ROMAN CATHOLIC NUNS FILE BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF OBAMA HEALTHCARE EXPANSION

The Franciscan Sisters of Mary arrived in St. Louis in 1872 and later took on ministering to patients in hospitals. (NYT)

From Think Progress:

As further proof that conservative efforts to paint President Obama as the enemy of religion are a red herring, nearly two dozen leading Catholic nuns filed a brief in the Supreme Court last week supporting the president’s signature legislative accomplishment. The Catholic sisters who joined the brief include the leaders of many prominent religious orders providing health care and other services to the needy.

In the AMICI CURIAE brief, the sisters say:

We have witnessed firsthand the impact of our national healthcare crisis, particularly its impact on women, children and people who are poor. We see the toll on families who have delayed seeking care due to a lack of health insurance coverage or lack of funds with which to pay high deductibles and co-pays. We have counseled and prayed with men, women, and children who have been denied health care coverage by insurance companies. We have witnessed early and avoidable deaths because of delayed medical treatment. The health care bill . . . will expand coverage to over 30 million uninsured Americans. While it is an imperfect measure, it is a crucial next step in realizing health care for all. It will invest in preventative care. It will bar insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. It will make crucial investments in community health centers that largely serve poor women and children.

Brave, sisters! Preach it!

Having attended Roman Catholic schools with women religious as my teachers, I know 'Sister' is always right (at least, almost always). Thanks be to God for these courageous women, whom the RC hierarchy declare unfit to serve as priests...the church's loss, surely.

N/T to Katie on Facebook.