It’s interesting how cheerfully unabashed the Telegraph is in its belief that Catholic bishops should tell US presidents and legislators what laws to make. It’s interesting that they take theocracy – and reactionary all-but-falangist Catholic theocracy at that – for granted. It’s interesting and somewhat surprising. Would they really like reactionary Catholic bishops making laws in the UK?
Roman Catholic leaders have furiously criticised President Barack Obama for approving new regulations that compel religious organisations to include morning-after pills and other contraceptives in employee health insurance coverage.
New rules, introduced under Mr Obama’s overhaul of the US healthcare system, mean that religious charities, universities and other groups must now provide contraception in staff insurance packages.
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At least 153 US bishops have spoken out against the change. A letter from a leading bishop, accusing the president of waging a “severe assault on religious liberty”, has been read to dozens of congregations.
“We Catholics will be compelled to either violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees and suffer the penalties for doing so,” wrote Alexander Sample, the Bishop of Marquette.
Mr Obama has been accused of backtracking on an assurance that he made in a 2009 speech at the University of Notre Dame, a leading Catholic university in Indiana.
Speaking specifically about his planned health reforms, he said: “Let’s honour the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause”.
Interesting that the Telegraph so casually conflates abortion with contraception.
Timothy Dolan, the Cardinal-designate of New York and president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged Catholics across America to bring political pressure to bear.
“Let your elected leaders know that you want religious liberty and rights of conscience restored and that you want the administration’s contraceptive mandate rescinded,” he said.
A very uncritical report of a very theocratic illegitimate power-grab by the Catholic bishops. The Telegraph is strange.