Comments on: Ex-priest head of Catholic Charities criticizes Abp. Wuerl decision to end benefits

By: Francis

Francis — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:26:04 +0000

I am an ex-seminarian in Kenya and dropped since I came from a poor family and I am really down….I am looking for someone help me continue with college so I help my mum and brothers….I enrolled in college here since the Pontifical Urbaniana university degree is not recognized by employers here.

By: James

James — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:03:36 +0000

This is the Church Militant, and we are at war. I consider Catholic Charities to be an enemy combatant.

By: TJM

TJM — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:13:23 +0000

simple solution. Give the employees the cash to buy their own individual policy. I can tell you this from personal experience , if I were not compelled to be included in my business’ “family health plan” I could buy a family plan at a third of the cost on the open market since I am willing to shop for healthcare and pay for first dollar expenses. The family plans offered through employers are a financial rip-off. Of course, idiot Obama, because he knows zero about business and finance actually believes otherwise. What a maroon. Moreover, salaries are set with the cost of this “great” insurance benefit in mind. If you don’t believe that I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you.

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:30:37 +0000

romancrusader,
I think you need to reread my orginal posting. You’ll find that I’m neither agreeing nor disagreeing w/Wuerl but admit it can be a controversial decision. I was making a proposal that would eliminate any moral dilema that any Catholic organization would face when it involves medical benefits or other benefits that creates controversy: don’t offer them; but, pay the employee enough so that he/she can take care of it privately. It removes any distraction from the organization’s mission.

By: Laura Lockett

Laura Lockett — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:28:16 +0000

One of the misconceptions here is that Catholic Charities is the “Church”. Catholic Charities is a non-profit 501(c)3 ‘corporation’, it is NOT the ‘Church’. Catholic Charities has to act according to the laws of the State. It was formed as a non-profit in order to allow donations to be tax deductible according to the laws of “Caesar”. Catholic Charities receives a very large percentage of their funding from the government and therefore has to abide by their rules. As romancrusader said, bedding with the government just doesn’t work for a true God led community. Catholic Charities involvement with “Caesar” is their own doing and should be stopped. Many of the local Catholic Charities organizations, and other faith-based organizations, are changing their rules to be able to receive the funding that supports them. They should be depending upon God for their support and not “Caesar”.

By: AWashingtonDCCatholic

AWashingtonDCCatholic — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:36:05 +0000

I think that the decision made was really the only alternative. However, this really begs a much larger question: Should the Catholic Church continue to be involved in government contracts. Now, this is not a separation of chuch/state issue but simply one of a business contract.

Personally, I believe that the Church should begin to divest itself of all contracts of this nature. By doing so, allows us to continue our mission, in accordance with our faith. We may only be able to reach 5,000 instead of 50,000 but that is the price we must pay and the price that those who live in DC must pay..

The people of DC may or may not one day wake up and find out that their efforts to give “equal rights” has really not only cost them more money, but a decline in the quality of services offered. (DC government has a wonderful track record on this.)

IMHO, those who claim that they are more than happy to see the Cathoic Church get out of this businss because of their stance on gay rights are the last ones to donate funds/time to these causes.

By: romancrusader

romancrusader — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:09:44 +0000

Jeane,
With all due respect, that’s not love. It’s legitimizing the homosexual lifestyle. IT’S NOT PASTORAL TO CONFIRM SOMEONE IN THEIR SIN! It’s biblical teaching Jeane, get used to it. The archdiocese did the correct and prudent thing. And your comparison to Mother Theresa is quite frankly mixing apples with oranges here.

I’m simply separating sin from the sinner.

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:21:51 +0000

romancrusader,
No, it does not. It separates the human being from the sin. Doesn’t a person w/a psychological condition deserve God’s love too? If God loves them then shouldn’t love them also? I seem to remember Mother Teresa cutting the bureacratic red tape to open a hospice in NYC for dying AIDS patients. Those who live the homosexual lifestyle are as human as you & me. Don’t they have the right to protect themselves from financial ruin? I suggest that you start using the terminology, homosexual or gay lifestyle, as a way to describe those who actively have sexual relations w/the same sex. The gay community wants you to associate the individual with the sinful (although they don’t recognize it as such) action. Don’t accept their propaganda.

By: romancrusader

romancrusader — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:25:29 +0000

“While I am against the homosexual lifestyle, those who practice it should have the same opportunity like everyone else to protect themselves from financial ruin if medical problems arise.”

Jeanne, the problem with that statement is that it ligetimizes the homosexual lifestyle.

By: Ed Peters

Ed Peters — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:19:05 +0000

Good discussion, guys. Jon, I do think you are right. Check out my post: http://www.canonlaw.info/2010/03/punish-married-couples-for-sins-of-dc.html