WASHINGTON — Catholic bishops say they remain opposed to President Barack Obama’s plan to require insurers to provide free birth control, even if religiously affiliated employers such as Catholic hospitals and universities aren’t forced to pay for it.
“The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS [Department of Health and Human Services] to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said.
The statement, issued late Friday, makes clear that the bishops’ opposition goes well beyond the “religious freedom” dispute that had riled Washington for the last month. The government’s decision to guarantee women access to contraceptives “remains a grave moral concern,” they said.
On Friday morning, Obama had called New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan to tell him of the revised rule. Initially, Dolan described the move as a “first step in the right direction.”
But in the later statement, the bishops said they will continue to object because of Obama’s decision “to retain HHS’s nationwide mandate of insurance coverage of sterilization and contraception.”
“We will continue — with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency — our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government,” they said.
The White House had no immediate comment on the statement.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act says health insurers must offer “preventive services” with no co-pays. And Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius defined these services to include “all FDA-approved forms of contraception.”
On Jan. 20, she said this mandate would take effect in August for most employers. Churches would be exempted from the rule, she said, but not religiously affiliated hospitals, colleges or charities, though they would be given an extra year to comply. Administration officials said that 28 states, including California and New York, already have similar rules for health insurance.
The Catholic bishops reacted fiercely, however, and called the “HHS edict … literally unconscionable.” They said it posed “an unprecedented threat to religious freedom.” They demanded a much broader “conscience exemption” so Catholic employers would not be required to subsidize birth control for their employees or for students at Catholic colleges.
Polls show that most Americans, including most Catholics, support including free birth control in an employer’s health insurance plan, but some prominent political leaders, including Democrats, objected to requiring religious organizations to pay for it.
Obama said Friday he had heard those objections and moved to exempt “religious organizations” from paying for contraceptives if they have a “religious objection.” Instead, insurers would be responsible for providing this coverage, which over time should add little or nothing to their costs. That is the case, officials said, because preventing a pregnancy saves money in health care costs.
“Religious organizations won’t have to pay for these services, and no religious institutions will have to provide these services directly,” the president said.
Several members of Congress have introduced bills to create a “conscience exemption” for employers. The bishops have also threatened to join lawsuits that seek to strike down the mandate as a violation of religious liberty.
Objectionabole to whom? A distinct minority of hypocritical, celebate, CEOs of a religious organization. And they’re going to “correct” it via the other two branches of geovernment? Better register as lobbyists and be prepared to be suject to taxation.
Oh yeah, why haven’t you complained about similar policies in the majority of states for at least a decade? More hypocracy and polical meddling, eh what?
Obamy really goofed up this time. The normally left leaning Catholics will not be voting for this clown again. You can bring up 28 states all you want, it’s not the same and it won’t work. The 98% that used contraception don’t want to see the church’es moral principles attacked even if they don’t follow the rules as close as they should. This country was founded on a religious foundation, make that a Christian religious foundation. You can never change or deny that fact. The left hates that and that’s fine by me, the dem’s lose voters every day because of there anti-religious views. You lefties keep Bill Mahar, we will stick with Jesus.
Actually no it was not founded on a religious foundation, Where is god mentioned in the Constitution? What we have a problem is people like you keep saying that as a justification to try and create religious laws.
Actually, the 98% figure thrown around by the left has been shown to be a lie. The actual figure is 87%, and 2/3 of the “Catholic” women interviewed in the Guttmacher poll were not even faithful Catholics. So among serious Catholic women, probably about 60% actually use contraception. Nothing to brag about, as none of them should actually be using it, but a lot different figure from the 98% being bandied about by the left.
The only thing that I see in the Constitution was a deliberate attempt to SEPERATE the Church from the State!
Go thump your bible someplace else!
I was raised as a Catholic…..or perhaps lowered. :-) Whatever. But seriously: I strongly disagree with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops statement, which denounces President Barack Obama’s attempts at compromise as “needless government intrusion in the internal governance of religious institutions”. On the contrary, the Bishops comments are themselves a needless religious intrusion upon the proper and legitimate functions of government…functions that serve to promote women’s rights, and equality, and fairness for ALL. No one is coming into our Churches and trying to tell parishioners what to believe. BUT If the Bishops want to start businesses that employ millions of people of varying faiths -or no “faith” at all- THEN they must play by the rules. Just because a religious group in America claims to believe something, we cannot excuse them from obeying the law in the PUBLIC arena, based on that belief. They can legally attempt to change the law, not to deny it outright. And if they want to plunge overtly into politics from the pulpit, then they should give up their tax-exempt status. Did I miss something, or when it comes to the “sanctity of life”, is every single righteous Catholic still a card carrying conscientious objector, refusing to take up arms, and totally against the death penalty, and contraception in all its forms? Oh well, hypocrisy is at the heart of politics, and politics masquerading as religion even more so. This country is an invigorating mixture of all the diversity that life has to offer, drawing its strength FROM that diversity. We need to work together to preserve, enrich, and strengthen this unique experiment – NOT to tear it down with poisonous, paralyzing, and un-Christian demonization of each other.
“If the Bishops want to start businesses that employ millions of people of varying faiths
-or no “faith” at all- THEN they must play by the rules.
Just because a religious group in America claims to believe something,
we cannot excuse them from obeying the law in the PUBLIC arena, based on that belief.”
Great point.
Who said “Render unto …” ?
And Stan, it made me wonder if they ask woman about their use of birth control during job interviews, so as a term of employment ?
If not, how serious are they about these “beliefs” of the Bishops, but not Catholics women ?
If they were serious about what the Bishops say they, but not Catholic or American woman in general , believe, they would both not hire woman who use it, and their corporations would be violation of how many basic human/civil rights and employee protection laws, plus American freedom in general.
But being expects at obstructionism, with centuries of experience at it,
the Bishops are smart enough to parse things in terms of their scared god given “rights”
as the self-appointed infallible Princes of the Church.
But is there anything wrong with Americans judging THEIR POLITICS in terms of their being US citizens, corporate employers and/or in terms of the rights of all American woman ?
Woman don’t really matter much in their thinking… it does seems.
But sure the Church are making political points with some by acting like the privileged elitist that they also believe that they are.
But in grade school Sister told me I would be judged by the company that I keep.
Was she wrong about that,or is there a reason it does apply to you, Bishop ?
Of course the Bishops will be treated as if they their dying American Church
really were so very special and important and as if they really were royalty.
But how much good are they doing, both in general and for themselves
relative to their own mission and politics, if people judge this political stand
by its real world results ?
Who can not see how if the Bishops have their way and effect the the public health polities concerning contraception being covered by insurance, just like Viagra* is,
the results, the fruits, of their political gamesmanship will both be
higher insurance costs for everyone and more American working woman getting abortions ?
* What could be more against the Will of God than a chemical cure to male impotency,
Bishop Malone ?
What is Church’s position on that reproductive issue ?
Why is the Church willing to have that medical alteration to the natural course,
(God’s plan ? ), for human sexual reproduction covered by the insurance that
your Church is willing to pay for ?
The bottom line is please read Matt. Ch 7, Vs 15 though 23,
for yourselves before blindly following Bishop Malone’s political agenda(s).
Government has absolutely no right to impose these “rules” in the first place. Its intent is evil, and that intent is to directly attack the Catholic Church. Govt realizes that the Catholic Church is the voice of conscience for the world, and the godless people who are trying to control us know that they have to silence Catholicism in order for their program to continue.
Really like Catholic church doesn’t have the right to try and ban gay marriage? Or is this the same Catholic church and put pedophile priest and money before children? The Catholic Church lost all credibility for being the voice on conscience when they rather save money and protect these priest then put children safety first.
Yes but they have no problem pushing a constitutional amendment to define marriage as only between man and women. Give me a break.
They are being way too political, and closing parishes… connect the dots ?
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops got what it wanted – an exemption from the required payment for contraceptives for its employees to accommodate their religious beliefs. But now they’ve changed their demand and want to deny everyone with health insurance – regardless of their religious beliefs – coverage for contraceptive services?
It reminds me of how they opposed Civil Unions, at first.
So the church wants their beliefs, which everyone ignores, anyway, to trump public health, science, economics and common sense ?
You can know them by the fruits that they bear.
To judge this just ask yourself if the church’s position will result in more or less abortions.
So, the issue isn’t freedom of religion. The real issue is the desire to prevent all women from making reproductive decisions. Just as I originally thought. I wish someone in the Catholic Church would explain why some sorry old men that like to rape little boys have the moral authority to tell anyone anything.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The affordable health care act is covered under the Commerce Clause, requiring Employers to provide a service to it’s employees.
The Fact that the Catholic church is an Employer is incidental to the law.
Not until the catholic Church was “Exempted” did the government make a law respecting an establishment of religion!
The church needs to get OUT of the Government Policies not the other way around!