Hot Topics, Cool Talk
How Can Catholic
Convictions and Experience
Illuminate the Health-Care
Debate?”
School Of Law
University of Saint Thomas
January 27, 2012
John Carr,Executive Director,
Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Introduction
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Honored…
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Anxious…
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Series…St. Thomas
Panel
Perspectives
Work, Politics,
 Sources (FCFC, Framework etc )
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St. Thomas Outline
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Current Context
Role of Church in Political Life
Catholic Assets for Health Debate
Catholic Teaching On Health Care
USCCB Criteria/Advocacy For Reform
A Current Controversy on Conscience
Roles of Church
Political Context
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Passage of HCR did not end the
debate… intensified it.
More Polarized, Partisan, Ideological
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Less about health care, more about
role of government
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Tea party, Moveon.org
Sound bytes: ObamaCare, RomneyCare
“Massive Change and no change “
“Keep Gov out of My Medicare”
Ironies: 4 years ago…, SOTU
Health Context
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best health care in the world, but it
serves too few and costs too much.
Just under 50 million uninsured,
16.3%
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% children w/out down10years : SCHIP
%of young adults w/ out down: ACA
Spending on health care in the United
States represents one-sixth of GDPand is growing
Faithful Citizenship
“it is not the church’s responsibility to make
this teaching prevail in political life.
Rather, the church wishes to help
form consciences in political life
and to stimulate greater insight into the
authentic requirements of justice as well as
greater readiness to act accordingly, even
when this might involve conflict with
situations of personal interest.”
Benedict XVI …God is Love…Deus Caritas Est
“Goals for Political Life”
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“Provide health care for the
growing number of people
without it, while respecting
human life, human dignity,
and religious freedom in our
health care system.”
Health Care
The Church provides health care.
 A sixth of all hospital patients in 600 Catholic
hospitals and thousand nursing homes, clinics .
The Church pays for health care.
 struggle with the rising costs of health care for those
who work in parishes, schools, dioceses, charities.
 The Church picks up the pieces of a
failing health care system.
 The uninsured are in our emergency rooms, shelters,
clinics. They turn to us for help .
 And The Church preaches and teaches
 adequate health care is a an essential safeguard of
human life and dignity.
Mission
In Catholic Tradition Health Care is
 Not just an industry, but also
ministry
 Not a commodity, but a service
 Not just a political battle, but
also moral test
 Not a privilege, but a “right
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An essential good, necessary to protect
human life and dignity
Catholic Teaching
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Every person, created in the image and
likeness of God, has a right to life and to
those things necessary to sustain life,
including affordable, quality health
care.
This teaching is rooted in
 the biblical call to heal the sick and to
serve "the least of these,“
 the Catholic commitment to protect
human life and dignity,
 and the principles of the common
good and the priority for the poor and
vulnerable .
Pacem in Terris
(#11)
But first We must speak of man's
rights. Man has the right to live.
He has the right to bodily integrity
and to the means necessary for the
proper development of life,
particularly food, clothing, shelter,
medical care, rest, and, finally,
the necessary social services.
In consequence, he has the right to be
looked after in the event of ill
health;…
CATECHISM OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH (#1908)
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Certainly, it is the proper function
of authority to arbitrate, in the
name of the common good,
between various particular
interests;
but it should make accessible to
each what is needed to lead a truly
human life: food, clothing, health,
work, education and culture,
suitable information, the right to
establish a family,…
CATECHISM OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH (#2211)
The political community has a duty to honor the
family, to assist it, and to ensure especially:
- the freedom to establish a family…
- the protection of the stability of the marriage bond and
the institution of the family;
- the freedom to profess one's faith…
- the right to private property, to free enterprise, to obtain
work and housing, and the right to emigrate;
- in
keeping with the country's
institutions, the right to medical
care, assistance for the aged, and
family benefits;
- the protection of security and
Health
COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL
DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH (166)
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The demands of the common good…
connected to respect for and the integral
promotion of the person and his fundamental
rights[349].
These demands concern…
the provision of essential services to all,
some of which are at the same time
human rights: food, housing, work,
education and access to culture,
transportation, basic health care, the
freedom of communication and
expression, and the protection of
religious freedom[350]...
It is not right:
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millions lack basic coverage and
many risk losing what they have
as costs rise.
Has real consequences…life and
death consequences
health care should not depend on
where you or your parents work,
whether you have a pre-existing
condition, whether you can
afford insurance, where you live
or when you got here
We can do better
Have the capacity and resources
to ensure that all have access to
health care.
 Need to find the political will and
practical ways to ensure that no
one lacks access to basic health
care.
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How?
Wide
variety
of
options…
“
Solidarity and Subsidiarity
Individual and family
Community , Religious and other
Organizations
Market: employers, health care
providers, insurers, private sector
Government: local, state, federal
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Washington:
USCCB Criteria
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a truly universal health policy with
respect for human life and dignity;
access for all with a special concern for
the poor;
pursuing the common good and
preserving pluralism including freedom
of conscience and variety of options;
restraining costs and applying them
equitably across the spectrum of payers.
USCCB Advocacy
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Ensure access to quality, affordable, lifegiving health care for all;
Retain longstanding requirements that
federal funds not be used for elective
abortions or plans that include them, and
effectively protect conscience rights; and,
Protect the access to health care that
immigrants currently have and remove
current barriers to access.
House bill met criteria. Senate did not.
Opposed legislation in final form:
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Failed to meet abortion/ conscience criteria and
made the situation of legal immigrants worse
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HHS Mandate
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A week ago, HHS final rule mandated
contraception and sterilization at no cost
in all plans, offering a very narrow
religious exception and year of "grace" to
comply.
most Catholic ministries compelled to
provide and pay for "services" (i.e.,
sterilization and contraception, including
some abortifacients) that are clear
violation of Catholic teaching.
HHS Mandate
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government telling ministries they are
not religious if they serves or employs
non-members of that religious body.
Faith calls us to "serve least of these"
without regard for religious affiliation.
serve the poor, the hungry, the sick, the
homeless, and educate children "not
because they are Catholic, but because we
are.“
bad morality, bad policy, bad precedent,
(…bad politics, done badly)
Role of Church
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Make the case for moral urgency/priority
Encourage, welcome debate on how…
offer ethical criteria and help define
economic choices,
asses alternatives for moral dimensions
and human consequences,
Insist on the participation of the
poor…voice for the voiceless
Contribute to discussion and advocate our
principles/policies
Faithful Citizenship
“Affordable and accessible
health care is an essential
safeguard of human life and
a fundamental human right.
With an estimated 47 million
Americans lacking health care
coverage, it is also an urgent
national priority.
Faithful Citizenship
Reform of the nation’s health care
system needs to be rooted in values
respect human dignity,
protect human life, and
meet the needs of the poor and
uninsured, especially born and
unborn children, pregnant women,
immigrants, and other vulnerable
populations.
Religious groups should be able to provide
health care without compromising their
religious convictions.
Deus Caritas Est
…Love
for widows and orphans,
prisoners, and the sick and needy
of every kind is as essential to her
as the ministry of the sacraments
and preaching of the Gospel.
The church cannot neglect the
service of charity anymore than
she can neglect the sacraments
and the word.
Deus Caritas Est #21
Caritas in Veritate
“If we love others with charity,
then first if all we are just
towards them.
Not only is justice not
extraneous to charity, …justice
is inseparable from charity,
and intrinsic to it.
Justice is the primary way of
charity.”
Deus Caritas Est
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… charity must animate the
entire lives of the lay faithful
and therefore also their
political activity, lived as
“social charity.
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Deus Caritas Est #29
CATECHISM OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH (#2288)
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Life and physical health are precious gifts
entrusted to us by God.
We must take reasonable care of them, taking
into account the needs of others and the
common good. Concern for the health of its
citizens requires that society help in the
attainment of living-conditions that allow
them to grow and reach maturity: food and
clothing, housing, HEALTH CARE, basic
education, employment, and social assistance.
Pacem in Terris
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Besides wages, various social
benefits intended to ensure the life
and health of workers and
their families play a part here.
medical assistance should be easily
available for workers, and that as
far as possible it should be cheap
or even free of charge.
19.
Four USCCB Criteria
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a truly universal health policy that
respects all human life and dignity, from
conception to natural death;
access for all with a special concern for
the poor and inclusion of legal
immigrants;
pursuing the common good and
preserving pluralism including freedom
of conscience and variety of options;
and restraining costs and applying them
equitably across the spectrum of payers.