued the following statement on behalf of all the Bishops.
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United for Religious Freedom: A Statement of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, gathered for its March 2012 meeting, is strongly unified and intensely focused in its opposition to the various threats to religious freedom in our day. In our role as Bishops, we approach this question prayerfully and as pastors-concerned not only with the protection of the Church's own institutions, but with the care of the souls of the individual faithful, and with the common good.
To address the broader range of religious liberty issues, we look forward to the upcoming publication of "A Statement on Religious Liberty," a document of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. This document reflects on the history of religious liberty in our great Nation; surveys the current range of threats to this foundational principle; and states clearly the resolve of the Bishops to act strongly, in concert with our fellow citizens, in its defense.
One particular religious freedom issue demands our immediate attention: the now- finalized rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would force virtually all private health plans nationwide to provide coverage of sterilization and contraception-including abortifacient drugs-subject to an exemption for "religious employers" that is arbitrarily narrow, and to an unspecified and dubious future "accommodation" for other religious organizations that are denied the exemption.
We begin, first, with thanks to all who have stood firmly with us in our vigorous opposition to this unjust and illegal mandate: to our brother bishops; to our clergy and religious; to our Catholic faithful; to the wonderful array of Catholic groups and institutions that enliven our civil society; to our ecumenical and interfaith allies; to women and men of all religions (or none at all); to legal scholars; and to civic leaders. It is your enthusiastic unity in defense of religious freedom that has made such a dramatic and positive impact in this historic public debate. With your continued help, we will not be divided, and we will continue forward as one.
Second, we wish to clarify what this debate is-and is not-about. This is not about access to contraception, which is ubiquitous and inexpensive, even when it is not provided by the Church's hand and with the Church's funds. This is not about the religious freedom of Catholics only, but also of those who recognize that their cherished beliefs may be next on the block. This is not about the Bishops' somehow "banning contraception," when the U.S. Supreme Court took that issue off the table two generations ago.
Indeed, this is not about the Church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the federal government forcing the Church-consisting of its faithful and all but a few of its institutions-to act against Church teachings. This is not a matter of opposition to universal health care, which has been a concern of the Bishops' Conference since 1919, virtually at its founding. This is not a fight we want or asked for, but one forced upon us by government on its own timing. Finally, this is not a Republican or Democratic, a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American issue.
So what is it about?
An unwarranted government definition of religion. The mandate includes an extremely narrow definition of what HHS deems a "religious employer" deserving exemption-employers who, among other things, must hire and serve primarily those of their own faith. We are deeply concerned about this new definition of who we are as people of faith and what constitutes our ministry. The introduction of this unprecedented defining of faith communities and their ministries has precipitated this struggle for religious freedom.
Government has no place defining religion and religious ministry. HHS thus creates and enforces a new distinction-alien both to our Catholic tradition and to federal law-between our houses of worship and our great ministries of service to our neighbors, namely, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the students in our schools and universities, and others in need, of any faith community or none. Cf. Deus Caritas Est, Nos. 20-33.
We are commanded both to love and to serve the Lord; laws that protect our freedom to comply with one of these commands but not the other are nothing to celebrate. Indeed, they ...
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techwreck: Instead of responding to your last post (which would take too long) I am going to refer you to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part Three: Life in Christ - Chapter Two: The Human Community, Article 2: Participation in Social Life (especially, II The Common Good) but if you have time, you can read all three sections in Article 2. God bless.
Jo Ann and Vance, you are confirming my positions on the bishops and government health care. Our bishops did not say they had no objection to government health care, Vance, they openly supported it for years. Only when the government did not do health care the way they wanted did they object. By the time they objected, the laity were thoroughly confused because the bishops were wrong on two counts. One, they forgot that if you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas. And two, they forgot that Jesus called on his Church to be His light to the world, and never intended that the care of the poor would be subcontracted to Caesar. Christ called on His bishops to teach as Jesus did, not to play politics with Caesar until His flock, the laity, did not know what to believe. But, that's what the USCCB did, and the record is clear.
As a Catholic and a firm believer in Christ our Lord I will not pay for HEALTHCARE---I WILL GO TO JAIL ---THIS HAS GONE FAR TO FAR --- I WILL NOT PAY FOR OTHERS TO HAVE SEX AND THEN MURDER THEIR CHILD OR PAY FOR ANYONE TO HAVE PILLS --- OR TO BE PART OF A HEALTHCARE PROGRAM THAT HAS A WHOLE LIFE PRACTICE IN IT --- THE TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST PROHIBITS A TRUE CHRISTIAN FROM THIS PAGAN PRACTICE AND I FOR ONE CATHOLIC WILL NOT GO AGAINST G-D FOR ANY MAN!!! IF JAIL AWAITS ME---THEN SO BE IT --- I WILL NOT COMPLY --- EVEN TO MY LAST BREATH --- I WILL NOT COMPLY --- THEY FORCE US TO GIVE TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD MURDERS AND OTHER EVIL CAUSES THROUGH OUR TAXES WHICH THEY STEAL TO AIDE MURDERERS --- G-D PLEASE FORGIVE US FOR NOT BEING MORE FORCEFUL BUT THE LINE IS DRAWN AND I WILL NOT COMPLY --- TO THE BISHOPS GIVE UP THE GOVERNMENT MONEY NOW---G-D WILL JUDGE US FOR WHAT WE DO GIVE UP THE MONEY NOW---STAND ON THE FAITH OF G-D TO PROVIDE --- IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE G-D YOU PREACH ABOUT THAN STAND FOR HIM!!!
techwreck: I will concede that the USCCB, as well as the WHOLE COUNTRY, was excited that some type of health insurance for all of America's citizens may be possible. BUT and that's a BIG but, as information was released, as to what was in Obamacare, before it was even voted on, the USCCB was absolutely against it. It was, at that time, that the "rogues" that I referred to went their own way, went against the hierarchy and were confusing Catholics and pushing Obamacare Like Sr. Keehan and the likes. I don't know what the priests in your parish did about it, but the priests in my parish warned us about Obamacare. They were very adamant about not supporting it. Sooo, when you started blaming the priests and bishops for not alerting the Faithful, I wanted to clarify that it was NOT the hierarchy but a "few" liberal religious going against the Church. God bless.
techwreck, you are mistaken on the USCCB's support of Obamacare. The Bishops including Bishop Dolan wrote a letter to Obama about their concern for subsidiarity and abortion mandates. This is why Rep Stupack created his dog and pony show objection. Catholic Online posted the letter from the Bishops. Other Catholic websites posted the letter as well. The Bishops did say they had no objections to Government Health Care services as long as it does not include abortion and sterilizations.
Jo Ann, I have to differ with you. When Obamacare was being debated in the Congress, the Catholic bishops through the USCCB clearly urged support for "universal health care" and that word was spread to the faithful through all of the bishops "Catholic conferences". "Catholic conferences" are diocesan entities that urge the faithful to support legislation favored by the Church. I would be interested in any evidence you have to the contrary.
Please check the following website for information about rallies taking place this Friday in over 100 cities in the U.S.
Standupforreligiousfreedom.com
For Houstonians: Join me at Tranquility Park across from the federal bldg Friday March 23 from noon-1pm. The time to stand up is Now! What will you tell your children about how the President stripped away away your freedoms? "What did you do daddy/mommy?"
Alex & techwreck: The Bishops do NOT support and have NEVER supported Obamacare, so they have nothing to apologize for. Those bishops, priests, nuns, whatever that supported it, did so on their own. Those are the religious that need to be reported to their diocese. If that does not work, report it to the Vatican or report it to Bill Donohue who is the President of the Catholic League. He has constant communication with the Vatican. We need to be more active in our parishes to flush out these "ROGUES." If we hear something that does not hold true to our Catholic Faith (which can be verified in the Catechism of the Catholic Church) REPORT IT! It was never supported from the hierarchy. If anyone owes anyone an apology, it is you who need to apologize to this board for reporting something that is simply not true. God bless.
Just wanted to say Thanks and prayers to Cardinal Dolan and all the bishops who support our faith.
Why, why, why in the world, do the bishops continue to support a nationalized, government run health care philosophy, when they CLEARLY see the fruits of its labor? THIS is what a secular, national health plan WILL inevitably lead to! You cannot chant "go government healthcare, go" and then recant your chant when THIS happens! Why, why, why don't the bishops realize that the precedence is set, and any secular power dictating health care to its citizens is free to treat the religious as it deems fit? If you want to to oppose this garbage, USCCB, then you must oppose the core philosophy of government run ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY health care!