Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DC Court Tells Catholic Groups: Submit to HHS Mandate or Pay Massive Fines
The National Catholic Register ^ | 5/22/15 | Peter Jesserer Smith

Posted on 05/25/2015 6:58:54 AM PDT by marshmallow

The Archdiocese of Washington and Priests for Life suffered a legal setback at the D.C. Court of Appeals that puts their case on a path to the U.S. Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON — A majority of judges on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals this week rejected a request from the Archdiocese of Washington and Priests for Life to have the full court review their challenge to the Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate.

According to the archdiocese and Priests for Life, the mandate as it currently applies forces them to be complicit in the provision of contraceptive services, including abortifacient drugs that seriously violate their Catholic beliefs.

“We concluded that the regulation challenged in this case does not, as a matter of law or fact, give plaintiffs’ conduct the contraception-facilitating effect of which they complain,” stated the majority ruling, written by Judge Nina Pillard, in denying relief from the mandate under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

The 6-3 ruling was followed by two strenuous dissents, one from Judge Janice Rodgers Brown, joined by Judge Karen Henderson, and one form Judge Brett Kavanaugh, which agreed with the plaintiffs’ contention that the federal government’s “accommodation” still violates the religious liberty of the Catholic organizations.

(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last
To: exnavy

Even the Catholic position comes from a highly pro-life construal of the classic Judeo-Christian scriptures. They shouldn’t be penalized by a sane government for obeying them.


21 posted on 05/25/2015 7:44:21 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck

Yes, you are correct. God is the true arbiter of justice, He will have the final say.


22 posted on 05/25/2015 7:48:42 AM PDT by exnavy (BLOAT: buy lots of ammo train.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Sounds like this is headed for the Supreme Court!


23 posted on 05/25/2015 7:49:02 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gingerbread

Before they take that step, religious organizations should simply fire all of their “civilian” employees.


24 posted on 05/25/2015 7:51:08 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ( "It doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Heretofore the USSC has been fairly friendly to such claims, but if modern trends continue it may not always be. Enforcing the ramifications of “gay marriage” will harden its heart.


25 posted on 05/25/2015 7:56:20 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Meanwhile Muslims may be exempted from Obama care ..


26 posted on 05/25/2015 7:57:23 AM PDT by RnMomof7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pollster1
I pray that it will be done - peacefully if that is an option.

IMHO, what supports the progressive left and their social engineering schemes are unbacked, printed, Federal Reserve money and its fake interest rates. It has allowed $18 Trillion in government debt (and rising daily), which funds every scheme from Obamacare to ACORN. Access to fake money allows even conservative politicians to avoid making difficult choices - and the state rolls on.

Maybe we can get rid of it without a Civil War. I don't know.

27 posted on 05/25/2015 7:57:34 AM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

That is the most sensible move. Let it be a church ministry staffed with church Catholics (and analogous moves be made by evangelical ministries).


28 posted on 05/25/2015 7:57:40 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow
“We concluded that the regulation challenged in this case does not, as a matter of law or fact, give plaintiffs’ conduct the contraception-facilitating effect of which they complain,” stated the majority ruling, written by Judge Nina Pillard, in denying relief from the mandate under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

The plaintiffs have to pay for it. I guess that is not enough of a nexus to convince some judges that there is a nexus.

I know, I know: under the Obama accommodation, it is true that the plaintiffs don't have to pay for an insurance policy containing contraceptives as a stated benefit. Instead they have to pay exactly the same price for a policy which is silent on contraceptive benefits, with said benefits, as a matter of law, being provided "free" by the insurance company. I guess you have to go to an elite law school to perceive a difference.

29 posted on 05/25/2015 8:17:32 AM PDT by sphinx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Paging His Emminence Cardinal Dola, who cut the deal with his Obamaness and then sold it to the flock.


30 posted on 05/25/2015 8:46:19 AM PDT by 9thLife (The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 9thLife

N. DolaN.


31 posted on 05/25/2015 8:46:34 AM PDT by 9thLife (The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: 9thLife

Why is mandatory contraception participation a part of healthcare to start with? But your own damn contraceptives.


32 posted on 05/25/2015 8:49:19 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

Oh, all those civilians will know immediately that they are out of a job, when these religious institutions shut their doors. That means all religious schools, hospitals, and everything else that is religious. Then let these “FOOLS” in the DC government tell their people what they’ll do to replace all of the ones they have shut down.


33 posted on 05/25/2015 8:56:46 AM PDT by gingerbread
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Pollster1

No, you’re not a slow learner. You are like a lot of us: It’s very sobering to admit that so many of our fellow citizens are hostile to the dream that was the United States, and that they are in fact traitors. So, we try not to believe it.


34 posted on 05/25/2015 9:07:16 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

bfl


35 posted on 05/25/2015 9:31:46 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus: the power of God who brings salvation to all who believe.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

These lower courts keep ignoring the rulings of the Supreme Court on these issues.

If I was a Supreme, I would be pissed off.

If an issue has already been decided, if there something the Court can do to rule on a case without hearing it?


36 posted on 05/25/2015 9:45:58 AM PDT by dila813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

So difficult to understand:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof


37 posted on 05/25/2015 10:10:39 AM PDT by Fithal the Wise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fithal the Wise
Technically, it's a regulation with the force of law in order to implement the law that was passed. That lets Congress can shrug its shoulders, say that's never what they intended, and pretend they didn't in fact pass a law that violates the First Amendment.

It's all a matter of what the meaning of "is" is and since it's just about sex, don't worry about it.

Besides, after teaching that contraception was a sin for over four hundred years all the non-Catholic "Christian" churches changed their mind, said that God changed His mind, and now don't really care anyway.

Look at the huge demonstrations and protests against this. That tells you all you really need to know about how much US "Christians" (Catholic and non-Catholic alike) actually care about the First Amendment protection for freedom of religion. US "Christians" care about economics, not about Christianity. They'll roll over and play dead whenever the USSC says they should. As long as the "invisible hand" is free to keep fisting the middle class it's all good.

JMHo

38 posted on 05/25/2015 10:59:02 AM PDT by Rashputin (Jesus Christ doesn't evacuate His troops, He leads them to victory.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow
In 1914 the Catholic Bishops as a corporate body demanded socialized medicine. Now they and we have it. They don't like it, but unfortunately it's the Catholics in the pews, not the Bishop in the Chancery, who will bear the brunt of it. I find it doesn't really help to say, "We told you so."
39 posted on 05/25/2015 12:35:17 PM PDT by JoeFromSidney ( book, RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY, available from Amazon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeFromSidney
Now they and we have it.

Indeed. They readily lay the yoke of statism upon the shoulders of the peons while demanding exemption for themselves.

40 posted on 05/25/2015 1:49:31 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Doctrine doesn't change. The trick is to find a way around it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson