Catholic san Francisco
(PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
Pro-life rally fills Civic Center Plaza Tens of thousands of people rallied at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco Jan. 21 for the 8th annual Walk for Life West Coast. The event was preceded by a Mass for Life at a full St. Mary’s Cathedral, with Archbishop George Niederauer as principal celebrant, and followed by a march down Market Street to the Embarcadero. Turn to Pages 10, 11 for the story and photos; Page 12 for the archbishop’s homily.
‘Line in the sand’ White House denial of religious exemption outrages Catholic groups By Nancy Frazier O’Brien WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. bishops and other Catholic groups responded with outrage and concern to the Obama administration’s refusal of repeated requests from Catholic bishops, hospitals, schools and charitable organizations to revise its religious exemption to the requirement that all health plans cover contraceptives and sterilization free of charge.
Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the administration’s position “literally unconscionable” and vowed the bishops will fight it. The reaction came Jan. 20 after Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that nonprofit groups that do not provide contraceptive coverage because of their religious beliefs will get an additional year “to adapt to this new rule.”
“This decision was made after very careful consideration, including the important concerns some have raised about religious liberty,” Sebelius said. “I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services.” But Cardinal-designate said the Obama administration has “drawn an unprecedented line in the sand” with the decision. LINE IN SAND, page 7
Catholic Healthcare West restructures By George Raine
Why we need a Catholic press. Guest Commentary, Page 13.
San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West, the nation’s fifth-largest health care system, said Jan. 23 it is changing its name to Dignity Health as part of a restructuring that, it says, “will position the organization to succeed in a changing health care environment.” Dignity said that one of the key rationales for the change is to preserve and sustain the identity and integrity of the Catholic hospitals in its system and their sponsoring congregations.
Founded as a Catholic institution in 1986, when two congregations of the Sisters of Mercy joined their 10 hospitals together, the new Dignity Health is a not-forprofit organization, rooted in Catholic tradition, but, as a result of the restructuring, no longer is an official ministry of the Catholic Church. It will continue to own and operate both Catholic and non-Catholic hospitals which will keep their names. The mission of the hospitals – 25 Catholic and 15 nonCatholic hospitals in Arizona, California and Nevada RESTRUCTURES, page 3
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION On the Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 News in brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Scripture reflection . . . . . . . 14 Datebook of events . . . . . . . 17
Pastor’s fundraising strategy pays off ~ Page 5 ~ January 27, 2012
Catholic rap concert at San Francisco church ~ Page 6 ~
Catholic Schools Week ~ Special Issue~
ONE DOLLAR
Classified ads . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Service Directory . . . . . . . . 20
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 14
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