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Catholics Start To Show Their Cards

By Amy Sullivan | @sullivanamy | March 14, 2010 | +

As a House vote on the Senate health bill nears, the Catholic Health Association threw its support behind the legislation with a strong statement over the weekend. The CHA, which represents hundreds of Catholic hospitals around the country, noted, “We expect to see charges and counter charges about what is in the bill and how it will work,” in a surprising acknowledgement of some misinformation that has circulated in some Catholic circles recently.

The group’s endorsement is not entirely surprising–the CHA supported the Senate’s approach to abortion funding last December. Throughout the development of health reform and negotiations over abortion language, the CHA has also been more encouraging than the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on the question of whether it is possible to craft legislative language that provides broad coverage while also preventing federal funding of abortion. Because of this, Democrats have sometimes made too much of the CHA’s openness and support, while downplaying the significance of opposition from the bishops conference.

Even so, this endorsement matters, especially for quavering wavering pro-life Democrats who may welcome any sort of cover from a Catholic institution. Among the charges lodged against the Senate’s abortion language by opponents is the idea that it weakens conscience protections for Catholic health providers. The CHA’s statement makes no mention of this concern, and the organization has separately indicated that it is satisfied that conscience protections remain strong.

The bishops are also feeling some heat from the group Catholics United, which has charged that USCCB staff are circulating false information about the Senate bill, and has rallied its members to lobby the USCCB to drop its opposition to health reform. More than 5,000 Catholics emailed the bishops conference in 72 hours–a drop in the bucket compared to the numbers a group like the Christian Coalition could muster in its heyday, but a significant message of dissent directed to the bishops from lay Catholics. The USCCB has yet to declare its final position on the bill that the House will consider, but is expected to oppose it, especially now that negotiations about altering abortion language appear to have ended.

Update: While the USCCB hasn’t declared a final position, I see that it did distribute a statement to parishes over the weekend to be posted or read. The statement clarified the USCCB’s opposition to the Senate version’s abortion funding language and urged Catholics to lobby members of Congress for restoration of the Stupak language.

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  • deconstructiva

    Amy, thanks for this but it’s okay to write “quavering” (and no doubt amusing to imagine readers scurrying to Google to look it up). Can you change “wavering” back to “quavering”? You’re a senior editor; you can do anything you wish. BTW, the swampclocks are an hour off and we’re going back in time again.
    .
    As for the post, do you see the CHA falling back in line with the bishops or will the split remain? Is the Holy See getting directly involved, albeit behind the curtains? Thanks for your thoughts, and btw, we pushed your thread count on last post past 300. Will this get you a bonus to spend on a nice dinner and wine?

  • deconstructiva

    Amy, speaking of health benefits, are other Catholic groups cutting back on benefits for their own workers sim. to Catholic Charities’ recent cuts? Whether over THAT issue, abortion, or other touchy items? thanks

  • Paul-no not that one

    Thanks for finally not pretending that the USCCB speak for all Catholics.
    .
    Unless I missed it, and your link to the NYT rather than an earlier story by you suggests I didn’t, your non-coverage of the CHA tells me that you are more interested in (#2)-stirring than actual coverage of the debate.

  • http://pberg2.wordpress.com pberg2

    This is the reason the forefathers fought against any specific religion thinking THEY could make law! Who do these Catholic bishops think they are—attempting to say what can or cannot be in an American law?? I hope these men all pay Income tax, if they think they have the right to use their religion of guilt on our Politicians! Catholic Hospitals are where many a raped woman is treated—perhaps they have a better understanding of the situations!

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    Typically reflexive nonsense. We get it. You don’t respect the Catholic faith. Fine, that is surely your prerogative. However, you need to base your arguments on reason, not prejudice. Catholics, and even Catholic institutions, have just as much right as you to voice their opinions on political matters. Being religious does not bar one from political exhortation. The USCCB does not make law, they offer their positions on pending legislation, just as any other influential group in America does. And, yes, the Bishops do pay income taxes. As do priests.

  • dollared

    Actually, Exiled, you are right but wrong. You see, the Catholic Church has every right to engage in political advocacy. However, it is not entitled to exemption from income and property taxes when it becomes a political actor.

    Right now, they are claiming the tax exemption, essentially getting free government services and protection while everyone else pays for it. Then the use the money they save to pay people who function as lobbyists to try to change the political process.

    So, you are right. They can advocate anything they want. And you are wrong. Because if they do advocated anything they want, they would need to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. And they refuse to do that.

  • ceodata

    Planned Parenthood is a “political actor”, yet it has tax-exempt status. Planned Parenthood also uses the money it saves on taxes for lobbying. If you take away the Catholic Church’s tax-exempt status because of its attempts to influence public opinion, you should also take away Planned Parenthood’s tax-exempt status for the same reason.

    Exiled_at_Home is NOT wrong.

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