Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: Per Luca Logi (e per la miriamuccia)

http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/business/new-york-states-high
est-court-court-rules--catholic-church-must-c?itemId=B24_16569&cl=%2Feitb24%
2Feconomia&idioma=en
Court rules: Catholic Church must cover contraceptives
10/22/2006
“We think this has never really been about contraception, we think it was to
target the church and open the door for coverage of abortion,” said Dennis
Poust, spokesman for the Catholic conference.
Catholic and other religious social service groups must provide
contraceptive coverage through their workplace-sponsored medical insurance
programs even if they consider contraception a sin, according to Thursday's
ruling by New York state's highest court.
The 6-0 decision by the state Court of Appeals hinged on defining Catholic
Charities and the other nine religious groups suing the state to be social
service agencies, rather than only operating as churches.
The organizations “believe contraception to be sinful,” the decision states.
“We must weigh against (their) interests in adhering to the tenets of their
faith the state's substantial interest in fostering equality between the
sexes, and in providing women with better health care.”
The New York Catholic Conference is considering an appeal to the U.S.
Supreme Court. “We think this has never really been about contraception, we
think it was to target the church and open the door for coverage of
abortion,” said Dennis Poust, spokesman for the Catholic conference.
“Today's ruling shows that no one is above the law, including the Catholic
bishops,” said Kelli Conlin, president of NARAL Pro-Choice New York, part of
the national abortion rights organization. “No employer should be able to
force their beliefs upon their employees, especially given that 97 percent
of Catholics report using birth control.”
A win over discrimination
Family Planning Advocates of New York State called the decision a win over
discrimination for women. JoAnn Smith, the group's president, said women
have paid as much as 68 percent more out of pocket for health care than men.
She said her group would consider fighting any appeal to the U.S. Supreme
Court.
“This is the sixth court that ruled in this, three in California and three
in New York, and all came to the same conclusion,” Smith said.
The court said the fact that the organizations hire employees outside their
faith is a critical factor and they deserve the rights sought under the law.
Poust said, “I think it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of
Catholicism, which teaches that to be saved, Catholics must perform works of
mercy. Faith alone is not enough ... and the way the church performs its
works of mercy is through its Catholic Charities, its schools and its
hospitals, all of which the state has now held is secular.”
At issue is the 2002 Women's Health Wellness Act, a measure that requires
employers to provide health insurance coverage for mammograms, cervical
cytology, bone density screening and other preventive services for women
including prescription contraceptives. Catholic Charities and the other
groups sued the state to be exempt from the requirement, but narrowly lost
in a lower court in 2003 and last year at the appellate level.
The New York law does exempt churches, seminaries and other institutions
with a mainly religious mission that primarily serve followers of that
religion.
As Catholic Charities considers an appeal, it will continue to cover
contraceptives for employees under protest. If the decision stands, the
organization could consider dropping prescription drug coverage for
employees, a highly unlikely change, or consider the costly route of self
insurance,
Poust said.


Per la cronaca 5 su 9 sono cattolici e tutti conservatori
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/06/AR2005110601134.html
Aspetta a cantar vittoria ;-) 


nessuna vittoria
mi sembrava una notizia dal sapore surreale, come spesso ne arrivano da
oltreoceano
Cosě, fa sorridere
A