Local Catholics Say Health care Act is Against their Religion
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Jul 24, 2012 at 10:15 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Jul 24, 2012
Health care is supposed to soon be affordable and available to all Americans, if the health care reform act takes affect as it is scheduled.
Local Catholics expressed their concern about the act, saying it violates their religious freedoms.
(Cim Gilson\Representing Laredo diocese): "We voted for change and we got change, but now it's very hostile to religious groups."
Over 100 people came to Saint Patrick’s church Tuesday night, to learn how the health care act will affect their religious rights.
People we spoke to today at the church said they are not against the health care act in whole, but feel being forced to pay for contraceptives and abortions is against their religious freedom.
(Raul Bernao): “It goes against my principles, what my mom and dad taught me when I was growing up."
(Florita Tijerina): "It is causing great distress because we have our rights and they are infringing on them."
Cim Gilson, who represents the diocese of Laredo said religious organizations would not pay for birth control and abortions and would have to shut-down.
"We would see the end of catholic hospitals, catholic universities, catholic charities. Simply because they can't afford to pay the fine."
There is an exception for church buildings only in the Healthcare act, but Gilson said this is just more of an example of how unconstitutional it is.
"The government for the first time is defining religion as a Sunday worship and religion is more than that. It's Sunday-Saturday."
One concerned resident even said she thinks this act is too controlling.
(Blanca Calzado): "We believe the catholic churches, the hospitals, they should not be controlled by our government to give out a certain type of birth control, etc."
"It's a divisive issue, so why divide a nation even further by forcing religious groups to do something against their conscious, that's unconsciousable and I think it's unconstitutional."
Proponents of the plan have stated they will take each issue on a case-by-case basis.
