This just in:
DATE: May 22, 2008
FROM: Sr. Mary Ann Walsh
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARDINAL GEORGE PRAISES PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PROMISE TO SUPPORT CONSCIENCE CLAUSES, SEEKS TO WORK WITH ADMINISTRATION ON GOAL
WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, praised President Barack Obama’s promise to support conscience clauses.
“Caring health professionals and institutions should know that their deeply held religious or moral convictions will be respected as they exercise their right to serve patients in need,” Cardinal Francis George said.
“Catholic providers, in particular, make a large and essential contribution to health care in our society. Essential steps to protect these conscience rights will strengthen our health care system and enhance many patients’ access to necessary life-affirming care.
“A government that wants to reduce the tragic number of abortions in our society will also work to ensure that no one is forced to support or participate in abortion, whether through directly providing or referring for abortions or being forced to subsidize them with their tax dollars. As this discussion continues we look forward to working with the Administration and other policy makers to advance this goal,” he said.
The 2009 Official Catholic Directory reports that in the United States there are 562 Catholic hospitals treating more than 85 million people annually. President Obama spoke of conscience protections during his May 17 address at the University of Notre Dame.
Cardinal George’s entire statement follows.
I am grateful for President Obama’s statement on May 17 that we should all “honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion,” and his support for conscience clauses advancing this goal.
Since 1973, federal laws protecting the conscience rights of health care providers have been an important part of our American civil rights tradition. These laws should be fully implemented and enforced. Caring health professionals and institutions should know that their deeply held religious or moral convictions will be respected as they exercise their right to serve patients in need.
Catholic providers, in particular, make a large and essential contribution to health care in our society. Essential steps to protect these conscience rights will strengthen our health care system and enhance many patients’ access to necessary life-affirming care.
A government that wants to reduce the tragic number of abortions in our society will also work to ensure that no one is forced to support or participate in abortion, whether through directly providing or referring for abortions or being forced to subsidize them with their tax dollars. As this discussion continues we look forward to working with the Administration and other policy makers to advance this goal.
I think praising a conscience clause is a bit much. Its like saying, "gee I'm happy _I_ don't have to gun down those people." Is this from the Archdiocese?
Posted by: Nick | May 22, 2009 at 04:59 PM
It's from the USCCB office.
Posted by: Jim Kushiner | May 22, 2009 at 05:24 PM
I understand and appreciate the Cardinal's strategy of holding the President to the promises he made publicly, but I also tend to agree with NIck--we're grateful that the government might agree that we don't have to violate our own consciences by participating in the horror of abortion? How utterly pathetic!
Posted by: Bill R | May 22, 2009 at 05:25 PM
He may just be calling Obama's bluff. Not a big pot, I know, but it's something.
Posted by: Steve Nicoloso | May 22, 2009 at 05:36 PM
Then I am deeply disappointed in Cardinal George. I was hoping this was a journalist googley-eyes.
Posted by: Nick | May 22, 2009 at 05:41 PM
I don't see how this squares with Joan Desmond's analysis in her "Obama's 'sensible conscience clause'" post.
Anybody have a link to Cardinal George's entire statement?
Posted by: Benighted Savage | May 22, 2009 at 05:47 PM
It could be good cop / bad cop--praise the one and only praisable thing from his Notre Dame speech while consulting with the other bishops about how to counter the rest.
The Catholic bishops are in a bad way. They threw away their authority by failing to exercise it 40 years ago when it would have still been effective. Today, half or more of those who call themselves Catholic are, in effect, their own bishops, sincerely believing that they may ignore what their bishop says if it is not to their liking. Simply making pronouncements about how much a part of the Culture of Death Obama is won't convince those "Catholics." Those who would be convinced by such a pronouncement already know Obama's a cheerleader for Death.
The bishops can't regain their authority without exercising it but in exercising it they do not enjoy authority except with a minority of their flock. The media have no shortage of "Catholics" who can authoritatively pronounce Bishop X's or Cardinal Y's pronouncements as "inquisitorial" or "mean" or "uncatholic." To the chattering classes, the dissenters are the true bishops of the Catholic Church.
And the bishops cannot wave a wand and regain the ground they lost. They'll have to fight for every inch of it. That one third of them appear, finally, to be beginning to understand the terrain of battle is a good sign. It's also a sign of how bad things are.
Posted by: houghton g | May 23, 2009 at 02:39 PM
Sorry that won't cut it. We've had bishops in the past who have faced worse than a representative democracy and the disdain of the chattering classes.
Posted by: Nick | May 23, 2009 at 05:56 PM
The entire statement of the Cardinal is included in the post, at the end.
Posted by: Jim Kushiner | May 23, 2009 at 06:12 PM
I see it now. Thanks. Must be past time to have my eyes checked.
Posted by: Benighted Savage | May 23, 2009 at 06:31 PM