Archbishop Charles Chaput has a bone to pick with Vice President Joe Biden after last week’s debate. In fact, Chaput calls Biden a liar!
In a post on his Facebook page, the Archbishop wrote:
During the Vice-Presidential Debate, Vice-President Biden said “With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact.”
That is NOT a fact. The USCCB put out a statement yesterday that has the truth.
The statement the Archbishop referred to reads,
This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain “religious employers.” That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to “Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.
HHS has proposed an additional “accommodation” for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as “non-exempt.” That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation “to pay for contraception” and “to be a vehicle to get contraception.” They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.
USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.
The problem with the debate format in our country, besides the fact that we only hear from two opinions, is the small amount of time to actually speak about an idea and develop it. We live and breathe “sound bytes.” Sadly that is much of the reporting as well.
Nevertheless the Archbishop is right on this one, but since Biden won’t be debating anymore this election cycle, I’m guessing this will pass quietly into the night.
