Local priest denounces birth control

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) - A health care battle is heating up in Washington and here in Indianapolis.

Earlier this week, the White House said religious charities and schools would no longer be required to provide free birth control to their workers.

Women would still have access to free contraception but their insurance company would have to provide that coverage.

President Obama said it's a win-win. But not everyone agrees.

Pastor Ted Rothrock of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Carmel told his congregation he and other members of the Catholic Church are outraged by the so-called compromise. An excerpt from his speech is below.

As the pastor of this parish and as your spiritual father, I am compelled to speak. I have been told not to mix politics and religion from the pulpit … that I should just stick to matter of faith and morals. But now the Federal government is dictating how we are to conduct our faith and morals. In place of my article in this week’s Seton Voice is a letter from Bishop Doherty concerning the recently publicized regulation from the Department of Health and Human Services concerning reproductive rights and health insurance?

President Obama addressed this controversy last Friday by stating that health insurance companies will be required to reach out and provide free contraceptives and this will not directly involve any conscious decision on the part of religious groups. This is nothing more than a lateral pass while the ball of government regulation and control is continuing to be advanced. Health insurance in our diocese, as in much of the Church, is self-funded. United Health care simply administers health plan for our clergy and employees.

To willingly hand over the gift of health to an all-powerful government is to invite corruption and disaster against which there is no appeal. So here there can be no compromise. There can be no room for discussion. I will not comply! We must not comply! To do so would be to abandon our country to tyranny and our souls to hell.

Meanwhile, the Obama Administration says the new rule will go forward.

“I have to say that the solution that we came up with puts no religious institution in the position where it either has to pay for or facilitate the provision of benefits they find objectionable,“ White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew said, “If the issue is — should women have access to all forms of preventive care, including contraception, we believe the answer to that is yes.”