This story from Catholic News Service bears the headline: Cardinal praises expanded health care but fears remain on abortion  The cardinal in question is Cardinal George of Chicago, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He gave an interview to Nancy Frazier O’Brien and said the following, which prompted the headline: We … Read more
Wow, This Headline Tells a Story…
This story from Catholic News Service bears the headline: Cardinal praises expanded health care but fears remain on abortion  The cardinal in question is Cardinal George of Chicago, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He gave an interview to Nancy Frazier O’Brien and said the following, which prompted the headline: We … Read more
Pass the Soylent Green
This weekend, millions of Americans marked the passage of the health-care bill the only way they could: by reverently retiring the Stars and Stripes that fly at their homes and running up the Maple Leaf. That’s unfair to Canada, but since when have we Yanks felt bad about that? The Canadian and European single-payer health-care … Read more
Euthanasia in the Great White North
I know most of the talk today is probably going to be about the health care bill. But I wanted to share a gem of an article written by David Warren, a contributing writer here at IC. Mr. Warren takes up the topic of the euthanasia bill that is being debated in Ottowa’s House of … Read more
Is it all hogwash?
My 15 year old son and I attended a seminar today on discerning one’s mission in life. The day included exercises in self-assessment and was a good experience overall. Part of the preparation for the seminar was taking a Myers-Briggs test in order to determine your personality. I was looking forward to it because I’d … Read more
Who Are These Fake Catholic Groups?
As every American teenager knows, fake IDs are easy to come by. The same is true in politics. Anne Hendershott, writing at Catholic Advocate, has explained why organizations like Catholics United, Catholic Democrats, and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good are “fake Catholic groups.” What other than a fake Catholic group would pay for … Read more
59,000 nuns support the health-care bill? Not so fast.
Contrary to the letter released yesterday by NETWORK that claims the backing of all 59,000 American women religious in support of the health-care bill, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious today released their own letter disputing that figure. The president of CMSWR, Mother Mary Quentin Sheridan, writes: In a March 15th statement, Cardinal … Read more
Fifty-Nine Thousand Nuns Oppose the Bishops on Health Care
“Don’t mess with nuns!” is a comment I’ve often heard over the years from cradle Catholics who were taught by them. The question now arises whether the undecided Catholic members of the House will be influenced by the 60 nuns — each a leader of her religious order — who signed a letter to members … Read more
From Jack Smith at the Catholic Key Blog, I have just recieved a rather pointed comment by Archbishop Naumann of Kansas City – St. Joseph, Missouri on the support given by the Catholic Health Association to the Senate health care bill. Jack Smith introduces the statement: Kansas City: Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann is urging … Read more
Archbishop Naumann Urges Calls to Congress and Sister Carol
From Jack Smith at the Catholic Key Blog, I have just recieved a rather pointed comment by Archbishop Naumann of Kansas City – St. Joseph, Missouri on the support given by the Catholic Health Association to the Senate health care bill. Jack Smith introduces the statement: Kansas City: Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann is urging … Read more
OK, we’re a few days from the House vote on the Senate health care bill containing abortion funding. That funding has been publicly acknowledged and condemned by the USCCB and numerous bishops individually. We have also witnessed the support given the Senate health care bill by the trade association for Catholic hospitals — the Catholic … Read more
The Failure of the Bishops’ Health-Care Bill Strategy
The Catholic Health Association (CHA), a lobbying group for Catholic hospitals, has offered its support for the health-care bill as it currently stands. A Â statement from CHA president Sr. Carol Keehan expresses “concern on life issues” while underscoring the bill’s requirement that “a separate check” would have to be written for abortion services. Sister Keehan’s … Read more
Catholic Bishops Must Change Health-Care Strategy Before It’s Too Late
The lobbying strategy of the Catholic bishops in the health-care debate thus far has been one of qualified support. We support the health-care reform bill, the bishops argue, as long as it does not contain abortion funding and provides conscience protection for health-care workers. The only help the bishops have received in their effort is … Read more
Walmart to the rescue?
The Atlantic ran an article by Corby Kummer this month exploring the question of whether Walmart may actually help small farmers and restore our citizens to health. As you can guess, I nearly choked on my breakfast. In the end, though, I found Kummer’s piece interesting. Walmart has decided to grab at the locovore, health-conscious market … Read more
A Catholic confusion over health care
I have long been an admirer of Matthew Boudway’s writings. So I am mystified as to why he would call a federal policy that covers abortion but doesn’t subsdize it principled and ingenious. This must be a mistake.
Stupak Amendment
Slate.com’s Timothy Noah offers a fascinating piece on why they think Pelosi will have a very hard time getting enough votes to pass the Senate version of the health care bill. However, in the process, Noah trots out a claim I can’t reconcile with reality: Why not resolve the dispute by putting the Stupak amendment … Read more
This Vale of Tears
I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear. I hope to be spared as much pain as possible on the approach path. I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same … Read more
Best book on nutrition in 40 years, says NYT
Michael Pollan’s new book, Food Rules, is number one on Amazon and was called “the best nutrition book in 40 years,” by New York Times personal health columnist, Jane E. Brody: “I suspect that this little book can do more than the most authoritative text to get you motivated to make some important, lasting, health-promoting and … Read more
Obama Fails to Seize the Opportunity of His Big Night
President Barack Obama gave his first State of the Union address last night. With his popularity in a steady decline over the past six months, Obama needed his speech to rekindle the enthusiasm for his leadership that elected him in the first place. Thus far, there is no evidence to suggest he was successful. If … Read more
Love, Honor, and Take for Granted?
“Tell me,” the wife of one of my husband’s friends began a recent phone conversation, “that you do not start your husband’s car for him every morning.” “Oh, of course not,” I told her. “Only on cold mornings I do.” Astonished silence met my ears. The discussion that followed reminded me of one that took … Read more