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BREAKING: Catholic Bishops On Health Care - Change Bills Or Else
ABC News ^ | October 08, 2009 | George Stephanopoulos

Posted on 10/08/2009 7:24:56 PM PDT by Alex Murphy

In a letter just released, the three Catholic bishops leading the Church’s efforts on health care warned Congress that “we will have no choice but to oppose the bill” unless current bills are amended.

The letter signed by Bishop William Murphy, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop John Wester outlines three main areas of concern: “that no one should be forced to pay for or participate in abortion, that health care should be affordable and available to the poor and vulnerable, and that the needs of legal immigrants should be met.”

Of those, of course, abortion poses the gravest threat to the bill. The bishops simply don’t buy the argument that House Democrats found a way to block public funding for abortions with the Capps amendment, and they insist that the Hyde amendment doesn’t apply to the bills because they are not appropriations measures. A sizable bloc of House Democrats, led by Bart Stupak of Michigan, agree and are pressuring for a clear prohibition on public funding.

Add this to the list of complications I outlined this morning. Here’s the Bishop’s letter.


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
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....the three Catholic bishops leading the Church’s efforts on health care warned Congress that “we will have no choice but to oppose the bill” unless current bills are amended. The letter signed by Bishop William Murphy, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop John Wester outlines three main areas of concern

- that no one should be forced to pay for or participate in abortion,

- that health care should be affordable and available to the poor and vulnerable, and

- that the needs of legal immigrants should be met.

1 posted on 10/08/2009 7:24:57 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: Alex Murphy
At least one Catholic bishop has stated that government intrustion into healthcare represents an unjust monopoly.

but I guess that's too many syllables for George Stephanopolous and his clones.

2 posted on 10/08/2009 7:27:52 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Isn't the Golden Mean the secret to something," I parried? "Yes," Blue replied. "Mediocrity.")
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To: Alex Murphy

read later


3 posted on 10/08/2009 7:44:14 PM PDT by massmike (...So this is what happens when OJ's jury elects the president....)
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To: Salvation

Catholic Bishops, PING!


4 posted on 10/08/2009 7:54:05 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: the invisib1e hand
At least one Catholic bishop has stated that government intrustion into healthcare represents an unjust monopoly.

Just one? Is he the only bishop who understands the Catholic social teaching of subsidiarity?

5 posted on 10/08/2009 7:56:58 PM PDT by stripes1776 ("That if gold rust, what shall iron do?" --Chaucer)
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To: Alex Murphy
Good for the Bishop`s that are trying to do right! But what`s this or else business?? Or else what?

The Catholic Church has had the opportunity for decades to say that the platform of the Democrat party is EVIL and Non Christian, but they refuse! Yes some have, and God Bless the ones that have!

But for the most part the Catholic Church is silent! Catholics with Clinton or Obama signs on their front lawns. Various Priests, Bishops etc standing with Democrats???

Give me a freaking break!! Or else what??? WHAT A JOKE!

Anything else short of... OUR MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH A PARTY THAT SUPPORTS ABORTION, HOMOSEXUALITY ETC ETC is to little.

Not to mention taking prayer out of schools, and now trying to remove crosses from veteran cemeteries.

What about the mass for 6 Catholics on the Supreme Court? We KNOW that a couple of them should have been refused Mass because of their positions on Christian issues.

6 posted on 10/08/2009 8:00:56 PM PDT by Friendofgeorge ( Yes I Love Sarah Palin!! I wish she were mine.)
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To: Alex Murphy
by way of reminder:
Third, in that category of prudential judgment, the Catholic Church does not teach that government should directly provide health care. Unlike a prudential concern like national defense, for which government monopolization is objectively good – it both limits violence overall and prevents the obvious abuses to which private armies are susceptible – health care should not be subject to federal monopolization. Preserving patient choice (through a flourishing private sector) is the only way to prevent a health care monopoly from denying care arbitrarily, as we learned from HMOs in the recent past. While a government monopoly would not be motivated by profit, it would be motivated by such bureaucratic standards as quotas and defined “best procedures,” which are equally beyond the influence of most citizens. The proper role of the government is to regulate the private sector, in order to foster healthy competition and to curtail abuses. Therefore any legislation that undermines the viability of the private sector is suspect. Private, religious hospitals and nursing homes, in particular, should be protected, because these are the ones most vigorously offering actual health care to the poorest of the poor.

7 posted on 10/08/2009 8:03:09 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Isn't the Golden Mean the secret to something," I parried? "Yes," Blue replied. "Mediocrity.")
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To: the invisib1e hand
At least one Catholic bishop has stated that government intrustion into healthcare represents an unjust monopoly.

Leaving 200+ who haven't....which speaks volumes.

8 posted on 10/08/2009 8:03:37 PM PDT by Alex Murphy (...We never faced anything like this...we only fought humans.)
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To: stripes1776
I trust Bishop Chaput, with whom Bishop Nickless apparently "apprenticed," would agree, but, hey, it's not like AP and Reuters and NBC and that bunch are gonna tell us exactly what the bishops are saying, is it?

If Catholics would go to Mass once in a while, and if they're read what the bishops have to say, they might know.

Nothing Archbishop Dolan has said on the matter has impressed me.

9 posted on 10/08/2009 8:05:08 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Isn't the Golden Mean the secret to something," I parried? "Yes," Blue replied. "Mediocrity.")
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To: Alex Murphy

see post 9. do you really think that, because you haven’t heard them, they haven’t spoken? Isn’t that just a bit egocentric?


10 posted on 10/08/2009 8:05:59 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Isn't the Golden Mean the secret to something," I parried? "Yes," Blue replied. "Mediocrity.")
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To: the invisib1e hand

I should rephrase this: Nothing of the little I have read that Archbishop Dolan has said on the matter has impressed me.


11 posted on 10/08/2009 8:07:30 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Isn't the Golden Mean the secret to something," I parried? "Yes," Blue replied. "Mediocrity.")
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To: the invisib1e hand
do you really think that, because you haven’t heard them, they haven’t spoken? Isn’t that just a bit egocentric?

But they have spoken - the letter comes from the USCCB - hardly a minority group in your Church. And you're the one who offered the line "At least one Catholic bishop has stated..." Don't shoot me for taking you at your word. I'd have thought you would have heard from more by now.

12 posted on 10/08/2009 8:15:02 PM PDT by Alex Murphy (...We never faced anything like this...we only fought humans.)
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To: Alex Murphy

oy. that’s laaaaaaaaaaaame.


13 posted on 10/08/2009 8:18:51 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Isn't the Golden Mean the secret to something," I parried? "Yes," Blue replied. "Mediocrity.")
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To: GOP_Lady
It's good to see more Bishops coming out against this health care issue.

BREAKING: Catholic Bishops On Health Care - Change Bills Or Else
U.S. bishops warn of vigorous opposition if Congress fails to fix health care bills
List: *41* Bishops against Obamacare (and counting!)
Bishop Murphy Issues Video Statement on Health Care Reform [Diocese of Rockville Centre]

Health Care Principles [Bishop Samuel Aquila, Fargo, ND]
Florida Bishop [Thomas Wenski] Weighs in on Health Care Reform
ObamaCare and Catholic social teaching [Bishop Neckless]
Some Catholic bishops question gov't health care
Boston’s Roman Catholic Cardinal Says He Confronted Obama about Abortion in Health Care Plan....

Iowa Bishop: Don’t Be Railroaded into the Current...Health Care Proposals
in a message issued by the Diocese of Sioux City (The Church on Universal Healthcare)
Nazi Health Care A Catholic Bishop Speaks Out Against "End of Life Care" (Germany, 1941)
Bishop Nickless: "No Health Care Reform is Better than the Wrong Health Care Reform"
Cardinal Rigali, Abp. Chaput Intensify Warnings Against Obamacare's Abortion Expansion

14 posted on 10/08/2009 9:21:21 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Alex Murphy

Listen carefully at Mass if the priest cares to address it, or ask your confessor or bishop if you feel the need to discuss more.


15 posted on 10/08/2009 9:41:33 PM PDT by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: D-fendr
"Listen carefully at Mass if the priest cares to address it"

They avoid the subject. At least at my church they do.

16 posted on 10/08/2009 9:46:46 PM PDT by AGreatPer (Impeach Obama)
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BTTT


17 posted on 10/08/2009 9:48:53 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: AGreatPer

Then talk to your confessor, priest or bishop personally if you want to know more.

Personally, I’m fine with not politicizing the Church. I think it plays into the Church’s enemies hands to do so.

You’re free to discuss with parishioners or organize outside the church.


18 posted on 10/08/2009 9:52:10 PM PDT by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: the invisib1e hand
If Catholics would go to Mass once in a while, and if they're read what the bishops have to say, they might know.

Well, what are the Catholic bishops saying about the federal government taking over the health care business? It seems like most of them are saying "take out funding for abortion, and then you can take over this industry as long as you provide free health care for all those illegal Mexicans."

There are maybe a couple bishops who are opposing this government take-over. Those bishops are talking about subsidiarity. There are other institutions and businesses that could be providing the changes we need rather that the federal government. But the majority of bishops seem to be supporting some form of socialized medicine. Why the socialist solution?

19 posted on 10/08/2009 11:25:53 PM PDT by stripes1776 ("That if gold rust, what shall iron do?" --Chaucer)
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To: stripes1776
Well, what are the Catholic bishops saying about the federal government taking over the health care business? It seems like most of them are saying "take out funding for abortion, and then you can take over this industry as long as you provide free health care for all those illegal Mexicans."

You know that's not true! They said nothing about illegal Mexicans!

20 posted on 10/09/2009 7:20:44 AM PDT by Alex Murphy (...We never faced anything like this...we only fought humans.)
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