The California Supreme Court ruling that Catholic Charities must pay for contraceptives is an outrage that has to be met head on. An article in the March 25 Wanderer by Frank Morris says the California Supreme Court ruling is essentially an attempt by the state to become the final moral arbiter of conscience, to the detriment of all contrary moral belief.
Teaching Moment for Catholic Charities
Morris calls it a Henry the Eighth type of order that presents Catholic Charities with a Catch 22, and the temptation to give in to the state so the good Catholic Charities does will not be hampered. Catholic Charities may argue that they are only involved in material cooperation if they provide contraceptives, but Morris says while this might salve their consciences, material cooperation in such a grave evil is wrong.
The Catholic Church is a moral teacher, and cooperating with evil destroys her credibility, already weakened by the pedophile scandal, tolerance of pro-abortion Catholic politicians and tacit permission from some quarters to use contraception.
Allowing the California ruling to change Catholic Charities policy, Morris warns, could practically end the Church’s reputation as defender of the truth. Morris says it would be better for Catholic Charities to announce that it will shut down its activities rather than give in and provide funds for contraceptives.
On the other hand, the California incident offers a teaching moment. An uncompromising stand would tell the world that contraception is forbidden by the natural law and demeans marriage and the family. It would show that despite years of internal struggle, the Church’s official position has not changed.
If ever there was a time to witness against governmental imposition on our moral conscience, it is now.
Pediatrician To Testify on Abortion Pain for Babies
In a New York court where abortionists are challenging the government’s ban on partial birth abortion, pediatrician Kanwaljeet Anand is allowed to testify that babies killed by this procedure feel pain. The National Abortion Federation and other abortionists have tried to have his testimony quashed as irrelevant and unreliable.
The New York case is the first of three such cases being heard following NAF’s successful efforts to have the ban blocked. It was signed into law by President George Bush last on November. U.S. District Judge Richard Conway Casey is presiding over the New York case and allowed the testimony.
Possible Patient Death at Albany Mill
There was excitement at the Albany Abortion mill on Elston Ave. in Chicago Saturday as a woman was removed on a stretcher into a waiting ambulance. The doctor did not go with her, the ambulance left without a siren sounding, and the woman’s head was covered. Some pictures were taken.
There have been many such incidents and pro-life counselors try to warn women about the dangers of abortion. John Morales of Relevant Radio was praying at the mill, and did a live interview with one of the eye witnesses. More later.
Seventh Circuit Sides with Partial Birth Abortionists
The Seventh Circuit’s Richard Posner and Ann Williams ruled that Northwestern Hospital does not have to show the government the records of 45 women who’ve had partial birth abortions at Northwestern. Judge Daniel Manion dissented, saying the hospital has no legitimate privacy objection, since the records will be redacted and no woman would be identified.
