Fr. Jenkins Is Worried Now

He wasn't all that worried about having a US President who was ok with babies being killed whether in the womb or born alive. After all, he was so secure with having such an individual in authority that he gave him a public platform and an honorary degree. Once he initiated all that mythical dialogue, what else was there to do? He had friends in high places now.

It's a bit more complicated now.

As you've probably heard, President Obama and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (an alleged Catholic) are planning to force health plans to cover contraception and sterilization services. This includes health plans provided by Catholic employers. Like ND.

In response to this, Fr. Jenkins has written a letter to Sec. Sebelius asking for this to be reconsidered and that an acceptable conscience clause be included. Fr. Jenkins makes multiple references to Obama's graduation address. I suppose this is to remind the secretary how tight he and the president are. He even makes mention of how Obama himself called for a reasonable conscience clause in his speech. Except that he didn't. At least not in this context. I'm waiting for Obama to make the distinction. "Oh, sorry about that, John. I meant conscience clauses for ABORTION. You thought I meant conscience clauses for everything? Aww. That's too bad."

It must really stink to be in Fr. Jenkins's position. Maybe now he realizes that he has no currency to barter with these people. There won't be any dialogue because they are our adversaries. They seek to destroy the Church or, at bare minimum, remake it into their own images. It's good to see him getting back in the game, albeit late and perhaps not at the needed level just yet. Way better than where he was, though.

Two cities, Fr. Jenkins. We can only belong to one. What would you fight for?

Accordingly, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word, glories in itself, the latter in the Lord. For the one seeks glory from men; but the greatest glory of the other is God, the witness of conscience. The one lifts up its head in its own glory; the other says to its God, "Thou art my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." In the one, the princes and the nations it subdues are ruled by the love of ruling; in the other, the princes and the subjects serve one another in love, the latter obeying, while the former take thought for all.

St. Augustine, City of God