Yesterday, President Obama’s HHS Secretary Sebelius praised what she called an administration “compromise” on the planned requirement that will force employers to provide birth control for employees with no co-pays and deductions as part of their healthcare insurance. According to Sebelius, the administration has balanced religious concerns against its healthcare edict by giving religious employers such as Catholic universities and hospitals an additional year, until August of 2013, But religious leaders still see this as a new chapter in the Administration’s war on religious liberty.
“In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences,” said Archbishop Timothy Dolan.
Besides the fact that the requirement will force the religious-affiliated employers to provide birth control that violates their religious beliefs, religious leaders also point out that the requirement includes abortifacients that violate the Obama administration’s pledge that the government would not mandate abortion.
Nashville’s Dominican congregation said they will close their nursing center operation rather than violate the Catholic Church’s religious beliefs.
Imagine what the Administration will do in the next four years if President Obama is re-elected!
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About Ray Noble
Deus et Patria -- A Website for Americans Who Enjoy Being Catholic ... and Vice Versa.
ABOUT ME:
Retired lawyer-law professor-author. Raised in NJ, now living in Florida.
Widower and Father.
EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENTS: Summa Cum Laude, Undergrad debating scholarship, Fulbright scholarship, Campion Scholar at Oxford University, Presidential Scholar at Boston College Law School, law review editor.
DIVERSE PROFESSIONAL LIFE: Corporate lawyer, state (NJ) Deputy Atty General for Civil Rights, Law school associate professor (St. John's University), legal writer, author of guide for women at the request of the New Jersey League of Women Voters, state judiciary's chief of long range planning, state bar association's chief counsel, USIA law reform rep in Gaza and the West Bank, co-founder and overseer of 9/11 Mass Disaster relief program for World Trade Center victims.
In 2001, after 33 years of marriage and 8 children (6 living daughters), Alice, the love of my life (my high school sweetheart), died when she was only 55 years old. I still miss her deeply and always will.
But in 2002, an unexpected, new chapter began when I left the practice of law and became a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal for 3 blessed years. I served in the Hispanic apostolate and the pro-life ministry, counseling outside abortion mills in Manhattan and the Bronx. I loved the CFRs' radical commitment to poverty. I also treasured the abundant daily prayer that included Mass, the Divine Office, daily Eucharistic adoration and rosary, and both communal and private contemplative prayer.
But in 2005, while I was still in temporary vows, one of my daughters was hospitalized, with long term needs. It became clear to others and to me that my 3 years as a friar.was to become a prelude to other things.
Retiring to central Florida, I continue to see my daughter's needs as my first commitment. I also work to combat human trafficking. In my parish ministries and in my life as a single senior citizen, I try to continue the life I knew as a friar as much as I can. This website is a recent development. I hope you find it helpful and, at least occasionally, fun. I do.
Deus et Patria 
Do you have a link/reference to your comments regarding the Nashville Dominicans?
Thanks!
Thanks for visiting the website, Lisa. I’m not sure which reference I used before but just put the words Nashville Dominican contraception Obama into the Yahoo search engine and came up with many references that seem to discuss this. One of them is in Carl Olsen’s article in the current issue of Catholic World Report that includes the following statement from the wonderful Nashville Dominicans::
“Some religious institutions, however, said they would sooner close their doors than cover birth control, which they liken to abortion in some cases.’What war and disease could not do to the congregation, the government of the United States will do,’ Nashville’s Dominican congregation said. ;It will shut them down.’
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Abp. Dolan: “…the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences.”
January 20, 2012 06:37 EST
By Carl E. Olson
Do you think it is a coincidence that this is happening immediately prior to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade? As reported by TheHill.com:
Most healthcare plans will be required to cover birth control without charging co-pays or deductibles starting Aug. 1, the Obama administration announced Friday.
The final regulation retains the approach federal health officials proposed last summer, despite the deluge of complaints from religious groups and congressional Republicans that has poured in since then. Churches, synagogues and other houses of worship are exempt from the requirement, but religious-affiliated hospitals and universities only get a one-year delay and must comply by Aug. 1, 2013.
“This decision was made after very careful consideration, including the important concerns some have raised about religious liberty,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement. “I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services.”
The “balance” being along the lines of “Heads we win, tails you lose”?
The provision has attracted more than 200,000 comments, HHS said — most of them in favor of access to birth control, which the vast majority of healthcare plans already cover. Some religious institutions, however, said they would sooner close their doors than cover birth control, which they liken to abortion in some cases.
“What war and disease could not do to the congregation, the government of the United States will do,” Nashville’s Dominican congregation said. “It will shut them down.”
Thank you so much. I have an email alert set to ‘Nashville Dominicans’ and this is how i found your site. The Sisters staff 2 local schools here, one of which my daughter attends. I love these Sisters very much so when they ‘show up’ in the news i am always interested =)
Your daughter is very blessed to be taught by them, Lisa. They are one of my ten favorite religious communities in the world.