Local Catholics stand together against Obama's health care

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Local Catholics are joining in the nation-wide outcry against President Obama and his health care plan.

Sunday a letter written by Bishop Kevin Rhoades was read at every mass, at every church in the diocese. Father Mark Gurter says the response from parishioners has been very supportive.

“The outcry in the parish and among Catholic people really has to do with that, that here is the federal government telling us that we have to violate our consciences in this moral matter,” Gurter said. “And the government really shouldn't be doing that and we would believe that this certainly violates the constitution, the first amendment and hopefully the administration will see that.”

The push is for local Catholics to write letters and call their representatives telling them why this is so wrong.

“That they will know this is a big deal. This isn't just some little small matter, but for us Catholics to be forced to pay for these things is a big deal,” he said. “The result we would hope for, first of all is legislation could be passed resending this that would be our first hope. If that doesn't work, hopefully with support of Catholic people this will be brought into the court system so that the balance of power will work.”

The White House says it wants to calm the concerns of Catholic church-affiliated employers over a new requirement for them to provide birth control coverage regardless of their religious beliefs.
Press secretary Jay Carney didn't say how those concerns could be addressed, though he said there were a lot of ideas for doing it.
He continued to defend the new policy, while making clear Tuesday that the White House is looking for a way to calm the growing election-year firestorm that's erupted since it was announced late last month.
Carney said President Barack Obama's focus is making sure that women employed by Catholic church-affiliated employers like hospitals, colleges or charities are able to get contraception. At the same time, Carney said Obama wants to respect religious beliefs and convictions.