Catholic dioceses, institutions sue over contraception rule

Updated: 2:17 p.m. ET

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK  -- Dozens of Roman Catholic dioceses, schools and other institutions sued the Obama administration Monday over a government mandate requiring most employers to provide birth control coverage as part of their employee health plans.

The lawsuits filed in federal courts around the country represent the largest push against the mandate since President Barack Obama announced the policy in January. Among those suing are the University of Notre Dame, the Archdioceses of Washington, New York and Michigan, and the Catholic University of America.

"We have tried negotiation with the administration and legislation with the Congress, and we'll keep at it, but there's still no fix," said New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "Time is running out, and our valuable ministries and fundamental rights hang in the balance, so we have to resort to the courts now."

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department adopted the rule to improve health care for women. Last year, an advisory panel from the Institute of Medicine, which advises the federal government, recommended including birth control on the list of covered services, partly because it promotes maternal and child health by allowing women to space their pregnancies.

However, faith leaders from across religious traditions protested, saying the mandate violates religious freedom. The original rule includes a religious exemption that allows houses of worship to opt-out of the mandate, but keeps the requirement in place for religiously affiliated charities.

In response to the political furor, Obama offered to soften the rule so that insurers would pay for birth control instead of religious groups. However, the bishops and others have said that the accommodation doesn't go far enough.

Health and Human Services spokeswoman Erin Shields said Monday that the department does not comment on pending litigation.

In a statement, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards decried the lawsuit as an attempt to restrict women's access to low-cost birth control.

"Access to birth control is a critical health and economic concern for American women," Richards said. "It is unbelievable that in the year 2012 we have to fight for access to birth control. Yet this lawsuit would make it harder for millions of women to get birth control. Insurance companies should cover birth control just like any other preventive prescription, as the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended."

Notre Dame's president, the Rev. John Jenkins, said in a statement that the school decided to sue "after much deliberation, discussion and efforts to find a solution acceptable to the various parties." The university argued that the mandate violates religious freedom by requiring many religiously affiliated hospitals, schools and charities to comply.

"We do not seek to impose our religious beliefs on others," Jenkins said. "We simply ask that the government not impose its values on the university when those values conflict with our religious teachings."

Other religious colleges and institutions have already filed federal suit over the mandate, but observers had been closely watching for Notre Dame's next step.

The university, among the best-known Catholic schools in the country, has indicated past willingness to work with President Barack Obama, despite their differences with him on abortion and other issues. Notre Dame came under unprecedented criticism from U.S. bishops and others in 2009 for inviting Obama, who supports abortion rights, as commencement speaker and presenting him with an honorary law degree.

[verifabletruthmatters]

I was raised Catholic, the oldest of 6. I watched that religions DESTROY my parent's lives, forcing them to have children they didn't want. When I was 9, he decided he was killing all of us and then shooting himself, because he was so overwhelmed. In the end she destroyed her reproductive tract to stop the pregnancies by having a hysterectomy. Best friend is the oldest of 8. His parents had money, so the children were shuttled off onto one nanny after another. The parents weren't involved in any of the children's activities. Children fended for themselves over breakfast and getting off to school, because parents were nowhere to be found. Another associate is the oldest of 15 children. The Catholic Church thinks her mom is a variation of a rabbit. Most of those kids fell through the cracks, because their parents weren't really there for them either. These situations are not the exception, but the Rule. None of the offspring of these situations, some 29 children fending for themselves one way or another, are religious and certainly not Catholic.

It's the 21st century and the Catholic Church continues to be ignorant, abusive, a dinosaur and fortunately 98% of Catholic women today are using birth control because they aren't going to have children they don't want and can't care for. There are 30 million children in the U. S. in situation of: domestic violence, abuse, neglect, a million every year flee to the streets to fend for themselves to get away from these situations. Another 800,000 are removed from abusive environments by some government agency, that's up from 300,000 a decade ago. They're passed around in foster stress situations as many as 2 dozen times. 50,000 of them "age-out" at 18 every year, never having known a family. 50% of all children, both male and female, are sexually molested by the adults in their lives. Another million children are trapped in slave labor and sex trafficking in the US. and 16 million are living with their families out on the street. Half of those since 2008, when derivatives stuffed with junk damaged the economy for the 3rd time. This is at a time when "choice" is still an option and 99% of all women, who are sexually active, are using birth control at some point in their lives, usually because the males in their lives refuse to take responsibility. Planned Parenthood came into being to help shut down these types of situations; to give women options. Thousands of women were dying every year from botched back-alley abortions, trying to stop the pregnancies. It served 3.2 million people in 2011. 97% of its services have nothing to do with abortions. There were 1.2 million abortions in 2010, and Planned Parenthood helped with roughly 300,000 of them.

Science addressed the issue in 1992, "LIFE DOES NOT START AT CONCEPTION" in FACTS OF LIFE: Science and The Abortion Controversy by James Trefil, Physicist, and Harold Morowitz, Biologist. They covered about 10 areas of science. The book is out-of-print but available at sites like Alibris.com. In 1998 biochemist, David Deamer at the University of CA at Santa Cruz conducted an experiment which proved that the small amino acid components of DNA are frequencies. He published in the Mar/April 1999 issue of Bioengineering in Medicine and Biology, under "The Infrared Frequencies of the DNA Bases. On 11-29-2011 on NPR, Fresh Air Terry talked at length to Michio Kaku about The Theory of Everything. He said everything is a function of ENERGY frequencies, which can vibrate up and down a range, and that includes the Human Body and Human Consciousness. That ENERGY governed by physics is the Mind of God. There's 3 decades of Near-Death Studies on hundreds of thousands of people, out of some 8 million, published in Lessons From the Light by Kenneth Ring and Closer To The Light—near death experiences in children, p5. by Dr. Melvin Morse. Katie visits with two souls "waiting to be born". The consciousness is NOT in the body. The body with its brain, to control body function, and the Consciousness w its MIND, are not one and the same. There's an interface. Life Consciousness, like everything else in the Universe is an ENERGY. It has an electromagnetic component that is traceable. It enters the DNA vehicle with the first breath. It's ejected out when the body fails, which is why the body is left behind. Jesus' Teachings on Reincarnation have been stripped from the hundred versions of the Bible, but can still be found in the Sacred Texts in the monasteries of Tibet where he spent 17 years of his adult life studying under the Masters.

[mingregct]

and your point is

[diamruby]

The Catholic church & all other religious cults should to taxed as much as possible & more. These cults do nothing but bleed people of their money, their brains, with their lies & brainwashing. Any one that can want a country like India to produce more children when most of thier children are slaves & beggars & worse should be closed down. Of course we also have the Mormon polygamists who are allowed to enslave & abuse children for their own pleasures. Religion is the root of all evil & the cause of all wars in the world & always has been. Religious cults should not be given any special government exemptions for anything. I find it funny that these cults do not have enough brainwashing power over their members, maybe they should up thier dues!!!!! There is a group that is traveling around putting up pictures of aborted fetuses, I think we should put up the pictures of the unwanted, abused & murdered children & see if they think these children deserve this life & why did they allow this to happen to these children , why didn't they save them ??? Time for non-cult members to demand the same privileges that these other cults get.

[mingregct]

who's more brainwashed a person that adheres to a divine power or a person who follows human secularism or humankind who's mind changes daily?

[WHAT-IS-HE-SMOKING]

The allegation against Monsignor George Mazzotta, 73, first came to light in May 2010 and was reported to law enforcement. The archdiocese called it a "substantiated allegation," but provided no details.

Since that time, Mazzotta "has not been permitted to exercise his public ministry, wear clerical garb or present himself publicly as a priest," the archdiocese said in a statement.

Monsignor Hugh Campbell, 77, reported himself for sex abuse in December and was placed on administrative leave. Law enforcement authorities were also notified of the reported abuse.

Both men have been found "not suitable for ministry," the archdiocese said.

Yeah, trust the church.

[sevendecades]

It seems children pay for adults' mistakes. Card. Dolan, look at the children starving, suffering as parents drink, use drugs or excise anger with brutal punishnebt or worse children being raped/abused by priests (God's reps, Catholic priests too). Until the church subjects priests to U.S. laws I don't think you have a voice. Until you GUARANTEE EVERY CHILD DAILY NUTRITION, SAFETY FROM ABUSE,AN EDUCATION & RESPONSIBLE PARENTS, HELP US PREVENT BABIES TO PARENTS WHO CAN'T/WON'T TAKE CARE OF THEM & TRY TO PREVENT BABIES WITH CONTRACEPTIVES. As a rep. of Catholicism & A GOD OF LOVE please lead followers to LOVE, FEED, PROTECT, EDUCATE children, not over-population with chldren to horrible lives of neglect. GOD IS LOVE FOREVER, GIVING US LIFE'S RULES, THEN GIVING US HIS SON & SALVATION, BUT ALWAYS GIVING US PERSONAL CHOICE, REACHING OUT TO US & TEACHING WITH LOVE -BUT ALLOWING US OUR PERSONAL CHOICES, NOT ORDERING US. Our fate will rest on US CHOOSING GOD, HIS LOVE IN CHRIST & DAILY CHOICES TO LET HIM LIVE IN US, DOING HIS WORKS DAILY. PERSONAL CHOICES TO LIVE WITH GOD, NOT RELIGIOUS ORDERS, SAVE US.

[ugacrew]

sevendecades,

you sound like someone who knows and worships the same God that I do. You said it ALL. " look at the children starving, suffering as parents drink, use drugs or excise anger with brutal punishnebt or worse children being raped/abused by priests (God's reps, Catholic priests too). Until the church subjects priests to U.S. laws I don't think you have a voice. Until you GUARANTEE EVERY CHILD DAILY NUTRITION, SAFETY FROM ABUSE,AN EDUCATION & RESPONSIBLE PARENTS, HELP US PREVENT BABIES TO PARENTS WHO CAN'T/WON'T TAKE CARE OF THEM....."

Thanks

[truth48]

First, I'm sure all employees hired aren't Catholic, so why must Catholic principles apply to everyone. Second, if Notre Dame and any other Catholic school accepting federal monies i.e. pell grants, loans, research dollars, etc. have to abide by federal mandates. Third, where was all of this noise when children were being molested by predator priests? Not a word was said, the Catholic church just kept moving the predators around the country. How many priests fathered children and were moved around the country? Why wasn't Dolan asked if their insurance covered viagra, cialis and penile implants? Why is this questioned always avoided in the pill debates? What is with all of this hate against women? Thank God the Catholic church does not cast my vote!

[slownewsday_5000]

Third, where was all of this noise when children were being molested by predator priests?
----
They still are to this day.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/21/jury-selection-to-begin-in-philadelphia-achdiocese-scandal-case/?hpt=hp_t3

[A_Collins]

It is about time the Catholic Church is forced to learn its place in a free democratic society. If they want to run schools and hospitals they should be held to the same standards as other private schools and hospitals. If their hospitals and schools take one cent of tax money then they should NOT be allowed to interject their religious views into any aspect of the operation of those schools and hospitals. WE NEED TO PUSH THE CATHOLICS BACK INTO THEIR CHURCHES AND BAR THE DOORS UNTIL THEY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

[nancy_naive]

I like the "bar the doors" part, but you left off the part about lighting it up.

The Catholics used to like that part when dealing with THEIR heretics.

[ibsteve2u]

Church scandal of the day: "Catholic Priest Says A Schoolgirl Who Went Missing In 1983 Was Kidnapped For Vatican Sex Parties"

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/catholic-churchs-chief-exorcist-priest-says-missing-girl-kidnapped-for-vatican-sex-parties-2012-5#ixzz1vbyyzj9X

Churches are like governments: Generally good things - up until they're transformed into weapons for use in transferring wealth and power from the many to the few.

[fornowfree]

Practicing Catholics are painfully aware of the of the wrongs that have occurred within the church. If you want to whitewash all Catholics and all religion as evil, then I suppose the answer is simple. On the other hand, the US Government is responsible for its own evil acts (Slavery, treatment of Native Americans, .....). An argument could be made that Catholics have done more to make ammends and prevent reoccurance of wrongs that ocurred within the church than the Government has has ever done to make ammends for its wrongs. Putting more power in the government's hands does not always lead to good results.

[A_Collins]

You are delusional. My personal opinion? Show me a Catholic Priest and I will show you a man who is probably a homosexual. Show me ten pedophiles, and at least five of them will probably be Catholic Priests. And don't get me started on the sanctimonious beliefs of your Church on contraception.

You are naive to try to blame slavery or treatment of Native Americans on some abstract, evil Government as if its responsibility was somehow divorced from the millions of individual Americans who voted for and supported their actions. You would excuse the Catholic Church for protecting pedophiles by pointing to sins committed by "Government" It is about time Government (that is we non-Catholics) took back the power seized by the Catholic Church over the past 100 years in this country and gave you a lesson on why this country was founded on the principle of separation of church and state.

[fornowfree]

A-Collins:

Like I said, if you want to call all Catholics evil and delusional, the answer is easy. Lock us all up and take away the key (But somehow make sure we still pay taxes).

I never excussed the Catholic Church - those are your words.

[mindfulwhim]

Suppose a Satan worshipper wanted to kill a person on a sacrificial altar in during the practice of it's religious rituals? Would that be protected by America's "Freedom of religion" clause in the constitution?

The "religious freedom" argument, on it's face, is stupid.

Of course this is about contraception. Duh.

[Alex Vallas]

According to numerous polls, most Catholics use contraceptives and believe in contraception. The Catholic Church is completely wrong on this issue as evidenced by the milliions of starving infants in Africa. Thankfully, Melinda Gates is working on providing education and contraception for those unfortunate women in Africa. The Church is apparently trying to deflect attention on their own un-Catholic sexual abuses by priests of little boys.

[A_Collins]

YOU ARE SO RIGHT. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SOUTH BEND INDIANA HAS ALL BUT TAKEN OVER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THERE. THE CITY GAVE THE CHURCH A MILLION DOLLAR GIFT OF PROPERTY FOR A CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN EXCHANGE FOR A VAGUE AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY SCHOOLS COULD USE IT IF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL WAS NOT USING IT. FINALLY, A JUDGE PUT A STOP TO IT, BUT THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY CONCERN, MUCH LESS OUTRAGE WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED. IT IS TIME NON-CATHOLICS STARTED PUSHING BACK.