DE SANCTITATE
Encyclical regarding the Supreme Court Decision on Health Care
To the Bishops, Regular Clergy, and the Faithful of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, greetings and Apostolic blessings.
1. Of the sanctity of human life there can be no question. While society has grown in many ways, recent periods in some ways demonstrate a great lack of growth with regard to the sanctity of life. Secularization of society and a general malaise regarding religion, accompanied by great squabbling and disharmony within Christ's Church have made it all the more difficult for people to life a God-centered life according to Sacred Scripture and the norms, customs, devotions, and traditions of the Church.
2. On this day the Supreme Court of the United States of America voted five to four to uphold the Constitutionality of the recent health care legislation instituted by the President. As the Supreme Court has chosen not to uphold life and freedom guaranteed under Christ, it is essential that We comment on this matter.
3. We congratulate the Justices of the Supreme Court who voted against this legislation.
4. Legislation that requires persons and institutions to purchase health care has been held Constitutional, yet due to its provisions, it is inherently incompatible with the Laws of Christ and intrinsically evil. With evil there may be no compromise.
5. Christians may be forced under this new law to pay for contraceptives and abortions of others. The Supreme Court has chosen to uphold the culture of death. As We have said in general in the period leading up to this historic vote, the "individual mandate" places many devout Christians in the position of having to chose between violating their consciences and suffering legal penalties.
6. Neither the Supreme Court nor the President of the United States is above the Laws of Christ or of His Holy Church. Temporal governments and their authorities are only just insofar as they are consistent with the Laws of Christ. If they are not consistent, then Christians are not bound by them. We therefore call upon all Christians to oppose and disobey this legislation to the best of their abilities.
7. We pray for all who have been placed in difficult positions due to this Supreme Court decision and the legislation. We are reminded of Saint Lawrence and our glorious Patron Saint Stephen, and all the martyrs who stood firm against the evils of the world, even though it cost them their lives. We are reminded of the strength of the Confessors who devoted their lives to promoting the Truth of Christ under whom the only real justice exists. From them we draw strength in this present fight. This fight is not political, it is spiritual. It is a fight in which there may be no compromise.
Rutherford Card. Johnson
Patriarch of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church
Given at the Court of Saint Mary of Walsingham
on the Feast of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr
28 June A.D. 2012.
