Elena 
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1. After the Health and Human Services mandates against the Catholic Church hit the media last week (along with a strong response from the bishops and other Catholics), articles and commentary against the church were all over the Huffington Post this week. One of the people I was debating with mentioned that the entire argument was moot because the Catholic church is losing members in droves and soon their wouldn’t be any Catholic Church in America. He pointed out that there were more people dying than getting married at his local Catholic Church. I pointed out to him that there will always be more people dying than getting married because there is one marriage, uniting two people and each of those people will die. One wedding equals two eventual funerals. That seemed to knock him out of the debate.
2. But I got my comeuppance shortly thereafter – my parish has decided to cancel Pre-Cana this year because we only had 5 couples signed up. Only 5.
I’m guessing we’ll have more than 5 funerals this year though.
3. So for the first time in 9 years I won’t have to give a talk to engaged couples and there will not be a transcript or video of the talk on this blog.
2006
2007
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all of 20011
2011
4. The HHS mandate has had some unexpected consequences. Calvin was livid. Although he is not living according to the faith right now, he tells me he still believes all that the church teaches. All of it.
And then today he tells me he has been to confession. Praise God.
5. I recently had a post by Mark Shea pop into my newsfeed on Facebook. I haven’t read Mark’s blog in some time let alone his FB posts, and now I remember why. Last week his FB page said:
”Conservative Catholics in this country have, in large percentages, embraced a false gospel which teaches that opposition to abortion, not faith in and obedience to Jesus, taketh away the sin of the world. So as long as a candidate is (roughly) supportive of the “five non-negotiables” and wears the Precious Feet pin he can cheer for cold-blooded murder or the starvation of children in some other country, or the torture of prisonser, or pre-emptive war that is not, as Pope Benedict say, in the Catechism and he will get enthusiastic support from “prolife” Catholics, as both Santorum and Gingrich do. That is scandalous.” –
Here’s the thing – we don’t have the “perfect” Catholic running for office, let alone the perfect conservative. We have to do the best we can with what we’ve got. All four of the remaining candidates have said things that I absolutely agree with – they’ve all stuck their foot in it as well. But they’re all we got. In 2008 Mark supported a 3rd party candidate. That’s probably why I quit reading him. Thanks to Shea and other 3rd party voters – we got the Obama White House. Thanks Mark. Thanks a lot.
6. Towards the end of cooking this:
we had this
Yes, that is the dirty oven from Christmas baking that I never got around to cleaning now a little fire in my oven! It totally fried the element and the oven quit working! I have had the worst luck with this oven anway…
But Mr. Pete got a new element for around $40 and he is getting a new door too for about $38 with free delivery – it will soon be like a new range – as soon as I finish cleaning the inside!
7. I found out that my former Jazzercise instructor passed away this week. I have so many fond memory of her classes! She was tough and funny and she supported and helped me anyway she could while I tried to stay fit during my pregnancies. Her FB page of late has been full of pictures of her with her daughters and her husband and her grandbaby. And her daughters have all changed their profile pictures to pictures of them with their mom. She is not glamorous in these shots. Her illness and treatment showed and she had put on a lot of weight – but that didn’t stop her from posing for these priceless photos. What shines through, and what I bet her family is so happy to have – is the love in her heart coming through her continence – despite of anything and everything. And that’s all that really matters.
Note to self: Quit being so vain and let the kids take and have pictures of me. I’ll never be young enough or thin enough anyway – so capture the moments instead of waiting to lose another pound or better lighting.
There are religious exemptions to the HHS mandate.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/02/01/health-reform-preventive-services-and-religious-institutions
Jen this is what the mandate does:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/01/20120120a.html
In August 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services issued an interim final rule that will require most health insurance plans to cover preventive services for women including recommended contraceptive services without charging a co-pay, co-insurance or a deductible. The rule allows certain non-profit religious employers that offer insurance to their employees the choice of whether or not to cover contraceptive services. Today the department is announcing that the final rule on preventive health services will ensure that women with health insurance coverage will have access to the full range of the Institute of Medicine’s recommended preventive services, including all FDA -approved forms of contraception. Women will not have to forego these services because of expensive co-pays or deductibles, or because an insurance plan doesn’t include contraceptive services. This rule is consistent with the laws in a majority of states which already require contraception coverage in health plans, and includes the exemption in the interim final rule allowing certain religious organizations not to provide contraception coverage. Beginning August 1, 2012, most new and renewed health plans will be required to cover these services without cost sharing for women across the country.
After evaluating comments, we have decided to add an additional element to the final rule. Nonprofit employers who, based on religious beliefs, do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plan, will be provided an additional year, until August 1, 2013, to comply with the new law. Employers wishing to take advantage of the additional year must certify that they qualify for the delayed implementation. This additional year will allow these organizations more time and flexibility to adapt to this new rule. We intend to require employers that do not offer coverage of contraceptive services to provide notice to employees, which will also state that contraceptive services are available at sites such as community health centers, public clinics, and hospitals with income-based support. We will continue to work closely with religious groups during this transitional period to discuss their concerns.
Thanks for these tidbits. So sad about Pre-Cana. Maybe another parish could use your wisdom? This HHS is so sick. Fr V was right about prison and martyrdom. I've figured that for sometime. Yes! Get those pictures taken! I will too 🙂
Thanks Monica. I asked my husband about shopping our talk around to another pre-cana team – he seemed less than enthusiastic! But maybe I'll just test the waters and see what happens!