Source: Daily Herald | Brian Hill

I hope you all are having a fantastic weekend so far. I would like to take a minute to apologize for the lack of substantial posts over the last few days. I know many of you have wondered where I have been lately. Well, things have been quite busy on my end with working, getting ready for school, etc. It is so hard to believe that this summer is practically over; school is just a couple of weeks away. To be honest, I am quite excited about getting back into a normal routine.

Over the next few days, things should begin to return to business as usual and I will have some more time to do posts here and on the Catholic Vote Action blog. I thank you for patience and for your continued reading.

I know I promised some more on the federal judge’s decision to overturn Proposition 8. But, truthfully, there are others out there who are more capable of giving you information on what this decision means for us as a Church and as a country. I recommend that you check in with our good friend the American Papist for all of your news on Proposition 8.

There is one thing I will say about the decision, however:

Source: Flickr

With this morning’s announcement, Bishop Joseph McFadden, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, becomes the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg. After graduating from St. Joseph University in 1969 with a degree in Poli Science, Bishop-designate McFadden coached and taught at West Catholic Boys High School. In 1976, McFadden entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, beginning his years in priestly formation. On May 16, 1981, Bishop McFadden was ordained a priest by Cardinal John Krol in the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philly.

Throughout his time as a priest, Bishop McFadden has served the people of Philadelphia in multiple capacities. McFadden has served on the Priests’ Personnel Board, Subcommittee for Clergy Renewal (serving as the Chairman), Diocesan Priests Continuing Formation Committee, and the Episcopal Board of Advisors for the Cause for the Beatification of Archbishop Fulton John Sheen–to name a few. He has also served as the president of a Catholic High School and as a spiritual director for young men discerning a call to priestly ministry at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

This past weekend, members of the House of Representatives narrowly passed the Health Care Reform (HCR) Bill. Even before the bill was passed, the stance of the people was being heard around the country, many of whom were in opposition to the landmark legislation. However, some of those who opposed the bill took to name calling and slander; members of Congress who were in support of the bill were being called dehumanizing names. After the bill was passed, the jeering and name calling erupted into instances of violence. Many people who were opposed to the legislation and upset with its passage began making death threats to our elected representatives, throwing bricks through windows of district offices of the representatives and protesting outside the homes of the family members of the representatives.

Shortly after President Obama signed the legislation into law on Wednesday, I made the following statement on my Twitter page because I was completely dumbfounded that Americans had stooped to this level of immaturity: “People have been sending death threats to those in Congress who voted for the HCR bill?!?!? Needs to stop!!!” When did we begin viewing our fellow Americans, our brothers and sisters in Christ, as enemies. Well, I was not the only one experiencing that disappointment in my fellow Americans.

On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, Cardinal Francis George, President of the USCCB released the following statement regarding the passage of the health care reform bill by the House of Representatives on Sunday, March 21, 2010.

For nearly a century, the Catholic bishops of the United States have called for reform of our health care system so that all may have access to the care that recognizes and affirms their human dignity. Christian discipleship means, “working to ensure that all people have access to what makes them fully human and fosters their human dignity” (United States Catechism for Adults, page 454). Included among those elements is the provision of necessary and appropriate health care.

For too long, this question has gone unaddressed in our country. Often, while many had access to excellent medical treatment, millions of others including expectant mothers, struggling families or those with serious medical or physical problems were left unable to afford the care they needed. As Catholic bishops, we have expressed our support for efforts to address this national and societal shortcoming. We have spoken for the poorest and most defenseless among us. Many elements of the health care reform measure signed into law by the President address these concerns and so help to fulfill the duty that we have to each other for the common good. We are bishops, and therefore pastors and teachers. In that role, we applaud the effort to expand health care to all.

Over the last several days, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have been reminding the Catholic faithful, Congress, and the American people of the position of the Catholic Church on the most crucial debate of health care reform. Many bishops throughout the United States have been issuing statements of disapproval of the current health care bill. Bishop Thomas Wenski, Bishop of Orlando, is the latest bishop to voice his opposition to the bill. (emphasis mine)

The 40 days of Lent which evokes the time that Jesus spent fasting in the desert is a time of conversion and reconciliation. Yet, even as we have passed the mid-point in our Lenten observances, the word “reconciliation” has taken on a new and infelicitous connotation in our secular world. Reconciliation as a “legislative process intended to allow consideration of a contentious budget bill without the threat of a filibuster” seems now to be the preferred tactic of the Democratic leadership in Congress to secure passage of what has come to be known as Obamacare. While such reconciliation might bring together the House and Senate health care reform proposals, it will not bring together the nation – for, however, the two bills may be reconciled, serious flaws remain.

Almost everyone regardless of political ideology agrees that there is a need to fix “health care” in our nation: our present system serves too few people and at too high a cost. The U.S. Bishops have consistently advocated for health care reform for more than 40 years. We believe that health care is a basic human right – and we continue to support adequate and affordable health care for all. Health care coverage should not be denied to those in need because of their condition, age, where they come from or when they arrive here.