News Briefs… For People in a Hurry
LEAP OF FAITH NEWS
March 26, 2009 http://faithleap.home.att.net/news_032609.htm
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Cardinal George Urges Catholics to Tell Administration: Keep Conscience Protections for Health Care Workers
WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George is urging Catholics in the United States to tell the Obama Administration to retain Health and Human Services regulations governing conscience protections for health care workers.
This is vital to keep the government from “moving our country from democracy to despotism,” said Cardinal George, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He delivered the message via video available on the Web at http://www.usccb.org/conscienceprotection and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NoCRwMqVzQ
Those who want to protect conscience rights can speak out through an action alert at http://www.usccb.org/conscienceprotection
“Respect for personal conscience and freedom of religion as such ensures our basic freedom from government oppression. No government should come between an individual person and God—that’s what America is supposed to be about,” Cardinal Francis George said. “This is the true common ground for us as Americans. We therefore need legal protection for freedom of conscience and of religion—including freedom for religious health care institutions to be true to themselves.”
“I ask you please to let the government know that you want conscience protections to remain strongly in place. In particular, let the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington know that you stand for the protection of conscience, especially now for those who provide the health care services so necessary for a good society,” he said.
Cardinal Francis George taped the message after the Obama Administration announced in early March that it was rescinding the regulations which guarantee that health workers cannot be forced to provide services that violate their consciences, including abortions.
Taken from USCCB News Release 09-063 // March 19, 2009
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-063.shtml
Executive Order on Embryonic Stem Cells 'A Sad Victory of Politics over Science and Ethics,' Says Cardinal Rigali
WASHINGTON—Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, today called President Obama's executive order on embryonic stem cell research "a sad victory of politics over science and ethics." Under the order, for the first time in U.S. history, federal tax dollars will be used to encourage researchers to destroy live human embryos for stem cell research. Cardinal Rigali also cited a January 16 letter in which Cardinal Francis George, president of the USCCB, urged President-elect Obama not to issue such an order. Cardinal Rigali's statement follows:
"President Obama's new executive order on embryonic stem cell research is a sad victory of politics over science and ethics. This action is morally wrong because it encourages the destruction of innocent human life, treating vulnerable human beings as mere products to be harvested. It also disregards the values of millions of American taxpayers who oppose research that requires taking human life. Finally, it ignores the fact that ethically sound means for advancing stem cell science and medical treatments are readily available and in need of increased support.
"In his January 16th letter to President-elect Obama, Cardinal George, writing as President of the USCCB, cited three reasons why such destructive research is 'especially pointless at this time':
"If the government wants to invest in hope for cures and promote ethically sound science, it should use our tax monies for research that everyone, at every stage of human development, can live with."
Taken from USCCB News Release 09-052 // March 9, 2009
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-052.shtml
Excerpts from the March 13, 2009 A Shepherd's Message By Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
In recent weeks, President Obama’s administration has made a number of decisions about human personal life that are disturbing. Last month, the President ended the Mexico City Policy which had forbidden use of federal funds to those groups that promote abortion in other countries. The Administration withdrew Freedom of Conscience Provisions for doctors and other health care workers for further review, a move that is ominous for those in health care who have personal conscience reasons for refusing to cooperate in moral evil. Last week, the President nominated Governor Sebelius of Kansas as Director for Health and Human Services Department; she has been a rather strident advocate for abortion and even received a rebuke from her Archbishop in Kansas City after he tried to work with her privately on her views for some months. In her Cabinet position she will have power to propose and enforce laws and enact policy on matters of human life. Further, it was announced this week that the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research would be lifted, a move that the Holy See has vigorously criticized as gravely immoral, since the “research” involves the destruction of human embryos to obtain the cell lines for research. All these moves are deeply troubling and undo even the minimal safeguards that have been put into legislation over the last 20 years to provide protection for unborn human life. Because this is a primary human rights issue, it is necessary to make clear our concerns to Congress and to the Administration. I suggest that you write to your local members of Congress and to the Administration. (There is a pro-life e-mail campaign ongoing. You might want to look at the USCCB website for further information at http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/FOCA/index.shtml.) We must respond to these threats with clarity and energy.
Copied from http://diogh.org/BishopPastorals/bishops_dinardo_recent.asp
CLARIFICATION OF THE POPE'S REMARKS ON HIV/AIDS
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday afternoon:
"Concerning certain reactions aroused by the Pope's remarks on HIV/AIDS during his apostolic trip to Africa, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. has explained that the Holy Father was reiterating the position of the Catholic Church and the basic lines of her commitment to combat the terrible scourge of HIV/AIDS: Firstly, by educating people to a responsible practice of sexuality and by reaffirming the essential role marriage and the family. Secondly, by research into, and application of, effective cures for HIV/AIDS, and by making them available to the largest possible number of sick people through numerous initiatives and healthcare institutions. Thirdly, by human and spiritual assistance to AIDS victims and all other suffering people, who have always been close to the Church's heart.
"These are the areas in which the Church concentrates her efforts, not believing that relying primarily on the greater dissemination of condoms is, in fact, the best, most longsighted or effective way to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS and safeguard human life".
OP/CLARIFICATION AIDS/LOMBARDIVIS 090319 (200)
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Small Bits
Report on Trip of Pope Benedict XVI at
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2009/index_camerun-angola_en.htm
Pastoral Messages of Daniel Cardinal DiNardo at
http://diogh.org/BishopPastorals/bishops_dinardo_recent.asp
View Letter to the President of Notre Dame by Marta Alves at
http://faithleap.home.att.net/Notre_Dame.htm
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
"Your God is King!"
Isaiah 52:7