ObamaCare demonstrates that, left unchecked, “government would seek to compel religious institutions to provide abortion services in the future. . . . In my view, those who voted for President Obama bear the responsibility for a step deeper in the culture of death.”Too late now: Bishops Warn Voting for Democrats is 'Grave Sin'
-- Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.
For background, read Supreme Court Allows Christians to Sue ObamaCare and also read Bishops Say Catholic Church Will Defy ObamaCare as well as Christians Oppose ObamaCare, Support Hobby Lobby
-- From "Bishops Reject Birth Control Compromise" by Robert Pear, New York Times 2/7/13
The [U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB] said they would continue fighting the federal mandate in court.
The [Obama] administration said the proposal, issued last Friday, would guarantee free employee coverage of birth control “while respecting religious concerns” of organizations that objected to paying or providing for it.
The bishops said the proposal seemed to address part of their concern about the definition of religious employers who could be exempted from the requirement to offer contraceptive coverage at no charge to employees. But they said it did not go far enough and failed to answer many questions, like who would pay for birth control coverage provided to employees of certain nonprofit religious organizations.
The administration had no immediate reaction to the bishops’ statement, other than to say it was not a surprise.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholic Bishop: Obama Is 'Proponent' of What is 'Shameful and Criminal in the Eyes of Almighty God’" by Michael W. Chapman, CNSNews.com 2/6/13
Nicholas DiMarzio, the Catholic bishop of the diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y., says that in his zealous support for abortion, President Barack Obama has used his position not to help mothers and children in difficult circumstances but instead has been an advocate for that which “is shameful and criminal in the eyes of Almighty God.”
In his column for the diocesan newspaper The Tablet, entitled “Deeper Into the Culture of Death,” Bishop DiMarzio [wrote] . . . “The so-called ‘pro-choice’ movement has its roots in the ideology of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, who understood her call to be one who would ‘assist the race toward the elimination of the unfit,’” states Bishop DiMarzio. “Of course, a young Barack Obama was precisely the sort of unfit child that Sanger and her allies would want to eliminate.”
“Tragically, the President has not been an advocate for those young children faced with similarly difficult circumstances,” says Bp. DiMarzio. “He has chosen to use the bully pulpit not to call upon us all to be nobler and to embrace each child, regardless of origins and circumstances; rather, he has been a proponent of an expediency that is shameful and criminal in the eyes of Almighty God.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholic Bishops oppose revisions to contraception mandate" by Sam Baker, The Hill 2/7/13
The USCCB said the policy will require Catholic institutions to have a hand in healthcare coverage they find immoral.
The group was initially noncommittal last week after the Obama administration released new regulations on the contraception mandate and its "accommodations" for religious-affiliated institutions, such as Catholic hospitals and universities.
"It appears that the government would require all employees in our 'accommodated' ministries to have the illicit coverage — they may not opt out, nor even opt out for their children — under a separate policy," [president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy] Dolan said.
Although billed as another accommodation to religious groups that oppose contraception, the regulations released last Friday made only minor changes to the substance of the policy.
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From "Bishops reject contraception rule change" by Jennifer Haberkorn and Kathryn Smith, Foxnews.com 2/8/13
. . . Dolan criticized the administration’s “narrow” definition of a religious organization. He also objected to religious-affiliated institutions having to find an intermediary that would provide the contraceptive coverage — part of the compromise the administration had outlined. He also noted that the new White House policy did not address the objections of religious owners of for-profit businesses.
“In obedience to our Judeo-Christian heritage, we have consistently taught our people to live their lives during the week to reflect the same beliefs that they proclaim on the Sabbath,” Dolan said, referring to these business owners. “We cannot now abandon them to be forced to violate their morally well-informed consciences.”
The Obama administration said that religion-affiliated institutions — such as a Catholic school or Christian hospital — could kick the responsibility to cover contraceptives to a third-party administrator, who would find an insurance policy that would cover contraception. But it did not appease concerns from religious organizations that did not want their employment tied to birth control or drugs that they feel cause abortions — in any manner.
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From "No Deal! Bishops to Administration: You Can't Force Lay Catholics to Act Against Faith" by Terence P. Jeffrey, CNSNews.com 2/7/13
The Catholic Association, a group of Catholic laypersons dedicated to advancing the principles of the Catholic Church, issued a statement supporting the bishops' stand in defending the religious freedom of all Americans.
"The bishops have recognized in their statement that when the religious freedom of one is compromised, the religious freedom of everyone is compromised, whether they be their own affiliated institutions or non-Catholic institutions or for-profit employers," said the association. "We call on this administration to provide an acceptable exemption for people of faith, and to put an end to its anti-religious liberty policies.”
“. . . the bishops explained that the ‘HHS mandate creates still a third class, those with no conscience protection at all: individuals who, in their daily lives, strive constantly to act in accordance with their faith and moral values,” said Cardinal Dolan, citing the bishops' unanimous declaration. “This includes employers sponsoring and subsidizing the coverage, insurers writing it, and beneficiaries paying individual premiums for it. Friday's action confirms that HHS has no intention to provide any exemption or accommodation at all to this ‘third class.’”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Bishops call new mandate proposal insufficient" by Michelle Bauman, Catholic News Agency 2/7/13
Under the new [ObamaCare] proposal . . . an employer would qualify for the exemption if it fell under Internal Revenue Code, Section 6033(a)(3)(A)(i) or (iii), which “refers to churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches, as well as to the exclusively religious activities of any religious order.”
Therefore, religious institutions that are not affiliated with a church – such as many Catholic health care, education and charity institutions – do not appear to be covered by the exemption. These groups still appear to be given “second-class status” that is not deemed worthy of a religious exemption, Cardinal Dolan said.
He also noted that the new proposals would appear to require all employees in the accommodated ministries to carry the contraceptive coverage under a separate policy, leaving them no option to opt out for themselves or their children.
The proposed revisions offer no protection to for-profit businesses owners who have religious or moral objections to the mandate. Nor do they cover non-profit groups that have no specific religious affiliation, such as many pro-life groups around the country.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read President Obama Redefines 1st Amendment Freedom of Religion even though Obama Denies Leading War Against Christianity
