Cardinal George warns Obama against moving U.S. towards despotism

Washington D.C., Mar 17, 2009 / 02:34 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Francis George has issued a video message asking Catholics to tell the Obama Administration to retain a conscience protection rule for pro-life health care workers. Its preservation is vital to keep the government from moving our country from democracy to despotism, he said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation, implemented in the final months of the George W. Bush presidency, made explicit the existing legal protections for medical workers and institutions who object to cooperating in abortions.

On Feb. 27, the White Houses Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced that it was reviewing a proposal to lift or modify the HHS rule.

Cardinal George, who is Archbishop of Chicago and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), addressed the proposed change in a two and a half-minute video. Giving an overview of the issue, he said the rule is one part of the range of legal protections" for health care workers who object to being involved in abortion and other killing procedures that contradict their faith.

He connected the HHS rule to respect for religious liberty and the freedom of personal conscience, both of which ensure our basic freedom from government oppression.

Speaking on behalf of the U.S. bishops as Catholic bishops and American citizens, the cardinal expressed deep concern that removing the rule would be the first step in moving our country from democracy to despotism.

No government should come between an individual person and God—that's what America is supposed to be about, he commented. This is the true common ground for us as Americans.

This being the case, the cardinal said, it is necessary to have legal protection for freedom of conscience and of religion, including freedom for religious health care institutions to be true to themselves.

He noted that conscientious objection is already recognized for war protesters and for doctors who do not wish to be involved in administering the death penalty.

Why shouldn't our government and our legal system permit conscientious objection to a morally bad action, the killing of babies in their mother's womb? Cardinal George asked. People understand what really happens in an abortion and in related procedures—a living member of the human family is killed—that's what it's all about—and no one should be forced by the government to act as though he or she were blind to this reality.

I ask you please to let the government know that you want conscience protections to remain strongly in place. In particular, let the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington know that you stand for the protection of conscience, especially now for those who provide the health care services so necessary for a good society, he concluded, giving his thanks and his blessing.

Cardinal Georges video is viewable on the U.S. bishops website at http://www.usccb.org/conscienceprotection/ and is also posted at YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NoCRwMqVzQ

The U.S. bishops conscience protection site provides additional information and resources as well as a link for concerned Catholics and others to express their views to the HHS. The site reports the submission deadline for comments is April 9.

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[PopeMistress]

Wow is that what you are doing?? Ignore the abuse and start focus on the Health Care Reform??? Shame on you for not caring about 200 Deaf abuse and victims!!!

[2cOthers]

Most major corps in the USA fund abortion coverage in their health plans. The money you spend for telecom, utilities, transportation ( gasoline , cars ) partially goes for health plans that provide abortions. Hypocrites like you, the GOP & the Catholic clergy would never think about forgoing these conveniences of modern life even if some the their expenditures fund abortions. - The Amish at least aren't hypocrites Georgie boy

[archie558]

ummm, usually when you say don't bother responding, i'll delete the em without reading it., you should keep your word, i guess its another thing you don't have going for you, uneducated lower class? i am sorry i do not spend ten minutes making sure i have perfect grammar to try to make a high school student look bad, typical metallica fag!

[elvishitler]

this is great. my words are poorly put together? read your responce retard. talk about poorly put together. typical catholic: uneducated and lower class. keep having unprotected sex so you can bring more morons into the faith. that way they can grow up and send money they can't afford to rome so the church leaders can live in luxury.

[archie558]

wow you actually still use the word jesus, and i will respond, wow your words that were poorly put together to make an insult failed,haha

[elvishitler]

jesus fuck, you're ponderous. it's enough already. saying you are a catholic is analogous to saying you're retarded. but then you would never see that because you're to wraped up in believing in santa claus and following the dictates of a wacko in rome who's idiocy is surpassed only by his creepiness. don't bother responding, i'll delete the em without reading it. enjoy your oblivious life and remember: jesus loves you even with your limitations.

[archie558]

aww hit a personal part of you life? maybe you are angry at someone who has touched you and are using priests at a scapegoat, your now retaliating without thinking so i think i broke you, haha catholics 1 - random asshole on youtube 0

[elvishitler]

go fuck yourself asshole--that is if some priest hasn't already done it for you.

[archie558]

your friend you mean

[elvishitler]

i wouldn't tell any of my friends i commented on this vid. don't want to embarrass myself.