The Roman Catholic Church has a membership that exceeds 68 million in the U.S. (Official Catholic Directory 2009). As the largest Christian denomination that makes up around 22 percent of the electorate, Catholics comprise a dynamic voting bloc whose political allegiances vary from election to election.
Devout Catholics turn to Church leadership for guidance on using faith and morality as a paradigm for civic behavior. Then, there are those Catholics who are not weekly church-goers but still lean on the religion for cultural, familial and ethnic foundations.
Regardless, it is apparent that the Roman Catholic Church enjoys an important role as a political entity. As Catholics sway between Democrats and Republicans with each campaign cycle, they become more and more of a swing demographic for politicians and policy groups alike. This massive group of voters is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with for leaders on both sides of the political spectrum.
That makes their official policy viewpoints of the utmost importance to astute politicians. And the health care reform issue is no different, with the Church weighing in as they typically do- rooted in doctrine and vague on individual legislation.
The Roman Catholic Church considers health care one of the most fundamental rights of human beings around the world. To Catholics, the “right to life” is not just meant for the unborn, but instead, for a person’s entire lifetime, even down to their last moments. The dignity of the person is nothing short of a pillar of Catholic social teaching that dictates so much of the Church’s public policy perspective.
However, there is no consensus as to how that can be achieved and there is certainly no mention of universal insurance as the solution. The Catholic Church has not stated that they believe a public option would ensure increased access or quality coverage, but they have indicated that should be the goal for American leaders to strive to achieve.
The Church has not come out in favor or opposition to these means of expanding coverage for more Americans. However, they have made it clear that they oppose any sort of provision that will allow for abortions, especially state-sponsored, even in the name of reproductive care.
In a press release dated July 21, 2009, the United States Council of Catholic Bishops explained that while they do support health care reform, it must be certain criteria to garner the approval of Catholics in the U.S.:
Writing on behalf of the bishops as chairman of their Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Bishop Murphy said the bishops have advocated comprehensive health care reform for decades and recommended four criteria for fair and just health care reform: respect for human life and dignity, access for all, pluralism and equitable costs.
Despite their desire for more coverage, the Church has not explicitly offered a roadmap to its attainment. They did, however, present one condition that they believe is non-negotiable:
On respecting life and dignity, he said, “No health care reform plan should compel us or others to pay for the destruction of human life, whether through government funding or mandatory coverage of abortion. Any such action would be morally wrong.”
The question must be raised: Will the Catholic Church support a public option, even if it does include an abortion mandate, if they believe it will offer health care for more people?
Some Catholic leaders are unwilling to accept the legislation, regardless of the existence of an abortion provision in the bill. EWTN, the nationwide Catholic network, published an article by its news director, Raymond Arroyo, alerting Catholics of the overall content of the bill. Arroyo essentially asserts that President Obama’s proposals were anti-Catholic.
Here’s to your health, unless you are too old, too young, too disabled or any combination of the above. The health care reform bills wending their way through Congress should be focused on the well being of each citizen. Instead, it seems the bills, designed to contain costs while simultaneously extending health coverage to everyone, target certain vulnerable groups including the elderly, the pre-born, and the disabled. It all comes down to cost. How to pay for this colossus remains a question on the Hill. But the consensus seems to be: raise taxes and ration care. Both ideas have been woven into the current health care bills.
Arroyo believes that there are many demographic groups in America who are at risk, including the elderly. While many Catholics consider abortion the biggest issue in the fight for the right to life, rationing of care has become a growing concern for the Church, as a universal health care system could prioritize patients based on their societal worth and potential function, instead of their human dignity. Simply, there are limitations of cost that will be inevitible realities if this sort of health care reform passes. Even President Obama has admitted that much. For a church that does not believe in doctor-assisted suicides or does not support the refusal of families to go to extraordinary lengths to preserve the life of a dying person, it makes sense that they would also oppose any system that would ration care.
Just as their members vary politically, it seems the leadership in the Catholic Church is divided on the legislation. It is no surprise that Catholics, both as an entity and individuals in leadership roles, oppose any opportunity for the expansion of abortion. But, how will they pressure elected officials to vote on the matter? Catholic ideology encourages using doctrine as a tool for citizens to make their own judgments based on beliefs when casting their votes, and the health care issue will be no different.
Tags: abortion, abortion mandate, Affordable Health Choices Act, bishops, Catholic, Ellen Carmichael, EWTN, health care reform, healthcare reform, Obama, Obamacare, public-option, Raymond Arroyo, United States Council of Catholic Bishops, USCCB
This entry was posted on Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Devout Catholics turn to Church leadership for guidance on using faith and morality as a paradigm for civic behavior. Then, there are those Catholics who are not weekly church-goers but still lean on the religion for cultural, familial and ethnic foundations.
Regardless, it is apparent that the Roman Catholic Church enjoys an important role as a political entity. As Catholics sway between Democrats and Republicans with each campaign cycle, they become more and more of a swing demographic for politicians and policy groups alike. This massive group of voters is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with for leaders on both sides of the political spectrum.
That makes their official policy viewpoints of the utmost importance to astute politicians. And the health care reform issue is no different, with the Church weighing in as they typically do- rooted in doctrine and vague on individual legislation.
The Roman Catholic Church considers health care one of the most fundamental rights of human beings around the world. To Catholics, the “right to life” is not just meant for the unborn, but instead, for a person’s entire lifetime, even down to their last moments. The dignity of the person is nothing short of a pillar of Catholic social teaching that dictates so much of the Church’s public policy perspective.
However, there is no consensus as to how that can be achieved and there is certainly no mention of universal insurance as the solution. The Catholic Church has not stated that they believe a public option would ensure increased access or quality coverage, but they have indicated that should be the goal for American leaders to strive to achieve.
The Church has not come out in favor or opposition to these means of expanding coverage for more Americans. However, they have made it clear that they oppose any sort of provision that will allow for abortions, especially state-sponsored, even in the name of reproductive care.
In a press release dated July 21, 2009, the United States Council of Catholic Bishops explained that while they do support health care reform, it must be certain criteria to garner the approval of Catholics in the U.S.:
Writing on behalf of the bishops as chairman of their Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Bishop Murphy said the bishops have advocated comprehensive health care reform for decades and recommended four criteria for fair and just health care reform: respect for human life and dignity, access for all, pluralism and equitable costs.
Despite their desire for more coverage, the Church has not explicitly offered a roadmap to its attainment. They did, however, present one condition that they believe is non-negotiable:
On respecting life and dignity, he said, “No health care reform plan should compel us or others to pay for the destruction of human life, whether through government funding or mandatory coverage of abortion. Any such action would be morally wrong.”
The question must be raised: Will the Catholic Church support a public option, even if it does include an abortion mandate, if they believe it will offer health care for more people?
Some Catholic leaders are unwilling to accept the legislation, regardless of the existence of an abortion provision in the bill. EWTN, the nationwide Catholic network, published an article by its news director, Raymond Arroyo, alerting Catholics of the overall content of the bill. Arroyo essentially asserts that President Obama’s proposals were anti-Catholic.
Here’s to your health, unless you are too old, too young, too disabled or any combination of the above. The health care reform bills wending their way through Congress should be focused on the well being of each citizen. Instead, it seems the bills, designed to contain costs while simultaneously extending health coverage to everyone, target certain vulnerable groups including the elderly, the pre-born, and the disabled. It all comes down to cost. How to pay for this colossus remains a question on the Hill. But the consensus seems to be: raise taxes and ration care. Both ideas have been woven into the current health care bills.
Arroyo believes that there are many demographic groups in America who are at risk, including the elderly. While many Catholics consider abortion the biggest issue in the fight for the right to life, rationing of care has become a growing concern for the Church, as a universal health care system could prioritize patients based on their societal worth and potential function, instead of their human dignity. Simply, there are limitations of cost that will be inevitible realities if this sort of health care reform passes. Even President Obama has admitted that much. For a church that does not believe in doctor-assisted suicides or does not support the refusal of families to go to extraordinary lengths to preserve the life of a dying person, it makes sense that they would also oppose any system that would ration care.
Just as their members vary politically, it seems the leadership in the Catholic Church is divided on the legislation. It is no surprise that Catholics, both as an entity and individuals in leadership roles, oppose any opportunity for the expansion of abortion. But, how will they pressure elected officials to vote on the matter? Catholic ideology encourages using doctrine as a tool for citizens to make their own judgments based on beliefs when casting their votes, and the health care issue will be no different.
Tags: abortion, abortion mandate, Affordable Health Choices Act, bishops, Catholic, Ellen Carmichael, EWTN, health care reform, healthcare reform, Obama, Obamacare, public-option, Raymond Arroyo, United States Council of Catholic Bishops, USCCB
This entry was posted on Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
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Source:http://healthcarehorserace.com/activism/07272009/the-roman-catholic-church-and-health-care-reform/
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