Catholic churches condemn HHS mandate

GREEN BAY - Catholics across the country are taking a stand against a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate.   

The Catholic Church says it's a violation of its religious beliefs to offer coverage of contraceptives and other reproductive health services.

After communion at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay Sunday, Bishop David Ricken addressed the faithful about what he says is an affront to the First Amendment rights of Catholics.

"It's a joint effort in solidarity with all the churches in the U.S.A. to bring awareness to the health and human services decision," said Ricken.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said starting next year all employers, even religious organizations, which provide health plans to their employees would be required to include preventative reproductive health services.

It's a decision Planned Parenthood has championed.

"They employ a lot of men and women who don't necessarily practice the Catholic faith. So it seems unfair to penalize a woman who works for an employer whose faith she doesn't practice to get basic fair health insurance," said Nicole Safar, Director of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood Wisconsin.

The bishop says while he realizes that many Catholics out in the world may take advantage of those services, he says the Catholic church shouldn't be footing the bill.

"If we pay for those services for people who work for us, we are in effect saying don't do it, but then giving the money to pay for it," said Ricken.

The bishop's statement gained him a standing ovation in church.

"I wholeheartedly agree with what he said. I don't believe that we should have to provide abortifacients and contraceptives and abortions for people," said Carlene Martens.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin says Catholic bishops are simply preaching to the choir.

“They are in the very small minority who believe this is a bad policy, and the majority of men and women think they should have access to birth control through their health coverage,” said Safar.

Some Catholics in church on Sunday say their voting power is roughly 70 million strong across the nation, and they're not afraid to let their voices be heard in an election year.

You can read the letter by Bishop Ricken in its entirety.

On Jan. 11, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in which it sided with an Evangelical Lutheran school which had brought suit against the EEOC in regards to this health care coverage decision.