FOCA legislation no threat to Catholic health care

[shrike]

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0900402.htm

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Internet rumors to the contrary, no Catholic hospital in the United States is in danger of closing because of the Freedom of Choice Act.

As a matter of fact, the Freedom of Choice Act died with the 110th Congress and, a week after the inauguration of President Barack Obama, has not been reintroduced.

But that hasn't kept misleading e-mails from flying around the Internet, warning of the dire consequences if Obama signs FOCA into law and promoting a "FOCA novena" in the days leading up to Inauguration Day.

SNIP

Some of the confusion over FOCA might arise from the fact that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops launched a long-scheduled postcard campaign to Congress against the possible legislation just as the false Internet rumors were reaching a peak.

[DemBones DemBones]

1. Some of the confusion over FOCA might arise from

the fact that Obama promised Planned Parenthood that he would sign FOCA as soon as he was president. He has overturned the Mexico City restrictions on funding abortions in other countries and I have no doubt that he will push Congress to pass FOCA when it's introduced again. He'll stick it to pro-lifers however he can.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

2. I know there's nervousness here because of a court decision a few years ago.

The courts ruled that Catholic Charities operating in the archdiocese of Boston had to provide coverage for contraception in its health insurance plans despite church teaching. Similar rulings came in California and New York.

In another case the state supreme court in Massachusetts stated that Catholic Charities must offer adoption services to same-sex couples again in spite of official church teaching (we'll leave debate over the rectitude of it for another day. I'm just illustrating a point). As a result, Catholic Charities in Massachusetts ceased its adoption services.

The FOCA fears seem to have their roots in these judicial decision, and I don't think should be brushed off so easily (although I don't think it is just to use a fear campaign to further one's agenda, either. Rational discourse is what I say).

[shrike]

3. I thought it was interesting that such an article came from Catholic News Service

It has such a soothing "It's not so bad" tone.

So there are both optimists and pessimists on this subject.

[rug]

4. What's odder is that it's a division of the USCCB which spobsored the post card capaign.

While created in 1920 by the bishops of the United States, CNS is editorially independent and a financially self-sustaining division of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. CNS is staffed by trained, professional journalists; all eligible nonmanagement staffers are members of The Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America.

http://www.catholicnews.com/aboutcns.htm

http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/FOCA/postcard.shtml

[shrike]

5. Judging from what I've seen of CNS, they aren't anybody's tool

They definitely have a slant, and I'd never use them as a sole news source, but they're definitely not a propaganda machine.