United States

Obama fans religious war in U.S.

            “The Obama administration has just told the Catholics of the United States, ‘To Hell with you!’ There is no other way to put it. To Hell with your religious beliefs. To Hell with your religious liberty. To Hell with your freedom of conscience.” With unusually strong language, Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh alerted his flock to Obama’s new declaration of war against the Church.

            The Obama administration has directly and deliberately attacked our fundamental right to religious freedom, and in a most patronizing way. His Department of Health and Human Services has mandated that contraceptives and abortion inducing drugs be part of every health care plan, free of charge. With this decision, Catholics and Catholic institutions such as hospitals, universities and social agencies will be forced to pay for and provide contraception, sterilization and abortifacient drugs.

            With a veritable pat on the head, the administration has given Catholics a year to comply with the ruling. Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote, “In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences.”

            Catholic citizens cannot let this unjust mandate and unprecedented violation of our beliefs stand. It is, as Bishop Paul Loverde has described, “a truly radical break with the liberties that have underpinned our nation since its founding.”

Conscience

            It might not be so radical if the conscience was mere social construct, superficial conviction, or personal wishes and tastes. But conscience is much more. Cardinal Newman understood conscience to be the “perceptible and demanding presence of the voice of the truth of God within the person.” Conscience involves one’s inner inclination to do good and avoid evil, and then recognize the good that must be done in a particular situation.

            We must never act against a certain conscience that has been well-formed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way, “Man has the right in conscience and freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters” (CCC 1782). Yet, this is precisely what the Obama administration is demanding.

            To follow the dictates of one’s conscience is essential to the dignity of man. Further, to act freely and knowingly against one’s certain conscience is a mortal sin. Saint Thomas More understood this well, and is an exemplar of how Catholics should respond to this threat to our consciences and religious freedom. (This was well expressed in Robert Bolt’s famous play “A Man for All Seasons,” when his one-time friend, the Duke of Norfolk, beseeched him “But damn it Thomas, look at these names. Why can’t you do as I did and come with us for fellowship?”

            Thomas responded, “And when we die and you are sent to Heaven for doing your conscience and I am sent to Hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?” The Obama administration has placed Catholics in an equally precarious situation. Condemnation is the reward for acting against a certain conscience. Yet the Obama administration says Catholics have no choice.

            Following the announcement, Bishop Loverde wrote, “I urge the faithful of Northern Virginia and all citizens of good will to understand what is at stake in this unavoidable confrontation, which has been thrust upon us, and to be prepared to engage in a strong defense in the civil arena of the basic human right of religious liberty.”

            This much is certain: It does not profit a man to gain health insurance, and to lose his soul. Recognizing what is at stake, we must be willing to defend our freedom of religion and conscience. So, let us unite with our Bishops for fellowship and for Truth. (Lifesitenews.com, Jan. 31, 2012)

            As of Jan. 31, 2012, 65% of US Bishops have publicly blasted Obama’s health care rule.

Canada

Religious war in Ontario?

            On November 30, 2011, McGuinty’s Liberal government introduced Bill 13, Accepting Schools Act to give legal status to the various decisions made about Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs) in all Ontario schools. The Catholic Register suggested that a showdown may be looming as Catholic schools struggle with the implementation of GSAs. An article from January 25, 2012 addressed the problem of the possibility of GSAs to become clubs that go beyond offering anti-bullying support to advocating a lifestyle that contravenes Church teaching on sexual morality.

            On Thursday, January 26, 2012, the special task force of the Catholic schools of Ontario set-up in the spring of 2011 with Bishop Gerard Bergie of St. Catharines as Chairman and educational officials as members, published its report on schools clubs created to promote Equity and Respect for all students. Its title: “Respecting Difference.”

            The report, vetted and approved by Archbishops, presents the Catholic educational philosophy of how to deal with various kinds of bullying, including the bullying of those with same-sex attraction. It rejects the use of the term “gay,” and other related descriptions as desired by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, because it rejects the notion that behaviour is the same as identity.

            Catholic parents should express their thanks to their bishops for doing what so many of their own school boards and trustees refused to do: set forth the proper way how to handle the age-old problem of bullying in the school yard.

            The full text of the document, issued under the auspices of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association may be found in the following link: http://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/shared/media/editor/file/Jan25 Final-RespectingDifference.pdf

Is Ontario heading for a religious war?

            Parents should be aware of the hysterical reactions put forth in some Ontario newspapers. In the Toronto Star “New Democrat MPP Cheri Di Novo warns Catholics that limiting clubs as they propose reduces benefits to gay kids, “ (Jan. 30); Meanwhile, two columnists lashed out at Catholic schools as anachronistic, outdated, bizarre, anti-modern, left overs that should be dissolved as soon as possible. See Martin Cohn in “Catholic trustees test premier,” Toronto Star Jan. 31; and National Post columnist Chris Selley (“Dalton McGuinty’s gay headache,” Jan. 28, 2012).

            Printed on the editorial page of the National Post, columnist Chris Selley ranted about how Premier McGuinty’s anti-bullying legislation is being threatened  by Ontario’s “bizarre, anachronistic, publicly-funded Catholic school system.”  He goes on to quote from the released policy document issued on Jan. 26, 2012 by the Ontario Catholic Trustees’ Association (see above). “Respecting difference” points out that respect for students is and will be pursued from within a distinctly Catholic perspective, within a totally Catholic teaching framework. It asks that those who disagree with the Catholic faith and its position on many issues today “try to understand it or at least stand in a position of respectful disagreement with it” (p. 6).

            Mr. Selley obviously disagrees not only with the document, but with Catholic teaching and with Catholic schools. He does not even try to understand the Catholic viewpoint, nor does he do so in a constructive and respectful manner. He uses the term “rubbish” to describe the Catholic teaching on chastity. He describes Vatican teaching as “wafting up the Vatican’s chimney” as if Vatican pronouncements are merely hot air.

            He certainly does not approve of the Ontario Catholic school system and it wants it dissolved despite Canada’s constitution.