"Protect rights of conscience, Mr. President"

'Protect rights of conscience, Mr. President'

Column by Archbishop Thomas Wenski directed to President Obama

 May 2009, President Obama gave the commencement address
at Notre Dame University and received an honorary degree.
Foto/Blog Gaspar, El Lugareño
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Mayo 2009. University of Notre Dame Foto/ Blog Gaspar, El Lugareño
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(Archdiocese of Miami) In May 2009, President Obama gave the commencement address at Notre Dame University and received an honorary degree. That Notre Dame would confer an honorary degree on an elected official who advances abortion rights in contradiction to Catholic teaching caused no small controversy among many Catholics throughout the United States.

Those who supported Notre Dame felt vindicated, however, when in his speech the President promised to “honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion,” stating that his Administration would provide “sensible” protections for those who wanted no involvement in the procedure. This would presumably include health-care providers, social-service providers, and consumers who might otherwise have to pay through their health-care plans for other people’s abortions. Obama later reiterated this position to Catholic newspaper editors, stating that he would make such protections “robust.”

Fast forward to late 2011, and the record shows that the President’s promises are not being kept. In fact, it seems that pro-life Catholics such as Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak and Catholic Health Association’s Sister Carol Keenan—who trusted the Administration’s position that abortion was not part of the health-care bill--- along with Notre Dame’s leadership have been played by the President.

In truth, his Administration is running roughshod over conscience protection provisions long part of the law of our land that find their justification in the first amendment guarantee of freedom of religion, a foundational human right. It is one thing for an Administration to support and promote an agenda; it is quite another to force those who disagree with it to violate their moral and religious principles. (read  more)