Mental Health Parity Bill

The Senate has passed a bil and the House is hoping to pass one for Mental Health Parity. The House bill (H.R. 1424)basically calls for the same coverage that federal legislators and employees have. This bill requires group health plans that offer benefits for mental health and addiction to do so on the same terms as care for other diseases. This bill would not allow higher copayments, coninsurance, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket limits, fewer days of care and doctor visits than are set for care for other diseases

Both the Senate and House bills would only apply to group health plans of 50 or more people.

Looking at this issue from Jesus' perspective which is reflected in the social justice principles of 1)dignity of the Human Person, 2) Common good and Community, 3) Rights and responsibilities, what should we be urging our legislators in Washington D.C. to do? The legislators hope to work out a compromise bill and have a bill to President Bush by the end of this term of Congress. For further information google "Mental Health Parity Bill 2007."

Immigration

Congress is working on a new immigration plan. What should it look like? Before we give suggestions to our senators and representatives here may be some thoughts to reflect on.

"You will not oppress the alien; you know how an alien feels, for you yourselves were once aliens in Egypt" (Exodus 23:9). For eons people have tended to shun and oppress the alien. It takes an intense Christian faith to be welcoming to the stranger, epecially one who comes from another country. We tend to believe that strangers will take something away from us. We tend to believe that if immigrants want to work they will take away our jobs. That if they are sick they will take away health care resources from us. That if they eat they are using our tax dollars to do so. That they will be criminals and be a danger to us. We tend to believe that they will achieve power over us. Because of these fears we unconsciously aim to make them powerless.

When we let our faith guide our beliefs we will see immigrants as children of God worthy of our respect. We will imagine Jesus ministering to these people. People who are homless. people who are hungry. People who are strangers in someone else's ountry. People who are sick. People who are lonely. And yes, people who are sinners. We could not imagine Jesus putting up walls to keep them away even though his disciples tried. We can only imagine Jesus multiplying loaves and fishes to feed them. We can only imagine Jesus giving them work in his carpentry shop so they could feed their own families. We can only imagine Jesus forgiving them for coming across the border illegally while the rest of us tend to want to throw stones. We can only imagine Jesus saying, "Come to me all you who are burdened and I will give you rest."

There is a battle within us to cede to our baser instincts fed by fear or to be hospitable as Jesus would have us be. We have a soul-saving choice to make. What should we tell our senators and representatives?

Fair Trade Products

Many people who work in industries that produce the goods that we buy are not paid fair wages and are not working in conditions that are conducive to safety and the honoring of a person's dignity as a child of God. This is especially true of people in Third World countries. Often the industries are owned by megacorporations whose labor practices make it possible to sell the products cheaply in the U.S. The result is that we get cheap goods but the laborers can barely make a living and have no rights or benefits in their work place.

More and more there are organizations that are set up to help small producers offer living wages and rights and privileges. These organizations help these producers market their goods. These products are known as Fair Trade products. But these goods are more expensive because of the living wages and benefits the workers receive. If we buy these products at a higher price we are helping the small producers and their workers make a living. This allows them to live with dignity and respect. We are faced with the choice of buying cheaper goods which keeps poor people in desperate poverty or of buying more expensive products which will raise the level of well being of the producers and their workers.

Should our parish support Fair Trade products? We can buy fair trade coffee which the youth have been selling in the parish. We know of fair trade bananas producers which we will introduce in the fall of 2007. If you know of other fair trade products share those on this blog.

Care of the earth

What are your thoughts? Should Nativity start a recycling program? In your response tell why you think yes or no; share what you think should be done with the waste materials; share thoughts on what could be recycled; give suggestions on how we might do it; tell us if you'd be willing to be a part of the team that gets this program off the ground. Let us know if you'd like to be part of the responsibility of running the recycling program.