I will be heading out shortly to a conference on religious liberty sponsored by the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Why these start these things so early, and all the way across town is beyond me. I will file a report early afternoon.
But, here is some food for thought on the issue.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl has an article at the Washington Post explaining the archdiocese's decision to file a lawsuit against the HHS mandate. It is worth noting that Cardinal Wuerl focuses on the same objection Bishop Blaire highlighted - the still-extant, four-part definition of what is, and is not, a religious organization for purposes of exemptions from the new HHS mandate. I am sure there was some gnashing of teeth at the idea that bishops were taking different positions in public on this issue but I don't think the positions are that fundamentally different. The differences are ones of emphasis and context. All agree on the heart of the matter.
Also in the Post, E.J. Dionne hopes Blaire's letter foretells a "Catholic Spring." My one qualification would be that this is not simply a fight between liberal and conservative bishops. There are some conservative Catholics - bishops, clerics and lay - who think the Church should be wary of appearing too partisan.
See you early afternoon.
