not my problem...

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Mar 02, 2004

To the surprise of no one, the California Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that Catholic Charities must abide by a state law that requires employer-provide health care plans to include coverage of contraceptives. Sound Off commenter Concerned notes:

[The California bishops] said nothing when the ... legislature passed these laws because they were exempted from compliance. So instead of standing up to evil when they had the chance they compromised and now they don't have leg to stand on.

Things might have been different had the bishops hearkened to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in its much-maligned Considerations sent to them in 1992:

Finally, where a matter of the common good is concerned, it is inappropriate for church authorities to endorse or remain neutral toward adverse legislation even if it grants exceptions to church organizations and institutions. The church has the responsibility to promote family life and the public morality of the entire civil society on the basis of fundamental moral values, not simply to protect herself from the application of harmful laws.

Now, of course, the California bishops have no option but to train their howitzers on Sacramento and unleash upon the legislators the full force of their overwhelming moral authority.

Oh wait.