Roundup: Bishops Reiterate Threat to Withdraw Support for Health Reform

Oct 16, 2009, 9:57am

Jodi Jacobson

USA Today reports that the US Council of Catholic Bishops has renewed its threat to withdraw support for health reform legislation now before Congress over "their" concerns abortion.

The nation’s Catholic bishops have threatened
to pull their support for health care reform unless their concerns
about abortion and access for immigrants are addressed by lawmakers.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,
which supports universal access to health care as a "basic human
right," had been supportive of efforts to reform the health care
system, but is concerned about taxpayer-funded abortions.

This despite the fact that the bills now before Congress do not change existing government policy on abortion, and that what the Bishops actually seek is to eliminate abortion coverage in private health plans by government fiat.

This despite the fact that we are talking about public health and human rights, not government by Catholic theology.

This also despite the fact that the position of the USCCB not only does not reflect the majority of the country, but does not reflect the majority of Catholic opinion, much less the actual use by Catholics of either abortion care or contraceptive services.

What about separation of Church and State are we missing here?

October 16, 2009

Sunderland Echo: Plans for teen sex clinics

Boston Globe: Dick Gamble; soap heir championed reproductive choice

CNS News: Despite Widespread Contraceptive Use, 1/3 of Pregnancies in France ‘Unplanned,’ New Study Confirms

Press & Dakotan: (Letter) Family Planning

Brisbane Times: Moti paid for teenager’s abortion: court

Global Voices: Global Health: Can Condoms Combat Climate Change?

October 15th, 2009

ABC News: Abortion Law Akin to ‘Undressing Women’

Choices Campus Blog: Criminalizing abortion doesn’t decrease numbers!

Catholic News Agency: Europe is terminally ill because of abortion, warns Spanish bishop