I, as an agnostic verging on atheist, have long been confounded by the Catholic Church. In fact, I am rather furious at the Pope right now regarding this whole abuse thing in Europe. BUT..
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But then I read a great article by an ex-communicated Rhode Island believer about the position the Catholic Layity and Catholic Nuns have taken on the Health Care Bill. Regardless of whether you believe in the bill or not, the Nun's point is a salient one...
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But the prospect of national reform prompted anti-choice extremists to demand that no tax dollars be used for health insurance plans that cover abortion for those who wish to use it. Nuns replied that a true pro-life view focuses on the millions of uninsured men, women and children who will be saved under a national plan.
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Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) has led the pack of Catholic lawmakers looking for ever-tighter abortion restrictions. After a prolonged holdout, he announced his support for the Obama plan on Sunday after the president agreed to issue an executive order clarifying that the Hyde Act (which bans federal funding of abortions) applies to the new law.
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But in withholding his support for so long and endangering the bill, Stupak ignored the endorsement of the plan by nuns, Catholic hospitals (through the Catholic Health Association), and the Catholic press (through the respected National Catholic Reporter ) -- all of them "pro-life."
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Full article here, but this is MY point.
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Maybe the Catholic Church is like the Democratic and Republican Parties, or like any organization that is trying to preserve power. Maybe the top of the organization has lost it's sense of purpose and has focused mainly on holding power. In fact, they might ACTUALLY believe this in in the best interest of the church or the party. But I shouldn't judge the work that the people on the ground (or in the parishes) based on the lunatic rantings of old men long removed from real life. Maybe the best way to judge the church is by the good the members do (and in the case of Catholics - the Nuns, Layity and local Priests).
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And so, I choose to see the help that the Nuns, as well as other people on the ground, did in bringing life saving care to the most venerable among us.