Catholic Bishops Activate 19,000 Churches to Stop Abortion in Health Care

[Joanne98]

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The nation's Catholic bishops have activated nearly 19,000 churches across the country to stand up to efforts in Congress to force Americans to pay for abortions under a government-run health care bill. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' effort could have a dramatic effect.

When the nation's bishops called on church-goers to support a ban on partial-birth abortions, they responded with millions of postcards flooding Congressional offices.

Now, in a nationwide call to Catholics to prevent health care reform from being derailed by the abortion lobby, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has sent bulletin inserts and pulpit announcements to almost 19,000 parishes across the country.

“As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic bishops continue to make the moral case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable,” the insert says.

"Health care reform should not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country," it reads, according to a statement the USCCB sent LifeNews.com.

As Congress negotiates a final health care bill, the insert encourages Catholics to contact their Senators and Representatives, urging them to keep longstanding restrictions against federal funding of abortion and full conscience protection in the legislation.

If these criteria are not met, Catholics are asked to urge Congress to oppose the final bill, the insert says.

The inserts come at a time when Congressional Democrats are working to merge the House and Senate versions of the government-run health care bill.

http://www.lifenews.com/nat5863.html

I hate these people!

[CanonRay]

1. We ought to put every one of those churches on the tax rolls.

Today.

[jaxx]

4. Exactly.

Talk about legislating from the pulpit!

[Maru Kitteh]

19. +1000

[FLDCVADem]

26. Based on what?

They aren't doing anything that is in violation of their tax exempt status.

Just because we don't like it doesn't make it a violation.

[lazarus]

31. they shouldn't have tax exempt status

in the first place. Why are churches immune from taxes? That's treating them differently, which is unconstitutional.

I'm sick of having my tax dollars subsidize other people's fantasies.

[FLDCVADem]

34. Fair enough

However, that's quite different than saying tax exempt status should be yanked for sending out the info to parishes. Legally, the Catholic church is doing nothing wrong vis a vis their tax exempt status.

[atreides1]

2. Hate is a strong word

I can say that my dislike for these people would allow me to take time to think about calling 911 if they should get hit by a bus.

[quiller4]

3. But most diocese are not getting behind this effort saying to the

NCCB "thanks but no thats" see recent NCR about diocese pushing back.

[GMA]

5. Well, agree or disagree,

the Catholic Church is standing by its doctrine, which it has every right to do.

[Tesha]

24. Doesn't doctrine also mention something about healing the sick, comforting the afflicted, and such?

[KakistocracyHater]

29. tell me how I can keep them away from my pharmacy?

I really want to know.

[atreides1]

6. "Health care reform should not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country,"

"But it's okay with us if priests fondle children".

[GMA]

9. I'm not Catholic, and I agree that the Church

created terrible problems for itself by ever protecting sexual abusers, but using this argument as a general smear is just old and mean.

[Warpy]

7. When are we going to tax those assholes?

Honestly, any church that wants its dogma inserted into civil law needs to pay taxes like any other political machine.

I love Catholics. I despise the church.

[Dorian Gray]

35. That's understandable

being a Catholic, there are times where I strongly dislike and distrust the beaurocracy of the Church (at the local Diocesan level and at the international Vatican level). Watching the leadership doesn't always engender a deep spirituality within the flock (congregation), and much was done by priests and Bishops to really cause a horrible mistrust of the institution as a whole.

[cap]

8. But people are dropping out of the Catholic church!

At XMAS five years ago, it was standing room only... we had people barely inside the church doors.

This past XMAS, there was plenty of room to get a seat at high mass. The church is now asking us to kick in special donations for new chalices, vestments, and altar pieces. Our collection baskets even have the felt linings falling out of them and we are a wealthy community!

They can ask all they want... but half of us aren't following! It is not as big a threat as all that. People are very irritated with the bishops.

Oh... never mind the nuns! The nuns and Catholic Health Care are revolting. They want no part of this politicization. A lot of the folks in the pews work for Catholic Health Care -- hospitals, social services, etc.

Read the National Catholic Reporter and you will see the mudballs flying! It's great fun to watch.

Go Nuns!

[zipplewrath]

10. No political clout

The Catholic Church has never been able to generate any particularly large political clout in the US. The current pope, and church, is alienating members at an even greater rate. Heck, a quick way to drum up support would be to put the word out that the Pope is against it. Many protestants would probably consider that a GOOD reason to vote for it.

[YOY]

13. They lost me and 3 of my 4 siblings.

And since the one remaining married a non-practicing Jew who doesn't want his kids raised with religion...I think they're not breaking even there.

[musette_sf]

20. I donated to the ad supporting the nuns in the December issue of NCR

The nuns from the actual WORKING orders (the ones who are out in the community doing the work that Jesus The Christ would do) are in revolt vs. Rome and Ratzo Rizzo.

The Vatican wants to investigate many American orders of female religious. 2 reasons - (1) to snap the whip and get them back to wearing 14th century garb, polishing monstrances and chalices, and cleaning and cooking for the rectories, instead of actually serving the people and community; and (2) (MOST IMPORTANT) divest them of any possible lurking CA$H they have, and suck it in to help pay off all of the PRIEST ABUSE LAWSUITS.

From reading NCR it looks like there's gonna be a showdown, and I'm hoping that the American Catholic Church dumps Rome, Ratzo, and all the rest of the hierarchy that is completely removed from the people.

[cap]

32. oh they had to back off part of the investigation

the nuns refused to cooperate and list their assets -- the nuns aren't stupid!

I am going to find the December issue of NCR and donate... thanks for the tip

[pansypoo53219]

11. render unto caesar

what is his.

[dembotoz]

12. just another reason i am happy i was raisted to be a prot

as if fish on fridays was not enough.

[kenfrequed]

17. err..

There are many protestant sects that are little better and even a few that are even worse than catholicism.

[Tailormyst]

14. They need to stay the hell out of politics and worry about their own internal "issues"

[williesgirl]

15. Way past time to remove their tax exempt status in the US. That'll shut them up and keep their nose

out of our government.

[kenfrequed]

16. This is crazy

The Catholic church has been running on empty since it sort of decided 'pro-life' would be considered 'good works.'

The problems are obvious really. It seems to insulate those Catholics of means from having to feel obligated to helping out the poor. Being anti-abortion is a hell of a lot cheaper than having to throw money at soup kitchens. Of course it also has the side benefit of reducing human empathy, rather than volunteering to feed, clothe, house, or give aid to the less fortunate you can instead stand in front of a clinic and scream 'baby-killer' and intimidate already frightened women away.

Bonus points! You get to judge the poor and adopt that Calvinist ethic and prosperity doctrine that you have been jealous of your protestant neighbors for possessing by deciding people who get abortions are disgusting and that poor people are that way because of irresponsible choices.

Honestly Catholic church, the only reason you are wild about the abortion birth control thing is because of a poor reading of a few old testament books, a desire to be numerous, the fears of the Roman (pagan) Emperor Octavian (Augustus) about dwindling noble families, and a desire to control women.

Please give this nonsense up and move your politics closer to the liberationist/Fransiscan schools of thought about dealing with poverty. You know, helping the poor, it was sort of mentioned a few times in the gospels.

[invictus]

18. .

[Odin2005]

21. Tax them.

[slay]

22. "Religion is the opiate of the masses"

allows people to throw logic out the window in favor of dogma - essentially making them ignorant. i guess this is what the catholic church does when they aren't embroiled in some kind of pedophile sex scandal which they'll just pay millions to make go away. organized religion is a scam for - what else - money and power!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_of_the_People

[glinda]

23. Tax them. Especially since they have infiltrated by Evangelical thinkers.

[FiveGoodMen]

25. Fuck the Catholic Church.

[DKRC]

27. Using their email form to tell Congress to TAX the Catholic church

The form's already set up:

http://actions.nchla.org/Core.aspx?AID=970&APP=GAC&IssueID=19513&SiteID=-1

:evilgrin:

I don't need some little old man in Italy to tell me how to live my life.

[troubledamerican]

28. "Bishops Activate 19,000 Churches To Stop Molesting Priests" -- no wait a minute.

[Beacho]

30. Time to pay up, you Mediaval bastards

KA-Ching!

[tmyers09]

33. Irony.

“genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.”

True. The REAL poor and vulnerable in our society, not fetuses.