| Politics

Kathleen Sebelius's nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services should be strongly opposed.

CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) On Saturday February 28, 2009, the Obama Administration announced that on Monday the President will nominate Governor Kathleen Sebelius to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This President removed limitations on abortion by overturning the Mexico City Policy and recently announced he will remove the conscience protections for pro-life medical practitioners.

It appears that the release of news was timed to occur on the same day that “Catholics United”, a group which works in concert with “Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good”, launched its new web site entitled “Catholics for Sebelius”. On that advocacy site this group stretches accuracy beyond anything they have done before. They argue that this Governor who has been told by her Bishop, Joseph Naumann, to refrain from presenting herself for Holy Communion until she takes “the necessary steps for amendment of her life which would include a public repudiation of her previous efforts and actions in support of laws and policies sanctioning abortion” is an acceptable choice for Catholics.One is welcomed to this site with these words “Catholics across the nation are rallying behind the nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Here you'll find information about Gov. Sibelius' record on issues important to Catholics, and an opportunity to register your support for her nomination.”

Let me begin with words from Francis Cardinal George which expose the error behind this organization’s claim: “Catholic Social thought is built upon the foundational truth that every single human life has an inherent human dignity and must be respected and protected. The unborn child, who is alive and is a member of the human family, cannot defend himself or herself. Good law defends the defenseless. Our present laws permit unborn children to be privately killed. Laws that place unborn children outside the protection of law destroy both the children killed and the common good, which is the controlling principle of Catholic social teaching. One cannot favor the legal status quo on abortion and also be working for the common good."

This Secretary designee, if confirmed, will make the major decisions concerning health care right when major changes in the delivery of health care services loom. She is, in my opinion, a WRONG choice for Catholics and for the true common good. Under her leadership this administration will insist that the voluntary taking of innocent human life in the first home of the whole human be considered a “medical procedure” and covered in health programs. This Governor vetoed legislation to limit abortions and held a fundraiser for notorious abortionist George Tiller who is now on trial for 19 criminal charges related to his performance of late term abortions.

“Catholics United” has a serious problem. First, Many will rightly ask whether they are being faithfully “Catholic” in taking this position? The teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church on this matter is absolutely, unequivocally clear. Are they trying to confuse? Second, I maintain that this appointment does not promote the Common Good. They attempt to paint anyone who opposes this nomination and their errant position as “right wing” and against the much needed reform of our health care system. Because of that, let me explain my own positions. I am neither “right wing” nor am I an opponent of a major revision of our health care system. I have always called my self a “Whole Life/Pro-Life” Catholic Christian and citizen. I am Pro-Life, Pro-Marriage and family, Pro-Freedom (rightly understood), Pro-Poor and Pro-Peace.

I have written regularly about the true meaning of the phrase “the Common Good”. I have proposed that Catholic Social teaching should form a framework within which faithful Catholics, other Christians, other people of faith and all people of good will work together to truly build a just society, a civilization of love. My efforts have placed me, at times, outside of the realm of acceptability in both major political parties. They have elicited opposition from the so called “right”, the so called “left” and many others in between. For example, my opposition to capital punishment has not found an ear in the leadership of either major political party in the US. My opposition to the initial foray into Iraq as having been unjustified under any interpretation of the so called “just war theory”, placed me in opposition to the growing number of “neo-cons” on the “right” and their colleagues, the “neo-liberals” on the “left”. I have dared to express concerns that if a market economy places profits over people, families and the common good, it can devolve into what the late Servant of God John Paul II rightly called “savage capitalism”.

“Catholics United” as well as “Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good” argue that when ...