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 26th,
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.”
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