Abp Rodi on HHS mandate, secular society

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Mobile Archbishop Thomas Rodi says the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops, meeting in Baltimore is dealing with the challenge of “preaching the Good News in an increasingly secular society”.

Surveys by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life have found that the number of Americans who say they have no religion is at a high of 20 percent, while the number of former Catholics is so large that ex-Catholics collectively include more people than many denominations.

Archbishop Rodi, who is attending the meeting, admitted a particular challenge is reaching many young people who, when asked if they are looking for a church, answer “no”. “That’s a real challenge that we’re facing,” he said.

When asked how the Catholic Church needs to respond, Rodi said, “We have the Truth, and the Truth will always win out. We have to find ways to preach it and to motivate our people to bring it into their daily lives in many ways that the clergy don’t have the opportunity to, including using the new media”.

“Part of it is really being courageous enough in the midst of a society which is increasingly indifferent, if not intolerant of religion, to be willing to stand up for Gospel values,” Rodi said.

The Archbishop said another challenge facing the Catholic Church is the Health and Human Services mandate which would require organizations to provide funding for contraception and abortion, which are in opposition to Catholic teaching.

The mandate “seeks to cut off our Church ministries from the Church,” he added.  He said the Church has until August to comply with the mandate or face fines which, Church leaders say, could force some charities, hospitals, nursing homes and schools out of business.

“We’re hoping the courts will say this is an unacceptable overreach by the Government,” Rodi said.

During the debate featuring the two Vice-Presidential candidates, Vice President Joseph Biden said, “No religious institution, Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic Social Services, Georgetown Hospital, Mercy — any hospital — none has to either refer contraception. None has to pay for contraception. None has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact.”

When asked about Biden’s comment, Rodi said, “His statement was incorrect”.

Rodi said the USCCB is also watching the debate over the “Defense of Marriage Act”.  He said, “If the Court would ever say that it is a civil right to marry someone of your own gender, that would have grave impact on churches that believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman.” If that happened, Rodi said, “The government could bring pressure on ministries to comply with public policy”.