Opinion

August 21, 2013 (ALL.org) – While it is outrageous that Planned Parenthood is receiving more than a million dollars in federal “navigator” grants to enroll customers in Obamacare, it is not a surprise. It is even more outrageous to learn that two Catholic organizations applied for and received “navigator” grants to facilitate enrolling people in Obamacare.

Ascension Health, the largest Catholic and nonprofit health system, received a $202,706 navigator grant in Alabama and $165,683 in Kansas.

Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Mobile received $20,750.

Image

Obamacare will, of course, require employers to provide insurance that pays for abortifacient contraceptives, sterilizations, and—pursuant to section 1303 of Obamacare—includes a $1 abortion surcharge for the exchange programs.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has extensive information on its website about why it objects to Obamacare. In addition, it lists action items. You can download a PDF summary of USCCB objections here. Yet, these Catholic organizations applied for and received funds to implement that to which the bishops object.

“The morally bankrupt provisions in Obamacare make it impossible for any Catholic to support it, even in the best possible light,” said American Life League’s Michael Hichborn. “By taking government funds to enroll people into Obamacare, it is clear that as far as Ascension Health and Catholic Social Services of Mobile are concerned, money is more important than souls. If the Catholic faith is to survive Obama’s America, then sellouts like these must be reigned in by the shepherds of the Church.”

For some background about Obamacare and the early involvement of Catholic Charities U.S.A. and the Catholic Health Association, watch our 2009 video Obamacare: Abortion’s Trojan Horse.

Click “like” if you want to end abortion!

Additionally, $375,000 has been awarded to Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., to help its customers navigate Obamacare. That’s one of the largest pieces of the $6.4 million pie, and will be used to hire and train employees to enroll people in the government healthcare takeover.

The Department of Health and Human Services also awarded grants totaling $655,192 to Planned Parenthood in Iowa, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Montana, and New Hampshire. HHS will spend a total of $67 million of taxpayer money to fund the find-and-enroll effort. All of the Planned Parenthood affiliates receiving the grants commit abortions.

Blasting the District of Columbia award, Rep. Diane Black from Tennessee said, “The federal funding of abortion providers like Planned Parenthood is a serious problem in our country, and one that I have been fighting since I arrived in Congress.” She added that the D.C. grant is “a sad reminder that despite assurances from the president when the law was passed, Obamacare will in fact give taxpayer money to abortion providers.”

This article originally appeared on ALL.org and is reprinted with permission.