I wrote earlier about the need to avoid recriminations in the current health care debate as it enters its final days. Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Florida has given an exquisite, and timely, example of the kind of thoughtful commentary that I believe we need in these last days. His statement speaks for itself. You can read it here.
Michael Sean Winters
Bishop Lynch:
You schedule has you meeting with the CHA Board later this month. Given your recent exhortations to us to lobby Governor Crist regarding the ultrasound bill, I would challenge you to do the same…to exhort your colleague, Sister Keehan to publicly rescind her support of the health-care bill.
Perhaps it has occurred to you that if she had not defied the USCCB and the spiritual leadership of the Bishops, and according to the USCCB spokespersons, “lied” about the content of the bill, we would not now be in the position of having to beg the governor not to veto this bill. When the President of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, commends Sister Keehan for her support of the health care bill, it seems obvious that Sr. Keehans’s interpretation of the bill of being abortion neutral was inaccurate…a position she took and in defending her, even you inferred in your blog entitled “Health Care Reform and Abortion—Another Word”
Isn’t it time to unequivocally state the facts about the bill? In the blog I referred to, you promised to keep us informed but I’ve waited in vain for any futher spiritual guidance from you. And if the USCCB position is accurate isn’t it time for you to challenge the CHA and Sister Keehan to tell the truth and rescind their support for the bill? Isn’t that at least as important as your exhortations to us to lobby Gov. Crist??