Our diocese recently had a big re-org and went down from over 100 parishes down to 30. But now our cozy little ex-congregation can't do anything fun unless the big mega-church ladies say so or we beg our pastor. Given the principle of subsidiarity, are there any lay-structures that exist, or have existed in the past, to allow some level of self-governance in parish life? We'd like to be able to organize our own men's and women's slightly-larger-than small groups, youth activities, dances, novenas, non-Eucharistic processions (like the seven-churches visitation) I think there would still be a point person who would go to the priest for approval, where necessary, but we could avoid the hassle of being vetoed by church ladies and the stress of being lone wolves trying to organize things in vacuums.

HIPAA, the United States Health Care Privacy Law has been in effect for nearly two decades. It's the law that makes people all nervous about talking about other people's well being with their doctors and I've got a feeling it cuts in to Catholic Social teaching, but I can't say exactly why. According to the Catholic social teaching, the principle of subsidiarity laws are best crafted at the an appropriate level > Excessive intervention by the state can threaten personal freedom and initiative. The teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle of subsidiarity, according to which "a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co- ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good." > > CCC 1883 I got off on a bit of a tangent today at my Religious Ed. class telling the 13 and 14 year olds that HIPAA was in direct violation of Catholic Social teaching because of the part that [potentially removes their parents](http://www.hhs.gov/hipaafaq/personal/227.html) from the loop of their healthcare decisions. So, my question is, should a family ever be trumped by a higher order when it comes to medicine?

I heard Pope Francis use the phrase "reciprocal subsidiarity" at his address to the U.S. Congress. > In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants. Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected. For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation. Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present. Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this. > > — Via the [Catholic Herald](http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/09/24/full-text-pope-franciss-address-to-congress/) I'm just wondering what he meant by that and if the Holy Father has talked about that in the past. It seems to me that reciprocal subsidiarity is at the very best a friendly amorphous blob and at the very worst the exact opposite of subsidiarity.

After going off on HIPAA one of the kids brought up Barack Obama and said that, "he's going to make Catholic Hospitals perform abortions." I said that wasn't exactly true, for now, at least, but he was making Catholic Hospitals (and everyone) purchase coverage for something that would allow them to procure an abortion. So, I know that part is just immoral and evil, but is mandating that families get Health Insurance just for existing something that conflicts with the principle of subsidiarity ? Has anything been published that indicates whether the Catholic position is for purchasing or not purchasing health insurance to be purely a matter of choice left up to the heads of families?