Wall Street Journal sees 'chilling' attack on Church freedom
March 06, 2012
A stinging Wall Street Journal editorial has backed Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York in his criticism of the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate, describing the White House stand as a “chilling” attack on religious freedom.
Citing Cardinal Dolan’s report on a meeting with White House aides, at which representatives of the bishops’ conference were told that issues of conscience were “off the table,” the Journal editorial observed: “In other words, the White House's solution is merely for the bishops to shut up about the wrinkles.” With their condescending citation of some liberal Catholics who approved the mandate, the Journal continued, the Obama administration was “in effect telling the bishops that they know less about church teachings than your average Washington Post columnist.”
The Journal recognized the Obama administration’s strategy of dividing the Church, noting the implicit White House message that “Catholics who actually abide by their faith are opposed to modernity.” The editorial concluded with the observation that apparently the Catholic bishops cannot stop “the dominant wing of America's governing political party from insisting that religion kneel before its secular will.”
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Further information:
- Bishop Dolan's Liberty Letter (Wall Street Journal)
- White House tells US bishops: listen to liberal Catholics (CWN, 3/2)
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Posted by: unum -
Mar. 07, 2012 8:55 AM ET USA
I'm tired already of hearing the Catholic excuses for not actively backing the bishops (like "they had it coming for their liberal politics.) We are talking about whether or not we will fight to protect our God-given constitutional rights that are clearly under attack by the Obama administration. The First Amendment is the best example of those rights and it validity is being challenged by government. Catholics who seek excuses to keep from defending their rights don't deserve them!
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Posted by: williiam ronner -
Mar. 06, 2012 3:38 PM ET USA
Well, let's see if the Obama administration can negate the excommunication of dissenting Catholics. His response will be "" if you come to the White House on Sunday mornings I will celebrate Mass and give you Holy Communion myself. You don't need the Bishops".
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Posted by: normnuke -
Mar. 06, 2012 3:29 PM ET USA
Thank God for the Wall Street Journal. The message in this editorial needs to be shouted from, well from the streets of our nation.
