Being marginalized

     I've been reading much lately regarding the every increasing governmental positions in the U.S. that are attacking our religious liberty as a Church and her members who are citizens of this land.  An editorial recently in the Pittsburgh Catholic reported the establishment of an ad hoc committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to address these issues.  The president of the USCCB, Archbishop Timothy Dolan listed six areas of concern.

     *     There is a Federal law called DOMA - the Defense of Marriage Act - which supports traditional marriage (one woman, one man).  This is the long stated tradition of society and a basic belief of our Church.  Yet under the present administration, the Justice Department has begun filing briefs actively attacking DOMA's constitutionality, claiming that supporters of the law could only have been motivated by prejudice and bias and calling the law bigotry.  Placing the two entities - Church and State - on opposite sides in this issue will result in increasing conflicts on issues and marginalize the moral guidance that the Church offers.  I see another problem in that we, as priests, are ministers of the Church as well as servants of the State in regard to marriage, and I see potential conflict.  I have said this before: we should not be in the marriage business, but should concentrate our efforts at enhancing the Sacrament of Matrimony within the Church community.

     *     In that same light, we have the growing number of States that are redefining marriage by law, with only a very limited and narrow window for religious exemptions.

     *     The Federal Department of Health and Human Services regulations that mandate the coverage of contraception and sterilization in all private health insurance plans, coercing church employers to sponsor and pay for services which they oppose.

     *     HHS requires the Church's Migration and Refugee Services organization, which receives government assistance, to provide the "full range of reproductive services" - meaning abortion and contraception - to trafficking victims and unaccompanied minors.  This places this vital service of the Church into jeopardy.

     *     Catholic Relief Services' concern that the U.S. Agency for International Development, under the State Department, is increasingly requiring condom distribution in HIV prevention programs as well as requiring contraception within international relief and development programs.

     *     And also the recent attacks on the "ministerial exception" doctrine that leaves to the churches the right hire who they want for ministerial work according to their guidelines, not the government's.  The Justice Department has a case before the Supreme Court this term on that issue.

     These restrictive governmental policies must be challenged if the Church is to be able to continue her work and enjoy the religious liberty that is guaranteed in the Constitution.  Some thoughts to reflect on on this Monday.