Contraceptive mandate ‘unacceptable,’ 300 petitioners say in letter to Obama

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and the president of The Catholic University of America were among 300 signers of a letter who called President Barack Obama’s revision to a federal contraceptive mandate “unacceptable” and said it remains a “grave violation of religious freedom and cannot stand.”
On Feb. 10, Obama said religious employers could decline to cover contraceptives if they were morally opposed to them, but the health insurers that provide their health plans would be required to offer contraceptives free of charge to women who requested such coverage.
The change came after three weeks of intensive criticism that Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception mandate would require most religious institutions to pay for coverage they find morally objectionable, despite a limited religious exemption.
Now questions have been raised over how the revision announced by the president will pertain to the many dioceses and Catholic organizations that are self-insured and whether it could still force entities morally opposed to contraception to pay for such services.
The letter signed by former Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon of Harvard and Catholic University’s John Garvey, along with professors and other academics, and Catholic and other religious leaders, said it was “an insult to the intelligence of Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims, and other people of faith and conscience to imagine that they will accept an assault on their religious liberty if only it is covered up by a cheap accounting trick.”
Other critics also said the change was a matter of semantics and still failed to address the conscience rights of faith groups and the issue of religious liberty.
Supporters, who included organizations such as Catholics United and Catholic Democrats, said it was a viable response that would keep conscience rights intact and address the health care needs of women.
Still others who opposed the contraceptive mandate said the revision could be a step in the right direction but needed more study because many questions “remained unanswered.”
Catholic Charities USA said Feb. 16 that contrary to media reports the organization has “not endorsed” the revision announced by Obama.
In a statement, the agency said “we unequivocally share the goal of the U.S. Catholic bishops” on the issue.