(Source: New York Times )
"The Senate bill, approved Thursday morning, allows any state to bar the use of federal subsidies for insurance plans that cover abortion and requires insurers in other states to divide subsidy money into separate accounts so that only dollars from private premiums would be used to pay for abortions. Just days before the bill passed, the Catholic Health Association, which represents hundreds of Catholic hospitals across the country, said in a statement that it was “encouraged” and “increasingly confident” that such a compromise “can achieve the objective of no federal funding for abortion.” An umbrella group for nuns followed its lead. The same day, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called the proposed compromise “morally unacceptable.”
First of all, this group is a private association and does not represent the Church in any way - other than by name or CINO, Catholic In Name Only. In this matter where it comes in direct opposition to the bishops' stance, it has even become a distraction, a source of confusion that misleads others. The Church really needs to manage it's brand.
But in addition to the bishops' statement, the fact that the bishops are ready to close the Church's hospitals if forced to perform abortions is the clearest sign of where it stands.
