Sisters versus bishops
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
By Bryan Cones
Comments (11)
First Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity, as head of the Catholic Health Association, comes out in favor of the health reform bill now pending in the House of Representatives. Now 60 heads of women's religious congregations, representing 59,000 sisters, have done the same according to the Associated Press. UPDATE: Here is the text of the letter.
This endorsement comes on the heels of a statement from USCCB President Cardinal Francis George yesterday that judges the language about abortion funding in the Senate bill as insufficient, and an even more strongly worded column by Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput that rejects the legislation in plain terms.
One wonders which group has more clout: bishops or sisters? Given that the sisters provide the lion's share of health care--few dioceses run their own hospitals--many would vote for the sisters. They certainly have a deeper well of goodwill to draw upon.
At the same time, with women's religious communities under investigation, one wonders what this public divergence will do to what many see as an already tenuous relationship between the sisters and the bishops.
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Good to Know the Players
By Greg (not verified) on Thursday, March 18, 2010When mediating a dispute it is good to know the players on different sides of the table.
Here was an article that helps shed light on that factor:
The tone on this web site is
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, March 17, 2010The tone on this web site is consistently progressive and dissenting. We are not speaking with a unified voice. The bishops have spoken, and the sisters later choose to ignore them. This is a bold act of defiance. God willing, these more liberal orders will soon return to the dust from which they came.
Bishops
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, March 18, 2010Maybe this is an indication that the Bishops should stop speaking and listen for a change, a shocking suggestion I know!
Or rather, the nuns should
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, March 18, 2010Or rather, the nuns should listen. Not like they ever do. The U.S. nuns have essentially created their own church.
God Love Our Sisters...
By Anonymous (not verified) on Friday, April 16, 2010They Basically Built All The Social Services Infrastructure of The Church In The US -- For Their Sacrifices And Love For Christ -- I Will Give Them The Benefit Of The Doubt Until Jesus Christ Next Comes.
Healthcare Reform and Abortion
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, March 17, 2010But the bishops already endorse permitting abortion by their very insistence on the Hyde language which explicitly allows abortion in cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother. Further, the bishops have NEVER protested the tax provisions for corporate insurance policies 85% of which pay for abortion and contraception, nor have they boycotted companies which cover abortion for their employees. And I notice they've given up on trying to protect immigrants and the poor in their current round of protests. And which bishop has called for denying corporations the rights of human persons?
Would that they devoted so much time, money, influence, and effort into demanding accountability for themselves.
Interesting points
By Anonymous (not verified) on Friday, March 19, 2010Excllent point, all, most of which I hadn't thought of before. I'll be mulling these over when dealing with the tricky questions of pro-life issues.
Health insurance
By Dennis Egan (not verified) on Wednesday, March 17, 2010So if we have to have an option that is completely free of abortion why isn't the Catholic Church sponsoring an affordable, non profit health care plan. We have the size and, at least before the sex scandles, the moral standing, to be trusted. If we're not part of the solution we're part of the problem!
Good thinking!
By babyching (not verified) on Thursday, March 18, 2010This is really an excellent idea. Given time, a Catholic health care plan would have enough clout to negotiate rates just like Medicare. People could trust a non-profit plan managed by the church.
Healthcare
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, March 17, 2010How dare you call yourselves Catholic. Don't be fooled in thinking that this bill will not pay for abortions. IT WILL. This is the greatest country in the world....look at other countries with socialized medicine. They are a mess and I don't want my young sons to grow up in countries like that. Thanks a lot for standing up Catholic beliefs...yeah right.
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