Catholics should be outraged by Obamacare and how it collides with conscience, despite the ridiculous fig leaf former congressman Bart Stupak, and his fellow, and mostly former Blue Dogs obtained, to paper over the Obamacare differences. All the assurances from the usual suspects, that Catholic hospitals and other institutions would not be put into this bind, were convenient lies, to get this monstrosity passed, while Dems enjoyed their very short-lived supermajority. Now, he's kicked the most important voting block, next to African Americans, in the stomach, and hopes they won't notice or complain. Small wonder why Santorum, Romney, Gingrich and Paul think their own nomination would be tantamount to election, given Obama's indifference to religious sensibilities and political realities.

This has nothing to do with getting care, Joan, it has to do with paying for birth control. Maybe the catholic church should of put in for a waiver, like the unions did. I sense a little panic......

President Obama's war on business has expanded, and is now a war against religion. The entire premise on this, that government should dictate the specific provisions of health insurance policies, is an attack on free market principles. But requiring a religion to offer coverage that goes against its values is anti religion tyranny. Why should health insurance include birth control anyway? The free market, not the government, should be the arbiter on what is included in a health policy. This issue will, rightfully, help end this sorry chapter in our nation's history.

It's not just contraception that Catholics should be concerned about. It's Obama's support for late term abortion that is the real killer, no pun intended. The litmus test for just about every Democrat is support for abortion. That should be the reason Catholics don't vote for Obama or ANY Democrat. If you pull the lever for a Democrat, leave the church. You are just as bad as the Democrat demons killing humans, and just as guilty.

Oh, please, this is no "war on religion," no matter how much right wing zealots want to try to make it such. If you get tax money for programs from the government you can't impose your own rules on how to use it. It is the same for everyone. If the church doesn't like it, they can give the money back and run the hospitals on their own. I doubt they will.

Hey what church did you go to because they didn't reach this letter at my Mass?

Words, used out of context, create propoganda. Fight is a word that describes a battle between two matched parties. The Federal Government does not enter a 'fight' with the Catholic Church. One would not suggest that the FBI initiates a fight with a private citizen, nor would one suggest a parent enters a 'fight' with a child. Well, maybe liberal parents do that; bad example. Liberals now drop the pretense that they are merely seeking to separate church from state. Now, government desires to bend the church also to its will. Your words are empty of meaning.

Where is the Catholic Church's outrage at the Republicans' support for war, the death penalty, and tearing great big gaping holes in the social safety net?

Oh for goodness sakes. If it is that important that your employer cover the cost of birth control, do not work for a Catholic organization. And if you do work for a Catholic organization and need birth control, drive to your nearest pharmacy and buy some condoms, which will also protect you from STD's. Birth control pills have nothing to do with health. It amazes me that Catholics like Ms. Venocchi remain in the church when such a nothing issue as providing birth control work themselves into a frenzy. The Episcopal Church welcomes you.

If employees of theCatholic Church do not agree with it's employers policy , then they should find a new employer. Supporters of abortion often say " If you don't like abortion , don't have one " same logic. Obama brought this," fight"on himself . The catholic church should have seen this coming before supporting him during his first election.

The belief that abortion, even in the form ofa morning after pill, is morally wrong is a fundamental doctrine of the Catholic Church. The opposition to birth control is also a matter of church doctrine. For the government to require that a church fund a practice that is antithetical to its doctrine is unreasonable. There is no right for a person to have a job with any organization. People who accept a job do so with full knowledge of the salary and benefits that are associatiated with that position. If they do not like the conditions of employment they are free to reject the job.

The author cleverly distorts the Church's positions to make it easier to argue against them. The Catholic Church doesn't "want to leave it to insurance companies and free markets to decide who gets to see a doctor and who gets care". Their current employee insurance merely does not cover free contraception, abortion or sterilization procedures. She goes on; "[Obama's] telling Catholic leaders they can't regulate the beliefs of those of other faiths". How in the world can she come to the conclusion that that is what is at issue? All the Church's employees are perfectly free to believe as they wish, and are perfectly free to buy and use whatever contraception or medical procedures they want. Ms. Vennochi apparently is arguing that the Church's refusal to pay for their employees' contraception somehow regulates their religious beliefs. There is no crisis of contraception in this country. Contraception is cheap, widely available and heavily subsidized by the taxpayer through Planned Parenthood. This move by Obama contributes nothing of value to the nation's health care. This is purely a political move; Democrats are advancing their agenda of inserting government power into every last corner of our private lives.

I see both sides as in the wrong. If the Catholic Church does not like the terms of the Federal Aid they receive they should decline it. If the adminisitration does not want to recognize that religious organizations are going to adhere to their beliefs they should have a voucher program for this.

As aptly put by other commenters, Obama does not have the moral high ground here. But more profoundly, he shown what a petty man he is for picking this fight.

Then these non Catholics should get other jobs or other insurance that covers their contraceptive needs. They don't have to work for a Catholic institution. Just as the self employed, they can get their own insurance. Your argument is absolutely without merit and very liberal and antiCatholic. The Bishops are right.

NO, the people who want this coverage should either a) find a different job or b) find their own coverage. Nothing says they are entitled to the "f--k entitlement" which liberals love to promote.

It's the first step on the road to getting Catholic hospitals to perform abortions. After that, the left will want the hospital to perform them for free, then the Dr. must smile while doing them. It's all about how evil loves company.

"A church that is supposedly dedicated to feeding the hungry and clothing the naked wouldn't want to leave it to insurance companies and free markets to decide who gets to see a doctor and who gets care - would it?" How on God's Green Earth can this woman represent that she practices Roman Catholisim in good faith? Joan, to your question above: Yes...yes...a 1,000 times, yes! Let the lively discussion about public versus private charity ensue...or not...

Joanne, it is Federal Money, so the Federal Government gets to dictate what it may or may not be spent on. Let the Catholic Church decline that money, and they are then free to decide what coverage, if any, to provide for their employees. My opinion is that the Catholic Church should not allow itself to be thus tainted. The second opinion I expressed is that if the Federal Government is committed to providing birth control coverage and 'morning after pill' coverage they should provide vouchers for those who cannot obtain those through their existing policies. You can disagree all you like, but I will decide for myself whether to adhere to my opinion or to change it, dearie.

'But not all employees of Catholic institutions are Catholics.'--- Then why are they working there at all??? If they don't like it, they can quit and get a job somewhere else!!! Obama can tell religious employers what to do??? I don't know where YOU live Vennocchi but this is America! Take your friends and start a new country somewhere else! We have what we call "Liberty" here!! And yes, that includes religious employers! You are obscene! Certainly not American.

Funny little thing called separation of Church and State. Liberals love it when they get religion out of the public square and schools (Festivus tree) but not this? Typical double standard. Joan, and how does this square with Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission?

Contraception is not "preventative health care" because pregnancy is not an illness. If Obama and Catholic-in-Name-Only Secretary Sebelius were serious about preventing illness in women and men they should mandate that all insurance companies provide FREE mammograms, FREE pap smears, FREE colonoscopies, FREE prostate cancer screening, FREE nutrition counseling, and FREE blood pressure medication and statins. Providing these services with no co-pays would significantly address negative health outcomes among Americans, especially as we become an aging population. Why is the first step in Obamacare addressing contraception, sterilization, and potentially abortifacient "morning after pills?" You don't have to be a right-wing zealot to detect some religious bias here. And kate... What bishops have you been listening to? Both the Vatican and the US Bishops have spoken often and loudly about war and referred to the Iraq war as immoral and not consistent with the long-held just war theorem. The U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was among the first religious bodies in the US to speak publicly about the evil of nuclear war, back in 1974. The Pope and the US bishops are soundly against the death penalty. The pope has personally intervened on behalf of many condemned persons on death row in the US. The US bishops support just immigration policies and have reached out to immigrants; after all, the US church is an immigrant church. The Catholic Church in the US has been, after the Federal Government, the largest provider of social services and of free and reduced-cost medical care in the country. You hear what you want to hear about the positions of the Church. You should listen to the Bishops' voices.

Joan, I think you're wrong on this one. I left the Roman Catholic Church years ago, and am appalled at their attempted interference with people's private lives and their arrogance in telling women what/what not to do. But at the same time I do not think government should make the church be proactive (ie pay) in violating its own precepts. Sadly, I think it's going to cost Obama big time.

all of the talk of "non-Catholic" employees misses the point. A staggeringly high number of CATHOLICS use birth control. Honest question: does the Christian Science Monitor provide health insurance for its employees?