USA: constitutional challenge to HHS mandate possible

Catholic organisations in the United States, including the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and the Catholic Health Association (CHA), continue to consider how best to coordinate efforts to resolve the impending constitutional crisis in the country over the Obama administration’s decision to force Catholic institutions to provide contraceptive goods and services to employees.

The president and chief executive officer of CHA, Daughter of Charity Sister Carol Keehan, told Vatican Radio that she would prefer to resolve the crisis through negotiation, though all options remain on the table. “It would be much preferable that we would negotiate to get this fixed,” she said, adding, “when something is a mistake, the smart thing to do is [to] fix it as quickly as possible.” She expressed hope that US Catholic leadership and the administration could resolve the crisis before it comes to a head in July, 2013, when the one-year period for Catholic institutions to come into compliance with the new regulations expires. “Let’s get in the room and get it done,” said Sr. Keehan. About the legislative option, Sr. Keehan said, “That would be challenging.” Sr. Keehan also suggested that recourse to the judiciary would be a lengthy, costly and cumbersome process. “All those are open,” she said. Listen to Alessandro Gisotti’s extended interview with Sr. Carol Keehan of CHA: