USCCB CLUELESS IN DEALING WITH OBAMA
The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) issued a press release Thursday following President Obama's address to the Congress on Wednesday evening. This statement by Kathy Saile, Director of Domestic Social Development at the USCCB, once again exposes the total lack of understanding by bureaucratic professional Catholics blinded by the Washington mist that floats along the Potomac.
Saile starts out by stating the obvious. "We agree that 'no one should go broke because they get sick.' That's why the U.S. Bishops have worked for decades for decent health care for all. The Catholic Church provides health care for millions, purchases health care, picks up the pieces of a failing health system, and has a long tradition of teaching on ethics in health care. Health care reform that respects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and urgent national priority."
She then makes an incredible statement in light of the president's propensity for shading the truth. "We welcome the President's speech as an important contribution to this essential national debate and task."
An important contribution?
Is she serious?
Saile continued in her statement. "We agree with the President that there are details that need to be ironed out. With his address last night, we see the opportunity to work towards a truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity, access for all with a special concern for the poor, and inclusion of legal immigrants. We also see the possibility of meeting the bishops' goal to pursue the common good and preserve pluralism, including freedom of conscience and a variety of options, and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers."
Even my good friend Richard Dorflinger does not seem to get it.
Can we look with some honesty at the Obama abortion agenda and be truthful about what he has held as a position since his days as a state senator?
Of course Saile has a history of catering to the leftist agendas in her various roles prior to joining the USCCB in September 2007.
So what possesses the USCCB to fall in line with the propaganda being shoveled by the White House, except a willingness to compromise Catholic teaching? The president and the Democratic leadership has made abortion a central part of their agenda. The House and the Senate have rejected affirmative efforts to remove abortion coverage from the two proposed health bills. The Democratic majorities have defeated these various efforts and the USCCB has yet to call those Catholic politicians to account. Indeed, the lack of serious comment in the aftermath of the Kennedy funeral combined with the pass given those Democrats, have caused great resentment in the ranks of every day Catholics. On the one hand abortion is suppose to be the most critical of the social justice issues. Yet, the social justice leadership at the USCCB have run interference for Obama.
This latest pandering to the White House appears to a part of the continued efforts by dissident Catholic groups to undermine the Church's teachings and to marginalize the Church's influence in the public square. These groups have sown confusion among the Catholic Faithful and those interested in Catholic matters. The USCCB needs to stop giving the Obama administration and their lackeys in the Congress the cover on this whole health care mess. Look at the problems in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, just to mention a few states, where the Church is getting hammered in the public square and where Catholic teaching is under blistering attack.
Regina S Rockefeller from Nixon Peabody, a law firm deeply involved in the push for "health care reform," had this to say:
So when the president and the Congressional leaders tell the people that abortion is not a part of the mix, they are lying through their teeth. They have promised Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups that they will be considered "essential providers" in any legislation.
Following the over two million people that demonstrated in Washington, D.C. yesterday, can we hope for any common sense to come out of the USCCB leadership?
Finding real long term answers to address the problems in the health care system require something more than simply new laws or new public regulations on health care.
We must start with prayer and fasting.
We must demand not simply no federal funding of abortion, but the end to legal abortion itself.
We must state clearly that 50,000,000 dead babies are too many and the killing must stop now.
We Catholics must withhold any support for any plan until this demand is accepted.
Anything less is collaboration of the most egregious kind.
The Catholic Church as a part of her corporal works of mercy provides care to the sick. To that end we have built hospitals and nursing homes and orphanages throughout the years. The Church never asked for or demanded the government to assist in these works of God. It is our role in the world. It is our duty to our brothers and sisters to provide opportunity so that they may find within themselves that which God has called them to do.
So why now? Why willingly become subservient to the federal government?
Why do we not set up our own private Catholic health care system, using the principles of subsidiarity and the venues of our parishes and dioceses to create our own co-operative, one that does not provide for abortion, birth control, sterilization, and other treatments that offend human dignity? Why not devise a way where Catholics (and anyone who wants to be a part of the system) can be a part of a network that supports those hospitals that respect and agree to abide by the Catholic view of respect for the dignity of the human person? Why do we need to bow to the federal government on this issue? After all who is more efficient in educating children, in providing real social services, in meeting the needs of those at risk in our society?
The government or the Church?
For 36 years abortion has corrupted, contaminated and corroded the body politic. Now there is an administration poised to take control of the health care system of the U.S. and to dictate that availability of abortion be a component of same. Obama's speech was made up of words that did not ring true, works that contradicted his previous statements, and words that run contrary to what Nancy Pelosi and others intend to do with these health care bills.
It is time that the bishops wake up, recognize the perilous times in which we live, and act as the Shepherds God has called them to be. In the meanwhile we, the laity, are not going to take this laying down. We will stand in solidarity with each other to defend our right not to be forced to abide in a system that robs a human being of his inherent dignity and right to life.
Saile starts out by stating the obvious. "We agree that 'no one should go broke because they get sick.' That's why the U.S. Bishops have worked for decades for decent health care for all. The Catholic Church provides health care for millions, purchases health care, picks up the pieces of a failing health system, and has a long tradition of teaching on ethics in health care. Health care reform that respects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and urgent national priority."
She then makes an incredible statement in light of the president's propensity for shading the truth. "We welcome the President's speech as an important contribution to this essential national debate and task."
An important contribution?
Is she serious?
Saile continued in her statement. "We agree with the President that there are details that need to be ironed out. With his address last night, we see the opportunity to work towards a truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity, access for all with a special concern for the poor, and inclusion of legal immigrants. We also see the possibility of meeting the bishops' goal to pursue the common good and preserve pluralism, including freedom of conscience and a variety of options, and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers."
Even my good friend Richard Dorflinger does not seem to get it.
Can we look with some honesty at the Obama abortion agenda and be truthful about what he has held as a position since his days as a state senator?
Of course Saile has a history of catering to the leftist agendas in her various roles prior to joining the USCCB in September 2007.
So what possesses the USCCB to fall in line with the propaganda being shoveled by the White House, except a willingness to compromise Catholic teaching? The president and the Democratic leadership has made abortion a central part of their agenda. The House and the Senate have rejected affirmative efforts to remove abortion coverage from the two proposed health bills. The Democratic majorities have defeated these various efforts and the USCCB has yet to call those Catholic politicians to account. Indeed, the lack of serious comment in the aftermath of the Kennedy funeral combined with the pass given those Democrats, have caused great resentment in the ranks of every day Catholics. On the one hand abortion is suppose to be the most critical of the social justice issues. Yet, the social justice leadership at the USCCB have run interference for Obama.
This latest pandering to the White House appears to a part of the continued efforts by dissident Catholic groups to undermine the Church's teachings and to marginalize the Church's influence in the public square. These groups have sown confusion among the Catholic Faithful and those interested in Catholic matters. The USCCB needs to stop giving the Obama administration and their lackeys in the Congress the cover on this whole health care mess. Look at the problems in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, just to mention a few states, where the Church is getting hammered in the public square and where Catholic teaching is under blistering attack.
Regina S Rockefeller from Nixon Peabody, a law firm deeply involved in the push for "health care reform," had this to say:
Abortion is one of those hot-button squabble points. With leadership from Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), women’s health advocates won a key vote in the Senate health committee last week to ensure that women’s health clinics and HIV/AIDS clinics will be considered "essential providers" in any national health reform legislation. However, 20 conservative House Democrats have informed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that they will refuse to sign onto any legislation that does not explicitly prohibit the use of tax dollars for abortion. In Massachusetts, private health insurance plans purchased with government funds through the Connector pay for abortion services.
So when the president and the Congressional leaders tell the people that abortion is not a part of the mix, they are lying through their teeth. They have promised Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups that they will be considered "essential providers" in any legislation.
Following the over two million people that demonstrated in Washington, D.C. yesterday, can we hope for any common sense to come out of the USCCB leadership?
Finding real long term answers to address the problems in the health care system require something more than simply new laws or new public regulations on health care.
We must start with prayer and fasting.
We must demand not simply no federal funding of abortion, but the end to legal abortion itself.
We must state clearly that 50,000,000 dead babies are too many and the killing must stop now.
We Catholics must withhold any support for any plan until this demand is accepted.
Anything less is collaboration of the most egregious kind.
The Catholic Church as a part of her corporal works of mercy provides care to the sick. To that end we have built hospitals and nursing homes and orphanages throughout the years. The Church never asked for or demanded the government to assist in these works of God. It is our role in the world. It is our duty to our brothers and sisters to provide opportunity so that they may find within themselves that which God has called them to do.
So why now? Why willingly become subservient to the federal government?
Why do we not set up our own private Catholic health care system, using the principles of subsidiarity and the venues of our parishes and dioceses to create our own co-operative, one that does not provide for abortion, birth control, sterilization, and other treatments that offend human dignity? Why not devise a way where Catholics (and anyone who wants to be a part of the system) can be a part of a network that supports those hospitals that respect and agree to abide by the Catholic view of respect for the dignity of the human person? Why do we need to bow to the federal government on this issue? After all who is more efficient in educating children, in providing real social services, in meeting the needs of those at risk in our society?
The government or the Church?
For 36 years abortion has corrupted, contaminated and corroded the body politic. Now there is an administration poised to take control of the health care system of the U.S. and to dictate that availability of abortion be a component of same. Obama's speech was made up of words that did not ring true, works that contradicted his previous statements, and words that run contrary to what Nancy Pelosi and others intend to do with these health care bills.
It is time that the bishops wake up, recognize the perilous times in which we live, and act as the Shepherds God has called them to be. In the meanwhile we, the laity, are not going to take this laying down. We will stand in solidarity with each other to defend our right not to be forced to abide in a system that robs a human being of his inherent dignity and right to life.
posted by Jakubczyk on Life | 10:54 PM
