Fort Wayne Catholics react to Obama's health care reform plan

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Obama announced on Friday, he was backing off the requirement that forced religious employers to provide free birth control coverage, even if it goes against their religious beliefs.  Now, some Fort Wayne Catholics are expressing their thoughts on the policy and its changes. 

Catholics throughout the country said they oppose the bill , as it goes against their religious beliefs.

Obama's original plan required employers to provide contraception to its employees, at no extra cost.  That plan included religious organizations, such as the Catholic church, which does not believe in the use of contraceptives.

On Friday, Obama changed his stance on the bill and said health care providers would cover the cost of contraception, and not the employer, to any worker who wanted it.

Despite the president's change to the policy , at least one Catholic in Fort Wayne still believes the health care reform plan is something Obama should stop pursuing.

"It's a sign of what the power of overreaching government can do if they are allowed," Denise Roy, a Catholic and mother of eight, said.

The Catholic church said Friday it would study Obama's changes , but Roy wants the church to continue to fight the policy.

"Our church is going to fight it," she said.  "I think many other churches that don't even have the same rules on contraception as the Catholic church see it as an affront to religious liberty."

One Catholic, and mother, said the Obama's changes would be acceptable because it no longer forces the church to go against its beliefs that contraception should not be used.

"If the insurance company is paying for contraceptive, I don't see a problem with that," Therese Spencer said.  "But the church paying for it, that would be against the conscience of the religion, that is a step you can't really take."

While the Catholic church continues to review the President's changes to the health care reform, politicians who oppose the bill say they will push for an exemption to the bill.  If passed, the exemption would allow organizations to opt out of the requirement if it goes against the organization's moral beliefs.