Catholic Teaching and Health Care

This weekend will see, according to the latest news reports, the final disposition of Health Care Reform by the House of Representatives. How the vote will go is still a bit of an uncertainty, as is whether it will actually be a vote on the health care bill or some other version of political machinations.

The bishops of the United States have made the true Catholic position clear concerning this bill. His Eminence, Cardinal George issued an explanation of the huge moral problems the bill contains which makes it impossible for Catholics to support the legislation in its current form. His Eminence, Cardinal DiNardo has given a talk emphasizing the same points. The Archbishop of Denver, His Excellency, Archbishop Chaput, has spoken and written numerous times over the past few days on this issue as well, this being the latest.

The teaching of the Church is clear, at least to those that have ears to hear. There have been some vocal dissents to this teaching from those claiming to be Catholic (specifically the Catholic Health Association as well as NETWORK). Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the majority of the dissenters have been women religious who have for years been attacking and undermining the teaching of the Church. Needless to say, this group of "nuns" continues to bank on the credibility they have with the average Catholic who remembers the days when what "sister" lived, taught and said was what the Church lived, taught and said. This situation has become so problematic that the President of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR), Mother Mary Quentin, issued the following statement on behalf of the Council. I know that this seems very confusing to most folks, but the CMSWR represents those orders of women religious who are faithful, in full, to the Church. We need to start realizing that many of the "sisters" we all knew and loved have moved beyond the faith they once professed. More importantly, we need to pray for those women religious who are still members of the orders that have dissidents in the leadership roles but who themselves are faithful daughters of the Church. They are suffering a white martyrdom.

While I was not going to create a post concerning this issue, since so many have done so in a way better than I can hope to do, Speaker Pelosi's comments yesterday caused me such frustration that I had to write something. The Speaker invoked the aid of St. Joseph -- on his feastday -- to get the current healthcare reform bill through the House. The woman has no shame and it seems that those who have ecclesiastical jurisdiction over her have chosen to allow her to make comments which are in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Church without any official rebuttal or penalty.

We do ned, however, to invoke the assistance of St. Joseph about this legislation. He, the universal patron of the Church, is a powerful intercessor before God. Speaker Pelosi may ultimately regret asking for his assistance, since he may have a very different outcome in mind.