Archbishop Kurtz of Louisville, Ky: religious liberty at foundation of USA

The bishops of the United States continue their ad limina visits this week, with bishops from the southeastern part of the country in Rome to pray at the tombs of the Apostles and meet with the Holy Father and curial officials. In his most recent discourse to the visiting prelates, Pope Benedict XVI focused especially on religious liberty, celebrating it as the “most American of freedoms” and encouraging the bishops to defend their place and maintain their presence in the public square.

The Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, and Vice-president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Joseph E. Kurtz, spoke with Chris Altieri on Thursday, January 26^th, about the Church’s response to recent challenges to Her ability to carry out corporal and spiritual works of mercy in a manner consistent with Catholic moral teaching – especially recently finalized regulations from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services that the bishops have decried as “literally unconscionable” because of their insistence that Catholic institutions pay for contraceptives, sterilizations and abortifacient drugs as part of employee health plans. “We [in Louisville] are going to rely on the help that the USCCB and people who are really skilled in looking at what the proper political steps are.” The Archbishop explained that at present the Church in Louisville is, “alerting our faithful to the urgency, and then to prayer,” adding that he expects specific proposals within a couple of weeks, at most. Asked how the Church is planning to approach the broader national debate, Archbishop Kurtz said, “We’re talking now about proposing [our position] to people of good will.” He said the Church is preparing to offer, “rational arguments really based on the premise that, at the very foundation of our country is the basis of free exercise of religion.” Listen