In my mispent youth I wore Army green for a few years. My main contribution to the nation’s defense was when I was discharged, but I have always retained a fondness for the Army. Therefore I have very strong feelings about the attempt by the Obama administration to censor Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the Catholic Archbishop for the military services in the US.
On Thursday, January 26, Archbishop Broglio emailed a pastoral letter to Catholic military chaplains with instructions that it be read from the pulpit at Sunday Masses the following weekend in all military chapels. The letter calls on Catholics to resist the policy initiative, recently affirmed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, for federally mandated health insurance covering sterilization, abortifacients and contraception, because it represents a violation of the freedom of religion recognized by the U.S. Constitution.
The Army’s Office of the Chief of Chaplains subsequently sent an email to senior chaplains advising them that the Archbishop’s letter was not coordinated with that office and asked that it not be read from the pulpit. The Chief’s office directed that the letter was to be mentioned in the Mass announcements and distributed in printed form in the back of the chapel.
Archbishop Broglio and the Archdiocese stand firm in the belief, based on legal precedent, that such a directive from the Army constituted a violation of his Constitutionally-protected right of free speech and the free exercise of religion, as well as those same rights of all military chaplains and their congregants.
Following a discussion between Archbishop Broglio and the Secretary of the Army, The Honorable John McHugh, it was agreed that it was a mistake to stop the reading of the Archbishop’s letter. Additionally, the line: “We cannot — we will not — comply with this unjust law” was removed by Archbishop Broglio at the suggestion of Secretary McHugh over the concern that it could potentially be misunderstood as a call to civil disobedience.
The AMS did not receive any objections to the reading of Archbishop Broglio’s statement from the other branches of service.
Go here to read the uncensored letter. We are currently being governed by an anti-Catholic administration that has absolutely no respect for either our Faith or our freedom.
It will be again in January 2013, the end of an error.
This man is a tyrant. He must be resisted.
For once, I agree 100 per cent with Mark Shea.
Totally the wrong call. Small sliver of consolation in that the Secretary of the Army realized later that it was indeed the wrong call.
“This man is a tyrant. He must be resisted.”
Indeed Mark. If he is acting this way in an election year, one can imagine what his administration would be capable of if he gets a second term and no longer has to face the voters again.
The man to which you refer is pharaoh.
Pharaoh is most powerful. About 52% of voters said so (some felt so strongly they voted four or five times plus the dead ones). He doesn’t need to consult no Constitution. “We can’t wait!”
Pharaoh has decided (he don’t need no Congress or Supreme Court) your opinions are “ancient religious hatred.”
Pharaoh and his minions have ruled you will be proscribed.
So it was said, so shall it be . . .
Misconstrued as a call to civil disobedience? It is, in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau! The mistake was the President’s to not fulfill his oath “…to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” His administration’s directive, then is an unlawful order to the soldiers. Each and every member of the Armed Forces has sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Civil disobedience is not only warranted, but required by our citizenship.
“This man is a tyrant. He must be resisted.” Indeed Mark.
The incident does say something about the institutional culture of the Democratic Party, the Administration, and the man’s camp followers, but it would be rash to assume the President had anything to do with the decision itself.
Some years ago, Terry Eastland, who had been press secretary to the Attorney-General for a time during the Reagan Administration, told a story meant to illustrate something about which decisions get made at which layers. Shortly after his hire, the Department of Justice had invoked an obscure part of the U.S. Code on the books for some 30-odd years. The National Film Board of Canada had produced a couple of ‘documentaries’ narrated by Helen Caldicott, the Australian hysteric who then presided over ‘Physicians for Social Responsibility’. In accordance with the law, they were required to carry a trailer which informed viewers they had been classified as ‘foreign propaganda’. IIRC, there was an additional provision that a register of varies parties (including viewers of the film) be compiled by officials. Eastland said he found the whole business quite shocking. He was later disabused of the notion that the Attorney-General had had any involvement in this: “it was some GS-12 doing his job…..”
Sorry ART DECO, If Obama let this get by him, he is no leader. Obama is responsible for every jot and titel under his ADMINISTRATION. This is what being the EXECUTIVE IN CHIEF is all about. To say other wise, is to blame the executioner for
St. John the Baptist, or St. Thomas More’s beheading. Agreed, they are all of the same mind, but they are all in the employ of Obama in establishing the religion of Satan. Let Obama tell the truth about our founding principles.
Donald R. McClarey: Obama will relieve citizens of the obligation to vote. Having appointed himself to the office of president in perpetuity, Obama’s second term will become the longest term in the history of the United States. Our founding father, George Washington declined the crown of king. David ought to have. Obama will crown himself.
Sorry ART DECO, If Obama let this get by him, he is no leader. Obama is responsible for every jot and titel under his ADMINISTRATION.
You cannot be serious. The federal executive has 14 cabinet departments, about 100 free-standing agencies, and 3.4 million employees.
[…] This is Still America, Isn’t It? – Donald R. McClarey, The American Catholic […]
AD: The Secy of the Army is the Secy of the Army b/c Obama wants him to be Secy of the Army.
Obama is the most intelligentest, bestestest educated, most effectivest person ever to be President.
Nothing gets past Obamagenius.
Or, are you saying Obama handlers appointed the ideologue? If so, O can fire the loose canon. Oh, Yeah! Right!!
“I’m insulted.” Bart Simpson
He had 14 ministry heads, 200 agencies, and about 6,000,000 employees all over Europe and North Africa. Hitler could not be held responsible for killing American POW’s at Malmedy.
Obama would also like to remove religion from our military as well as health care. The secularist/statist agenda can not tolerate an authority higher than itself.
Bill,
100%! The Church is one of the strongest opponents of the hedonistic, statist, soul destroying agenda.
The regime is in league with evil spirits that prowl the planet seeking the ruin of souls. In 2008, the libertine tyrants were aided and abetted by much of the Church which allowed itself to be gulled by cynical prattling over peace and justice.
It’s not only about the damnation of souls. It’s also about control. Again, the Church teaches conscience and Truth are superior to the state. Therefore, the Church must be destroyed.
“For once, I agree 100 per cent with Mark Shea.”
Paul,
Mr Shea will continue to attack and slander pro-life repubican candidates.
You can count on it.
Yes, Jasper, I realize that. But in this one limited and isolated instance he is correct. Miracles do happen.
OT, but not really: over the past few years, I find I have become much more intensely interested in sports than I was as a young woman. I was depressed for days after my beloved Pack was crushed by the Giants. Ditto for when the Brew Crew was taken to the cleaners by the Cards during the playoffs. I actually have to remind myself that these are GAMES and quite trivial in the larger scheme of things. I knew that when I was younger.
It’s occurred to me that the reason I am becoming such a sports maven is because politics deeply depress me these days. I can barely stand to watch the news. The Obama administration, with its’ open hatred of and contempt for my church, frightens me deeply. Hollywood is rotten to the core and so the only popular culture escape I have is sports. (And yes, I also aware of the corruption in professional sports and the fact that most athletes are very far from being Boy Scouts.) Contemplating the pros and cons of Manning vs. Brady, and hoping that Mr. Happy Pants (aka Ryan Braun) is spared by a merciful MLB is easier on the brain and nerves than watching totalitarianism on the march.
I had zilch interest in sports as a young man Donna, and now as a not so young man I still have zip interest in it. I believe my interest in politics, at least the horserace and technical aspects of it, is akin to the interest others find in sports. The only bowl game on tormorrow in my house will be the puppybowl!
Don’t get too depressed with the political scene. I believe we stand a very good chance of giving Obama and his party a memorable beating in November.
Donald: Ha! I take back all the kudos I have lavished on Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers over the past few years. Clearly, the stalwart pups Toby and Tigger are superior athletes!!
Donald wrote:
“I believe we stand a very good chance of giving Obama and his party a memorable beating in November.”
As our Jewish brethen say, from your lips to God’s ears, Donald! I pray you are right!
Oh, and it’s interesting to me that a relevant comparison was made by an atheist on the WSJ site. This atheist said that although he himself has no religious belief, what Obama was doing reminded him of the Chinese and their sanctioning of compliant clergy and persecution of priests who adhere to Vatican teaching. The atheist said he was sickened by the Obama administration’s violation of religious freedom.
Interesting times, indeed, when an atheist has a clearer idea of what is at stake here than many liberal “Catholics.”
Yeah, Jasper not only will Mark Shea continue to engage in calumnious attacks against those who express legitimate Catholic viewpoints, the “orthodox” Catholic apologist and writers establishment will continue to look the other way at it.
OK, that is enough about Shea. He is not the subject of this post.
Donna, you bet Donald is right!!!! Satan is recognized by his pride… Obama is just that….looks like his game plan is to cause a split in the Catholic Church, believing that the fallen Catholics in his Administration, and the statistics the polls give out that over 85% Catholics use contraceptives, is a sure bet that he will be voted back…and I have a feeling is is DEAD WRONG on this one…..as I stated elsewhere, Jesus is telling him : “You are persecuting Me”… in his pride, he has arrogantly pushed the Button just after the Holy Father spoke to the U.S. Bishops. So, we are counting on you, Faithful American Catholics and people of goodwill to rid your beloved country and the world of this evil character who is the High Priest of Lucifer
BTW, Donald, you might be as weary of politics as I am if you lived in the giant insane ayslum north of the Ilinois border, where the election cycles never end. The latest twist in the Wisconsin Soap Opera: since we have open primaries here, some conservative has come up with a brilliant idea. He suggested that Republicans vote in the Democratic primary – by writing Scott Walker’s name in. I laughed myself silly at the thought of a ballot listing Scott Walker (R) vs. Scott Walker (D). Since we Cheeseheads descended into the Theater of the Absurd long ago, why not really go for the gusto?