Posted on 11/15/2013 3:48:30 PM PST by NYer
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 14, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Bishop David Zubik, the Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, told a district judge this week he would not comply with the HHS mandate under any circumstance.
The decision was made because the mandate endangers “the integrity of our beliefs,” the bishop said.
Zubik’s statement comes as the General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a “Special Message” to the Obama administration opposing the mandate, which requires employers to pay for health insurance plans that cover contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilization at no co-pay.
In 2012, Zubik described the mandate as “'a slap in the face’ that says ‘To Hell with you!’ to Catholics and religious freedom.”
U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab is considering providing an injunction to numerous area Catholic organizations regarding the mandate.
The government requires that organizations either go along with the mandate directly or have insurance companies offer such coverage to individual employees for “free.” Zubik and other Catholic officials said they would do neither.
The refusal could shut down Catholic schools in the area. Fr. Scott Jabo, president of Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, testified that the fines for violating the HHS mandate – $100 per employee per day – could come to $2.8 million a year, nearly one-third of its $10 million budget.
"In essence we'd have to shut our door completely," he said.
But Erie Bishop Lawrence T. Persico said exposing employees to the mandate would have eternal ramifications.
The mandate, which went into effect on August 1, 2012, for non-religiously affiliated organizations, has been delayed until January 1 for such groups.
Its narrow religious exemption would not cover religiously affiliated organizations like Catholic Charities, parochial schools, adoption centers, and homeless shelters.
We all need to ignore the whole thing, and if enough do it will go away. It will take courage because so many put so much faith into insurance it is nearly their God.
Our brave ancestors didn’t have insurance and made their way across our Country in covered wagons and set up homes in the wilderness. Where are our guts? It’s time to man up and be brave for the good of our Country and if we are to remain at all free.
This goes along well with today’s ruling in Obama’s home town,7th circuit ct. of appeals ruling in Chicago.The court ruled that Obama’s defense of the HHS mandate is unsound and extraordinary for contending that business owners cannot have religious freedom protections.
A win/win situation for King Barry and the democrat fascists.
God bless Bishop David Zubik!
Catholics (REAL Catholics, not CINOs) are pro-life.
Get the truth, please!
Thank You for having a spine
All bishops will take the same stance he has taken. They might not be vocal about it, but they have to abide by the teachings of the Church and not providing abortion is one of those teachings.
On thing I have never been able to understand is how did the Church handle it in all the countries that have had socialized health care systems that offer contraception and abortion coverage for a long time? Is it different or what in other systems?
Freegards, thanks for all the pings
“If you like your religion, you can keep it”... or not...
why isn’t the catholic church self funded and basically say screw you. amish aren’t complaining i don’t hear the mormons either maybe other christians need the same model.
Yes, he is inviting the wrath of this entire anti-christian administration. The case will probably go to the Supreme Court and be decided in favor of the government.
My guess, Rooney is “once removed” from Obama/Dem supporting politicians, but I wonder how His Emminence would handle an actual voting for funding Congressman? Tim Murphy is my Rep, and I believe he lives in Mt. Lebanon, but is decidedly pro life. Is Mike Doyle Catholic? Sen Bob Casey would be under the Diocese of Scranton?
Zubik is a very good man. So good intact I believe he’ll be “promoted” someday (but, with his staunch proliferation maybe he won’t!)
Bump!
God bless him greatly!!
The idea that government should compel a private employer to pay for those things is what’s different about commiecare. Usually it’s paid for by the government from tax money and the employer has nothing to do with it.
I guess I still don’t get it. I don’t see the difference between the state forcing you to pay them to provide abortions and birth control in the form of taxes or the state forcing you to pay others to provide abortions and birth control in the form of private payment. At the end of the day what makes having to give taxes to the state better than having to give money to someone else if they both result in abortion and birth control and punishment by the state if they aren’t complied with?
Freegards
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