April 24, 2012 – Buena Park, CA
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a Blessed Easter and are continuing to have a Blessed Easter Season!
In recent weeks, Catholics in the United States have been faced with a confrontation that is new to them but not new to the Catholic Church.
It concerns the mandate in the Health Care Law (Obama Care) that will force Catholic institutions to pay for insurance that will include abortion drugs, contraceptives and sterilization procedures. These clearly are against the teachings of the Catholic Church, but Obama now insist he will not allow any exceptions due to religious conscience.
If this mandate stands, it will be the first time in American history that a president has intentionally and directly gone to battle with the Catholic Church. This is a direct attack upon our religious freedom. It is, in fact, a direct attack upon the religious freedom of all Americans.
If Barack Obama is willing to take on the Catholic Church, the single largest Church in these United States, one must conclude what his true motives seem to be. It is an attack upon religion itself, or at least upon all “Christian” denominations.
This is not about medical care, but political control of the citizens of the United States. To state otherwise would be intellectual dishonesty.
Perhaps the most important question in this affair is how will the Modernists finally decide to deal with this dilemma? To this point the Modernists bishops have expressed grave concerns, and understandably so. It is indeed the most serious issue Catholics have faced regarding a law of the Federal Government and the ability to live their faith openly and freely.
It is to be seen as of this date if the Supreme Court will overturn this immoral law. This certainly would relieve the Catholic hierarchy of the need to make a decision. Then again, perhaps the once-Catholic hierarchy needs for once in their lifetime to be willing to take a stand for the Catholic Faith, and not simply consider this issue a part of the “seamless garment.”
It is possible, being an election year, Obama will compromise. I doubt it, though, knowing he is a Marxist disciple of the late Communist Saul Alinsky. Noting how he has functioned for three years, he is not the type to give in to the opposition, but he will use an old Marxist mechanism, “two steps forward, one step back.”
Ultimately, who will stand with Catholics? Interestingly, a small number of Jews and Protestants have spoken out.
They realize the present fight is not just about Catholics, but concerns the religious freedom of all in the United States.
We now have more reasons than ever to pray for this country. I strongly urge all who read this blog do to so.
May God have mercy on this sinful nation,
Fr. Joseph, OFM