Should US Catholics Continue to Donate for Free Healthcare?

The Catholic Standard, in this week's edition, contains an article focusing on those honored during the Rose Mass.  The Rose Mass is the opportunity to pray for and thank, all of those who are involved in the health care field.  After the Rose Mass, a number of those in the medical field were honored for their work at the Spanish Center.

With the passage of the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHA) or Obamacare, and the ability of ANYONE who wants insurance (including illegal aliens, prisoners, etc.), do we still need to maintain FREE (or at minimal cost) health care clinics funded by Catholic donations.  Remember, the USCCB and the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) supported AHA.

So, my question is:  Why are we (Catholics) continuing to support free healthcare provide by the Catholic Church?  Should we take those $$ and use it to fund education or other activities?

OBAMA sticks it to us again!

Obama's "change" in policy just shifts the burden to the insurance companies. It becomes mandatory for them to offer the birth control products, even if the purchaser is the Catholic Church.

Don't believe him. It is just another way that the Church has to pay for it.

We must continue to fight this Hugo Chavez move!

Spanish Catholic Center - Poor Care?

A lawsuit has been filed against two medical clinics run by Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Washington DC. This lawsuit was filed by Charles Briggs, the staff doctor from March 2008 till Oct. 2010, when according to the Washington comPost, he was fired. You can read about it here.

The Archdiocese sent out an email the following day (Thursday, April 9th) refuting the allegations.

Linked to his email was a letter to the Washington comPost by the Director of the Spanish Center.

In addition, a letter was sent out by Bishop Knestout regarding this and other stories in the Washington comPost.

To be honest, I don't have all of the facts on this one, although the Washington comPost is no friend of the Catholic Church.

A long time ago, I advocated that we should close this center and reallocate the funds towards education. If these allegations are true, maybe this would be a good time to shut it down and reallocate the funds to education.

Help Stop the Monster Called: OBAMACARE

Today, the House of Representatives will take up a vote on the repeal of the monster many of us called OBAMACARE.

Call your representative. Write to him or her. Let them know that OBAMACARE must be eliminated.

Still supporting it? Then you must support all of these new taxes. Check out the list here.

CCHD funding Obama's Health Care Supporters?

President Obama and administration officials are rallying religious leaders to “spread the word” on new health care legislation to reinforce public support and to raise awareness about the effects of new insurance reforms.

The organization People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO) is reportedly planning to distribute 50,000 door hangers in lower-income communities within the next two weeks. PICO regularly meets with the administration and last week participated in an HHS-run call for faith-based groups.

For more, go to Catholic News Agency.

If I remember correctly (and I don't have time to fully research), PICO and PICO related groups have and are receiving CCHD money.

Guess Who is NOT on the list..and another slap from Georgetown University...and more drivel from the WaPo

Guess who is not on the list opposing the Health Care Bill...

and another slap in the face from Georgetown and...

more drivel from the Washington Compost...

The historic vote that made health-care reform into law ends a three-decades' old anti-abortion strategy. The ground has shifted from under the old-line bishops and the single-issue National Right to Life organizations or blogs like those from the redoubtable Catholic League that want to stop abortions by legal and/or judicial fiat. It's painfully obvious that the previous strategy is obsolete. The unlikely trio of Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Penn.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) were three Catholics who drove home this message as Sunday's contest turned into Monday morning.

Read the rest of it here...if you have the stomach for it.

It's Like Christmas...

"It's just going to be like Christmas," said DeCarlo Flythe, who lost health coverage for his family when he was laid off almost three years ago. "It's going to be great. You know, no worries (about) the bills. We are going to go ahead and pay our co-pay and be alright."

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Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, made the call March 23, moments after president Barack Obama signed the Senate version of health care reform legislation approved by the House of Representatives by a slim margin, March 21. The statement was approved unanimously by the 32-member Administrative Committee of the USCCB.

“We applaud the effort to expand health care to all,” Cardinal George said.

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Sunday, the House passed the health care bill.

The Democrat Party bought off various Senators and Representatives with such things as the Louisiana Purchase and the Cornhusker Compromise. They bought off Stupak for less than $2 million (although he really wasn't on our side). They changed the rules, ignored points of order and did everything they could to ram this through.

Our Bishops supported this and then did not support this and then supported it again. Archbishop Wuerl remained quite silent during these last few months only allowing Susan Gibbs to issue press releases. Our liberal Catholycs, such as the President's spokemand Mr. Gibbs, did everything they could to confuse the average Catholic.


What does this mean for the average person? In the short term (a couple of months), not much. In the longer term, much.


There is so much to say, I don't even know where to begin.


We were told over 30 years ago, by none other than Teddy Kennedy, that HMOs would solve the problem of insurance and coverage for all. That did not happen.


We keep hearing about all those with pre-existing conditions will be accepted. Great but what type of care will they get. Will they get everything like now or will they only get a limited amount of health care.


And the Executive Order that the President will sign regarding abortion is a joke. That can easily be cancelled. Remember, what the most Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama did when he got into office regarding the Mexico Policy?


And what of our Catholic hospitals and medical institutions? CHA and Sister "what's her face" see $$$ signs in their eyes.

Well, there is no need for additional fundraising, since the government will take care of everything. Right?

There is no need to a Spanish Catholic Center to provide medical treatment. Right? But, you will see continued fundraising in this area because as we all know, there will never be enough funding to cover all costs.

It may be Christmas for DeCarlo Flythe but someone will have to pay the bill. It may not be him but a middle income person like myself will be the one.

It is really all in vain because the Most Merciful will tax me at a huge rate.

And what does the USCCB -- they state that it is wonderful that we now have health care for all. Have they been nipping at the sacramental wine?

Investors.com has a wonderful article about what this will do to you. Maybe Cardinal George should have read it before he made the congratulation call.

And have you noticed how silent Archbishop Wuerl has been. Not a peep. Maybe he is overjoyed at it but does not want to admit it.

I am no longer giving to Archbishop's Appeal and a number of the collections taken up by the USCCB.

The next thing will be for me to start to cut back on the additional fundraisers my parish undertakes, once my taxes begin to increase.

Yep, it may be Christmas for some but "someone has to pay the piper."

To those on the pro-life side who support this bill...

MORE I have one question to ask the witness. (RICH stops) That's a chain of office you are wearing. (Reluctantly RICH faces him) May I see it?

(NORFOLK motions him to approach. MORE examines the medallion) The red dragon

(To CROMWELL) What's this?

CROMWELL Sir Richard is appointed Attorney-General for Wales.

MORE (Looking into RICH'S face, with pain and amusement) For Wales? Why, Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world . . . But for Wales! (Exit RICH, stiff-faced, but infrangibly dignified)

Dispensation for Friday - It's St. Joseph's Day

This is the very first time I have heard of this - Dispensation on Friday because it is St. Joseph's Day. Yes, folks, according to Canon 1251: "Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless (nisi) they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Archdiocese has even put out a news release on this.

Meanwhile, we have the Catholic Health Association (a trade group) and a radical group of nuns supporting this disaster of health care, and our Archbishop has been silent. He was not silent a few months ago, when he advocated that all illegal aliens should be covered. He was not silent when he urged for their to be health care reform.

Now, when the forces of evil (there, I said it) are willing to undermine the Constitution, make a power grab for a huge part of our economy, push through millions of dollars for abortion, our Archbishop remains silent.

Archbishop Wuerl, being silent on this will not make it go away. Being silent on this, and as my father would say "Mark my words," it will mean the end of Catholic Hospitals have moral standards. They will force us to do abortions and there will be no conscience clause.

Archbishop Wuerl, it is time to stand up and be counted.

Stand Up Against the Monster Called Health Care Reform

Although the Catholic Health Association, IMHO, has sold its' soul in endorsing this train wreck about to happen, you don't have to. Please call or write to your Representatives to stop this from happening.

Here is an interesting story about why the Democrat Party is pushing abortion is health care.

Here is a link to a listing of all Reps by state.

Contact them. Today.

Abortion is Preventative Care

Yep, so says Sen. Mikulski, who tells everyone she was raised a Catholic. Read more about it from LifeNews.

Once again, I am calling on all faithful Catholics to vote against her when her term is up.

The USCCB is getting hoodwinked here by supporting "universal health care." They have no idea what they are up against.

From the "See I Told You" File

From The Hill:

A House Democrat leader said Monday she's “confident” controversial language on abortion will be stripped from a final healthcare bill.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the Democrats’ chief deputy whip in the House, said that she and other pro-abortion rights lawmakers would work to strip the amendment included in the House health bill that bars federal funding from going to subsidize abortions.

“I am confident that when it comes back from the conference committee that that language won't be there,” Wasserman Schultz said during an appearance on MSNBC. “And I think we're all going to be working very hard, particularly the pro-choice members, to make sure that's the case.”

Read the rest right here.

URGENT: HELP STOP THE HEALTH CARE TRAIN WRECK DEBACLE!

Because of the seriousness of the issue below, I am postponing my story on education in the Archdiocese till later in the week. Thanks for understanding.

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If you are Catholic and believe that abortion is immoral, that the government should not fund abortions and that Catholics in the health care field should not be forced to either quit their jobs or help commit murder, then you need to help stop the health care bill.

From American Papist:

it is believed that Pelosi will bring her health care bill to a vote in the House of Representatives this week. I am strongly against this bill and so are the US bishops. Please visit usccb.org/action to contact your representatives demanding they VOTE NO on it!

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Update (7:30am): Congratulations to the supporters of True Marriage in Maine. You defeated the gay marriage proposal, even though you were outspent almost 2 to 1. Maybe that is why homosexuals are fighting so hard not to put it to a vote in DC. Maybe they know that they cannot win by the ballot box.

Shouldn't We Ensure that Social Security is okay?

As you know, Archbishop Wuerl has thrown his zucchetto into the health care debate by having an on-line "newspaper" publish his editorial on the subject.

Now, I know that I have been critical of him, but as an American and as the leader of Roman Catholic Church in Washington DC/Maryland, he has a right to do so. I would never, ever, take that away from him. Just as I would not take away David Catania's right to talk about homosexual marriage. He has the right to speak on it and advocate it, even though his is wrong.

However, we have problems brewing more and more with Social Security. You can read about it here. In fact, I found it interesting that

In 1940 there were 160 workers supporting each person on Social Security. By 2006 this number had fallen to 3.3 workers per pensioner. By 2034, there will be only 2.1 workers for each person collecting a government retirement check. (Source)

Now, some of you will say "but those people have paid into that." That is true, but what they have really done is get a promisary note -- they may not get their money back -- since there is no "lock box" or real trust fund. It is just a bunch of IOU's.

Don't you think that we should ensure that Social Security, which so many people rely upon, should be a priority to fix? Should not the Archbishop call for fixing Social Security and against any health care reform? Should not the Archbishop call for a fixing of Medicare and Medicaid first?

I think that we should fix what we have, before attempting socialized medicine.
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I am calling on all Catholics, to request that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) be shut down. Not certain what I mean or why, then read this.

A Message from the Population Research Institutie

Archbishop Wuerl and Healthcare

In an Op Ed Piece in Politics Daily (Health Care Reform a Moral, Imperative, But Must Cover Immigrants, Too), Archbishop Wuerl has decided to jump into the health care debate. He does in a left of center, on-line publication.

I have a couple of bones to pick with him and this article.

1. The current health care system does not cover only a few. It covers a majority of the people.
2. If health care is a basic human right, then what are the basic responsibilities of humans to the system? This is a question I keep meaning to ask everyone who says this. Does it mean we should not eat at McDonald's? Does it mean we should not have any alcohol? Does it mean we should not eat BBQ pork ribs? No one ever explains it, and neither does the Archbishop.
3. What does universal health care mean? Does it mean free eyeglasses every two years? Does it mean kidney transplants for one and all? Are you telling me that health care is not universal right now? You mean you cannot get health care anywhere? Could have fooled me.
4. Well, once again, the Archbishop leaves out the word "illegal" when he discusses immigration. Why? Because he refuses to state that those who are here illegally should be arrested and deported.

I would agree with him that health care costs too much. It is because of lawsuits, the waste and mismanagement and fraud of Medicare and Medicaid and the cost of taking care of those who are here illegally.

The same people who gave us the current health care system are the same people who want to give us this. Who do you think one of the key sponsors of the HMO laws wasy? Teddy Kennedy.

The Archbishop has much more to worry about in his diocese than jumping into this. He has VOTF meeting in his parishes, he has parishes which are pro-homosexual marriage, school enrollment is dropping with the possibility of closings in January/February, he has schools and Catholic organizations within the diocese honoring those who are pro-abortion and pro-homosexual lifestyle. He refuses to take a stand against Catholic politicians who go against the Church. In fact, he himself goes about honoring union leaders who support abortion and homosexual marriage.

He thinks that he can save Catholic health care. Maybe get it more money. He is sadly mistaken. Once you have made a deal with the devil, you can never get out of it.

We need a new Archbishop or Cardinal for this Archdiocese.

Hat Tip to The Deacon's Bench for this.
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Because of the continuing scandal at ACORN, I am asking all my readers and Catholic bloggers to once again to call for the shutting down of CCHD. Once shut down, reform it, so that money goes only to Catholic organizations that are faithful to the Church, not to organizations that may go against the teachings of the Church. The only way that Archbishop Wuerl and the members of the USCCB will get the message is if we stop funding them.

CHA President Supports Obama's Health Picks

According to LifeNews.Com:


The president of the Catholic Health Association, Sister Carol Keehan, has issued a response to the pro-life advocates who are upset with her statement praising two pro-abortion picks by incoming president Barack Obama.

Instead of backing down from her position, Sister Keehan goes further by offering a defense of Obama as well as his new pro-abortion Health Secretary Tom Daschle and pro-abortion deputy health care director Jeanne Lambrew.

They are committed to getting access to quality health care for all Americans, including pregnant women and their unborn babies," Keehan adds. "It is my belief that we ... will prevent more abortions by ensuring tangible health care for pregnant women and their unborn babies.


Wow. This sounds like it was taken out of the Catholics for Obama playbook.


Maybe it is because they see this as a chance for socialized medicine?