No more Catholic Doctors at Catholic Hospitals

(Cologne) Rudolf Schmidt, Chairman of the Association of Catholic Physicians welcomes the clear stance of the bishops in the "morning after pill" and asserts that now there will be  no  more Catholic doctors  at Catholic hospitals any  more. He responded to the question of whether there were still Catholic doctors who would be concerned  because of the abortifacient effect of the "morning after pill” for Germany radio: "So, I assume that the women who have to go to the doctor in that case, would not find such a colleague. Do you understand? In Catholic hospitals there will be those colleagues who act strictly according to the old rule,  who will not even be in the hospitals. So, I have no doubts about that. "

Text: Linus Schneider

Link to katholisches….

Vatican Radio Statement on Joe Biden's False Assertion

Edit: here's a statement from Vatican Radio on the USCCB's statement regarding claims made by Joe Biden in last night's presidential debate. Will they also excommunicate him?

The Bishops of the United States have reacted forcefully to claims made by Vice President Joe Biden in last night’s vice presidential debate.

During the debate, Biden, a Catholic, said that a health insurance mandate issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would not force religious institutions to pay for or provide contraception: “With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact.”

In their statement, the Bishops respond bluntly: “This is not a fact.” The Bishops go on to explain that, even after proposed exemptions, religious organisations would serve as vehicles for contraception “because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients.” They will have to pay for these things, the Bishops continue “because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.”

The US Bishops have vigorously opposed the Obama administrations’ mandate since it was announced last year, denouncing it as a violation of religious liberty. In their statement, the Bishops urged the Department of Health and human services “in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.”

Below, please find the complete statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Last night, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:

“With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact.”

This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain “religious employers.” That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to “Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.

HHS has proposed an additional “accommodation” for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as “non-exempt.” That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation “to pay for contraception” and “to be a vehicle to get contraception.” They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.

USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.

Link to Vatican News...