Nuns, many of whom belong to orders who run the nation’s Catholic hospitals,  are squaring off against the bishops in the health care reform bill language about abortion funding.

• The bishops oppose any funding for any abortion from any source.

• The sisters’ position is that they are “encouraged” that there is a way to compromise so that no federal funds will be used for abortion.

Who do you think the public trusts more? Nuns or bishops? That may have a lot to do with how this issue plays out.

Trust.

The New York Times

“WASHINGTON — In an apparent split with Roman Catholic bishops over the abortion-financing provisions of the proposed health care overhaul, the nation’s Catholic hospitals have signaled that they back the Senate’s compromise on the issue, raising hopes of breaking an impasse in Congress and stirring controversy within the church. (Emphasis added)

“The Senate bill, approved Thursday morning, allows any state to bar the use of federal subsidies for insurance plans that cover abortion and requires insurers in other states to divide subsidy money into separate accounts so that only dollars from private premiums would be used to pay for abortions. (Emphasis added)

“Just days before the bill passed, the Catholic Health Association, which represents hundreds of Catholic hospitals across the country, said in a statement that it was “encouraged” and “increasingly confident” that such a compromise “can achieve the objective of no federal funding for abortion.” An umbrella group for nuns followed its lead. (Emphasis added)

“The same day, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called the proposed compromise “morally unacceptable.”

Source: New York Times, December 25, 2009