Wisconsin's Catholic bishops registered their opposition to a proposed federal mandate that private insurance carriers cover contraceptives and other reproductive health services, saying, in a
letter made public Tuesday, that it undermines Catholic teaching and diminishes religious liberty.
"Such a mandate undermines our teaching that human fertility is not a disease. It is a gift, which exercised responsibly, allows humanity to prosper," the bishops wrote in the Sept. 2 letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
It calls on Sebelius to withdraw the mandate or broaden the religious exemption that would allow religious organizations to opt out of the requirement to offer such insurance to employees. As currently written, they said, it would force Catholic institutions to act contrary to their religious values or stop hiring [??] and serving non-Catholics, a move that would negatively affect the most vulnerable in the community [a rather ridiculous sentence... it's written like Catholics believe all non-Catholics qualify as "the most vulnerable."]
The letter is the Wisconsin Catholic Church's formal response to the proposed changes announced by Sebelius in late July. Beginning in 2013, it would require private insurers to cover contraceptives, including emergency contraception, surgical sterilization, and other services without a co-pay.
The public comment period ends Oct. 1.
Catholic teaching opposes artificial contraception and abortion. Some religious groups, including the Catholic Church [but not this reporter!], believe emergency contraceptives can induce abortions.