What Could President Obama Possibly Have to Offer the Catholic Health Association?!

Last updated on: May 28, 2015 at 9:59 pm by Kathy Schiffer

What Could President Obama Possibly Have to Offer the Catholic Health Association?! 2015-05-28T21:59:43-05:00 Kathy Schiffer

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Photo By Bryancalabro (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

“Delighted and honored.”

That’s how Sister Carol Keehan, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association, feels now that President Barack Obama has agreed to speak to the CHA on the last day of their annual meeting in June.

“Disgusted and horrified.”

That’s how I feel about it.

* * * * *

What in the world, I wonder, could this President have to say to Catholics about health care?

He has supported abortion rights through the ninth month of pregnancy, and has jammed his abortion and contraception policies down the throats of those who would object to paying for them.
He has steadfastly refused to consider Catholic organizations such as Catholic hospitals, universities and charities as “religious employers.”
He and his Administration have sought to impose crippling penalties on Catholic organizations which do not provide coverage that violates their deeply-held convictions.
His policies requiring health care institutions to provide sterilization and contraceptive techniques have the unfortunate result of potentially forcing Catholic hospitals across the nation to close.
His policies will force many Catholic health care workers to leave their work. A Catholic Medical Association survey in 2013 revealed that nearly 99 percent of more than 265 physicians surveyed said they were concerned that the law will have a negative impact on the doctor-patient relationship. Of those, almost 60 physicians said they planned to retire earlier because of the new law.

Perhaps you recall that Sister Keehan was the recipient of the pen which the President used to sign the Affordable Care Act into law–a tribute for her support, opposing the U.S. Bishops when they expressed concerns about the ACA, and convincing Catholic lawmakers such as Michigan’s Rep. Bart Stupak that their concerns regarding life issues would be addressed.

In a statement released on the Catholic Health Association’s website, Sister Keehan says:

“We are delighted and honored that President Obama will speak to Catholic health care leaders gathered for our 100th anniversary as an association. As long-time supporters of a health care system that works for everyone and pays special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, we are grateful for the President’s leadership on the ACA.

“This important law has provided meaningful health coverage to at least 16 million people who needed and deserved it, as well as improved both the benefits and finances of Medicare and Medicaid. We look forward to the President’s comments and insights at our Assembly, and to being a continued partner in preserving and improving the ACA.”

President Obama will give the CHA’s closing address on June 9, with an anticipated 1,000 people in attendance.

I don’t believe for one minute that my little voice will make even a modicum of difference in the CHA’s policy direction. I do believe, though, that it is my responsibility to share my concerns, and to encourage others to express their concerns as well–inviting the Catholic Health Association to abide by Church teaching, and to return to the faith passed on to us by the Apostles.

Abortion

Catholic

Catholic Social Teaching

Health

Politics

Previous Post

May 28, 2015

Clemson's Dabo Swinney Capitulates to Bullies, Will Not Attend Palmetto Event in His Honor

Next Post

May 29, 2015 Sneak Peek: CARA's Upcoming Study on Global Catholicism Trends

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #Synod14 Abortion Abstinence Abuse Addiction Adoption Advent Adventure Advertising Aging Agnosticism All Saints Day All Souls Day Amish Anathema Angels Anglican Animals Annulment Annunciation Apocalypse Apologetics Apostles Apostleship of the Sea Apparitions Archangels Archbishop Cordileone Archbishop Dolan Archbishop Vigneron Archeology Architecture Art Art Buchwald Ash Wednesday Assisted Suicide Astronauts Atheism Athletes Babies Baptism Beatification Beauty Bible Biochemistry Bioethics Birds Bishop Lori Bishops Blasphemy Books Canon Law Canonization Capital Punishment Cardinal Burke Cardinal Dolan Cardinal George Caritas Catechesis Catechism of the Catholic Church Catholic Catholic Education Catholic Higher Education Catholic Social Teaching Celibacy Cemeteries Character Charity Chastity Cheapskate Christian Unity Christmas Churches Civil Rights Cloning Comedy Communion of Saints Community Kitchens Confession Confirmation Conscience Consequences Consistory Constitution Contraception Conversion Cooking Councils of the Church Creativity Criminal Justice Cristero War Crucifixion Crystal Cathedral Culture Death Death and Dying Death Penalty Department of Health and Human Services Diaconate Dictatorship of Relativism Dignity Disability Discrimination Dissidence Divorce Doctors of the Church Early Church Fathers Easter Economics Ecumenism Education Encyclicals Environmentalism Episcopal Church Eucharist Euthanasia Evangelism Evangelists Evangelization Evolution Excuses Facebook Faith Families Family Fashion Fasting Fatherhood Federal Government Feminism Fiction Film First Amendment First Communion For Greater Glory Forgiveness Free Speech Friends Friendship Gender Discrimination Germany Gnosticism Good Friday Government Grace Greed Gregorian Calendar Happiness Health Heaven Heresy History Holidays Holiness Hollywood Holy Land Holy Saturday Holy Spirit Holy Week Holy Year Home Sweet Home Homosexuality Hope Humanism Humility Humor Imagination Immaculate Conception Immigration Impulsivity In Vitro Fertilization Incarnation Indulgences Infallibility Internet Islam Italy Jerusalem Jesus Judaism Justice Kathleen Sebelius Labor Movement LCWR Lent Life Literature Liturgy Lourdes Love Magi Marketing Marriage Martyrdom Martyrs Mary Mass Media Medical Ethics Mexico Michigan Miracles Missionaries Modernism Modesty Monks Monothelitism Motherhood Movies Mushrooms Music Muslim Mystery Mysticism Mythology Nativity Natural Law Nature New Evangelization New Media New Year New Year's Resolutions Nostalgia Obscenity Occult Old Testament Origen Orthodox Orvieto Pallium Papacy Parenting Patience Patriarch Bartholomew Patriotism Peace Peace and Justice Penitence Pentecost People Persecution Philosophy Poetry Political activism Political Correctness Politics Polls Pop Culture Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope John Paul II Pope John XXIII Pope Paul VI Pope St. Pius X Pope Urban VII Population Prayer Preaching Prejudice Pride Priesthood Pro-Life Protestantism Psychology Purgatory Queenship of Mary Racism Rape Real Presence Reconciliation Reformation Relics Religious Religious Liberty Reliquary Renewal Reproductive Technology Resurrection Rights Romance Rome Royalty Sacraments Sacred Heart Saints Satanism Science Science Fiction Scripture Seal of Confession Secularism Seniors September 11 Seventy Times Seven Sexuality Sharks Sin Smoking Social Communications Social Justice Social Networking Social Sciences Space Exploration Spirituality Sports St. Luke St. Patrick's Day St. Paul St. Peter St. Teresa of Avila Stations of the Cross Steve Jobs Superstition Supreme Court Symbolism Synod Technology Teen Rebellion Television Terrorism Thankfulness Thanksgiving Theology Think This, Not That Tobit Toilets Toys Tradition Traditions Transplants Travel Trinity Twitter U.S. Air Force Uncategorized United Nations USCCB Valentine Vatican Vatican Archives Vatican Blogfest Virtue Vocations Where We Pray White Heart Women World Day of Social Communications World Meeting of Families World News World Youth Day Worship Writing Year of Consecrated Life Year of Faith Year of Mercy Youth

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many stringed instruments were used in the Temple?

Select your answer to see how you score.

10 5 7 3