A Significant Defeat For The Pro-Life Movement Inflicted By The Catholic Church In Boston

[djeter]

On July 1st, Caritas Christi, the Catholic Health care system run by the Archdiocese of Boston will enter into a contract with a subsidiary of the Centene Corporation to provide “reproductive services," such as abortion, sterilization, contraception, and counseling for Commonwealth Care members in Massachusetts.

Despite the fig leaf of Centene’s subsidiary doing the actual dirty work, Caritas will profit from the relationship and will in fact be counseling patients to receive those immoral services from Centene, even to the point of transporting patients to abortion facilities. The Massachusetts plan foreshadows the national model under consideration by the Obama Administration.

How this all came to be is a fascinating tale of incompetency and corrupt MASS state politics. I’ve summarized four articles on the blog noted below along with links to each. This is the biggest non-story I’ve come across in years. I was amazed when I first started googling it. Also provided is a link to the Archdiocese for an appropriately worded inquiry as to WHAT they are thinking. Something like “Say it ain’t so!”

payingattentiontothesky.com/2009/06/08/a-significant-defeat-for-the-pro-life-movement-inflicted-by-the-catholic-church-in-boston/

 

[Chipper]

On July 1st, Caritas Christi, the Catholic Health care system run by the Archdiocese of Boston will enter into a contract with a subsidiary of the Centene Corporation to provide “reproductive services," such as abortion, sterilization, contraception, and counseling for Commonwealth Care members in Massachusetts.

This is outrageous. Notre Dame, Georgetown, other Catholic Universites, Catholic Politicians and now the Boston Archdiocese.

Why is the silence from the Vatican so deafning?

What’s next? Are they going to start arresting Pro-Lifers who show up at the front of the Hospital to voice their opposition? I’ll betcha they start giving those Hospitals special awards and honors.

Is the Church serious about anti-abortion or not? Frankly it’s beginning to seem like they aren’t. They keep saying they are, but the actions say otherwise. Just like the Catholic Politicians.

Let’s see (politician’s Statement) - Oh I am personnally against abortion, but I don’t think my ideals should be forced on others. Seems like the Boston Archdiocese is saying the same thing.

 

[tm30]

On July 1st, Caritas Christi, the Catholic Health care system run by the Archdiocese of Boston will enter into a contract with a subsidiary of the Centene Corporation to provide “reproductive services," such as abortion, sterilization, contraception, and counseling for Commonwealth Care members in Massachusetts.

Despite the fig leaf of Centene’s subsidiary doing the actual dirty work, Caritas will profit from the relationship and will in fact be counseling patients to receive those immoral services from Centene, even to the point of transporting patients to abortion facilities. The Massachusetts plan foreshadows the national model under consideration by the Obama Administration.

How this all came to be is a fascinating tale of incompetency and corrupt MASS state politics. I’ve summarized four articles on the blog noted below along with links to each. This is the biggest non-story I’ve come across in years. I was amazed when I first started googling it. Also provided is a link to the Archdiocese for an appropriately worded inquiry as to WHAT they are thinking. Something like “Say it ain’t so!”

payingattentiontothesky.com/2009/06/08/a-significant-defeat-for-the-pro-life-movement-inflicted-by-the-catholic-church-in-boston/

This is not a done deal. If it does go through, the American church will be officially “through the looking glass”. I suspect O’Malley will squash this if the details prove true.

 

[Chipper]

This is not a done deal. If it does go through, the American church will be officially “through the looking glass”. I suspect O’Malley will squash this if the details prove true.

What are you reading that says it isn’t a done deal? This news headline below seems to be saying it has happened.

"Boston Archdiocese Allows Caritas Christi To Proceed With Partnership That Requires Abortion Referrals"
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=3145

 

[Don_Schneider]

I’m very pro-life, but I find this article confusing. If it is accurate, it appears as if the Church has lost legal control of this small chain of ostensibly Catholic hospitals. If as a result the worse happens, and the hospitals begin to provide abortions, then I see no other option than for the Church in Boston to walk away from such a monstrous event and disassociate itself from any connection with the chain.

As disillusioned as I have personally become, I have to believe that in a worse case scenario this is what the Archdiocese of Boston will do. It is premature to go ballistic regarding this sad item. We must wait and see.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I’m very pro-life, but I find this article confusing. If it is accurate, it appears as if the Church has lost legal control of this small chain of ostensibly Catholic hospitals. If as a result the worse happens, and the hospitals begin to provide abortions, then I see no other option than for the Church in Boston to walk away from such a monstrous event and disassociate itself from any connection with the chain.

As disillusioned as I have personally become, I have to believe that in a worse case scenario this is what the Archdiocese of Boston will do. It is premature to go ballistic regarding this sad item. We must wait and see.

Sadly this is not the only system that has sold out. Here in PA the hospitals have be purchased by larger hospitals that provide IVF, abortions and other non-Catholic procedures. The difference is that the name of the hospital is kept the same while allowing the misinformation that they still remain true to the Catholic Church .

 

[Don_Schneider]

Dear Kathleen:

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your post. Are you saying that in your part of our state that Catholic owned hospitals are providing abortion services, among other services condemned by the Church? Or are you saying that these hospitals are no longer owned by the Church but simply continue to bear their previous names that give the impression that they remain Catholic?

Please advise and thanks.

Don

 

[KathleenElsie]

Dear Kathleen:

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your post. Are you saying that in your part of our state that Catholic owned hospitals are providing abortion services, among other services condemned by the Church? Or are you saying that these hospitals are no longer owned by the Church but simply continue to bear their previous names that give the impression that they remain Catholic?

Please advise and thanks.

Don

The hospitals are no longer owned by the Catholic Church. The impression is given that they are still Catholic and people still perceive them as being owned by the Church. They have been sold to larger secular private facilities that provide abortion services. The names have not changed just the procedures done at them or by their new owners at other facilities. The end result is that these facilities are supported by the money from abortive and fertility services.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The hospitals are no longer owned by the Catholic Church. The impression is given that they are still Catholic and people still perceive them as being owned by the Church. They have been sold to larger secular private facilities that provide abortion services. The names have not changed just the procedures done at them or by their new owners at other facilities. The end result is that these facilities are supported by the money from abortive and fertility services.

Exactly so. Very few Catholic hospitals are owned by the Church itself. Many, if not most, were owned by religious orders, and many have sold themselves out to secular institutions. Most that are “owned” by religious orders have secular governance. Most Catholic colleges are the same way. The Church doesn’t run them, and never did. A long time ago, the religious orders that ran the hospitals and colleges were faithful to the Church, so it didn’t matter that the bishops (and the Vatican) actually had no direct control over them.

When the religious orders went into decline, either in numbers or fidelity or both, many of their institutions remained “Catholic” in name only. The bishops have no power over them at all. That’s why Notre Dame paid no attention to either the local bishop or the Vatican in having Obama as its commencement speaker. That’s why so many “Catholic” colleges have college-sanctioned “Gay and Lesbian” organizations. And that’s why we will very soon see many, if not most, “Catholic hospitals” do whatever the government tells them they must do. If the government says “do abortions or get cut off from Medicare”, they’ll do abortions. Either that or they will figure out a way to participate by “referring them out” as seems to be the case in Boston.

The age of “Catholic institutions” such as Catholic hospitals and colleges is over, and has been for quite awhile. And the decline and/or infidelity of religious orders is the primary reason for it. It has just taken a long time for people to finally start realizing it. Most probably still don’t.

It would be nice if truly Catholic institutions began from scratch, and some are. There are, it seems, more truly “Catholic colleges” now than there were perhaps a couple of decades ago. It may well be that someday there will be more than a mere handful of genuinely “Catholic hospitals”, operated by religious orders or dioceses. But it takes a tremendous amount of money to establish institutions like that, and a lot of years to do it, and “starting over” in the face of high taxation is a tough thing to accomplish.

When you think of the generations of Catholics who donated money to what were then truly Catholic schools or hospitals, it breaks one’s heart to think what has become of them. But they were “sold out” by the orders. No question about that. And perhaps worst of all, some of those “religious orders”, mere vestiges of their former selves, are not much more than secular political foundations now. No members to speak of, but a bunch of money gained from selling the hospital or whatever the asset was, to donate to their favorite quasi-charitable, but fundamentally political causes.

Catholics in the U.S. have been very seriously betrayed, and not only by the nearly defunct religious orders. The USCCB itself, one may remember, nearly gave ACORN a million dollars last summer, and only refrained because the brother of its CEO stole a million from the organization. I shudder to think what all the USCCB has given money to in the last few decades. Was there not a seminary in Africa to which it could have given the million it wanted to give to ACORN? Was there not a truly Catholic charitable hospital or unwed mothers’ home somewhere to which the money could have been given?

It’s sad. Really sad. But we really do have to start completely over.

 

[Norminha]

As the Book of the Hope says:
The kings of the earth who had intercourse with her in their wantonness will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her pyre…
"Alas, alas, great city,
Babylon, mighty city.
In one hour your judgment has come."
Rev. 18, 10

America, sadly has turned into a neo pagan society, has forgotten its Christian roots. If the 911 memories have been forgotten, I don’t know what else is needed to wake us up.
When God strikes, He does in a way that shows His infinite love for us.
Let’s turn our eyes to the Patroness of USA, our Immaculate Mother. Let’s imitate her purity of heart so that we can see the greatness of Her divine Son.

 

[yinekka]

catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=3145

Boston Catholic health agency in partnership providing abortion coverageJune 08, 2009
Caritas Christi, the health-care system affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston, has entered into a partnership that will provide coverage for abortion, sterilization, and contraception under the terms of a state government contract. Celticare Health Plan-- a new offering, which describes itself as “a partnership between Celtic Group, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and Caritas Christi Health Care”-- is now offering several options for health-care coverage, with all of the available plans advertising abortion coverage.

The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, noting the coverage of abortion and other services in the Celticare plans, charged: “The question of Caritas Christi’s involvement in practices which violate fundamental Catholic moral teaching has now been answered repeatedly and definitively.” C. J. Doyle, the executive director of the Catholic Action League, urged Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley to apologize for his March 6 statement that anyone suggesting Caritas Christi involvement with abortion would be “doing a great disservice to the Catholic Church.”

Cardinal O’Malley’s statement had conveyed an assurance that Caritas Christi would never be involved with abortions or abortion referrals. The cardinal made that statement in response to concerns that the Celticare health plans-- formed in order to win a state contract to provide health coverage for low-income Massachusetts residents-- would require the Caritas Christi system to become involved in morally unacceptable services. The state contract-- and with it, the involvement of Caritas Christi in the Celticare plans-- goes into effect on July 1.

 

[djeter]

When you think of the generations of Catholics who donated money to what were then truly Catholic schools or hospitals, it breaks one’s heart to think what has become of them. But they were “sold out” by the orders. No question about that. And perhaps worst of all, some of those “religious orders”, mere vestiges of their former selves, are not much more than secular political foundations now. No members to speak of, but a bunch of money gained from selling the hospital or whatever the asset was, to donate to their favorite quasi-charitable, but fundamentally political causes.

Catholics in the U.S. have been very seriously betrayed, and not only by the nearly defunct religious orders. The USCCB itself, one may remember, nearly gave ACORN a million dollars last summer, and only refrained because the brother of its CEO stole a million from the organization. I shudder to think what all the USCCB has given money to in the last few decades. Was there not a seminary in Africa to which it could have given the million it wanted to give to ACORN? Was there not a truly Catholic charitable hospital or unwed mothers’ home somewhere to which the money could have been given?

It’s sad. Really sad. But we really do have to start completely over.

Not so much start over as have the Vatican come in and clean this up. They moved against Catholic Charity Adoptions in MA by advising the Archdiocese to cease its adoption agency work because it was being forced by the state to give kids up to gay couples.

I suspect the same sort of thing will happen here. There needs to be a firewall of some sort. My main concern is the need for Catholic Doctors to have an right to a conscience clause of some sort that would allow them to refuse to perform such “procedures.” But now that the secular devil has taken over the Catholic hospital system, one wonders if even that is possible.

As the writers of these articles note, there has been precious little by way of transparency in these dealings. According to one writer, we don’t even know the names of those serving on the Board of Directors!

 

[djeter]

catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=3145

Boston Catholic health agency in partnership providing abortion coverageJune 08, 2009
Caritas Christi, the health-care system affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston, has entered into a partnership that will provide coverage for abortion, sterilization, and contraception under the terms of a state government contract. Celticare Health Plan-- a new offering, which describes itself as “a partnership between Celtic Group, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and Caritas Christi Health Care”-- is now offering several options for health-care coverage, with all of the available plans advertising abortion coverage.

The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, noting the coverage of abortion and other services in the Celticare plans, charged: “The question of Caritas Christi’s involvement in practices which violate fundamental Catholic moral teaching has now been answered repeatedly and definitively.” C. J. Doyle, the executive director of the Catholic Action League, urged Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley to apologize for his March 6 statement that anyone suggesting Caritas Christi involvement with abortion would be “doing a great disservice to the Catholic Church.”

Cardinal O’Malley’s statement had conveyed an assurance that Caritas Christi would never be involved with abortions or abortion referrals. The cardinal made that statement in response to concerns that the Celticare health plans-- formed in order to win a state contract to provide health coverage for low-income Massachusetts residents-- would require the Caritas Christi system to become involved in morally unacceptable services. The state contract-- and with it, the involvement of Caritas Christi in the Celticare plans-- goes into effect on July 1.

I guess we’re on to the same story here. I’ve summarized three online articles with links to four and have also provided an email link to the archdiocese for those who would like to send them a “Say It Ain’t So!” note. It’s available here:

payingattentiontothesky.com/2009/06/08/a-significant-defeat-for-the-pro-life-movement-inflicted-by-the-catholic-church-in-boston/

DJ

 

[Ridgerunner]

Not so much start over as have the Vatican come in and clean this up. They moved against Catholic Charity Adoptions in MA by advising the Archdiocese to cease its adoption agency work because it was being forced by the state to give kids up to gay couples.

I suspect the same sort of thing will happen here. There needs to be a firewall of some sort. My main concern is the need for Catholic Doctors to have an right to a conscience clause of some sort that would allow them to refuse to perform such “procedures.” But now that the secular devil has taken over the Catholic hospital system, one wonders if even that is possible.

As the writers of these articles note, there has been precious little by way of transparency in these dealings. According to one writer, we don’t even know the names of those serving on the Board of Directors!

Sadly, I don’t think the Vatican has any means of controlling the conduct of most Catholic hospitals. It’s one thing to tell a diocese that it must do this or that. They are under the control of the Vatican. It’s quite another to tell a religious order that it must do this or that. They can thumb their noses at the Pope and there is nothing the Pope can do about it except disestablish the order as a true order of the Church. But I think we all know some of the orders are on the verge of rebellion all the time anyway. In any event, most have long since turned over governance to lay boards that are not even under the control of the orders.

 

[didymus]

Catholic Culture:

Boston Catholic health agency in partnership providing abortion coverage

Caritas Christi, the health-care system affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston, has entered into a partnership that will provide coverage for abortion, sterilization, and contraception under the terms of a state government contract. Celticare Health Plan-- a new offering, which describes itself as “a partnership between Celtic Group, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and Caritas Christi Health Care”-- is now offering several options for health-care coverage, with all of the available plans advertising abortion coverage.

The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, noting the coverage of abortion and other services in the Celticare plans, charged: “The question of Caritas Christi’s involvement in practices which violate fundamental Catholic moral teaching has now been answered repeatedly and definitively.” C. J. Doyle, the executive director of the Catholic Action League, urged Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley to apologize for his March 6 statement that anyone suggesting Caritas Christi involvement with abortion would be “doing a great disservice to the Catholic Church.”

Cardinal O’Malley’s statement had conveyed an assurance that Caritas Christi would never be involved with abortions or abortion referrals. The cardinal made that statement in response to concerns that the Celticare health plans-- formed in order to win a state contract to provide health coverage for low-income Massachusetts residents– would require the Caritas Christi system to become involved in morally unacceptable services. The state contract-- and with it, the involvement of Caritas Christi in the Celticare plans-- goes into effect on July 1.

This is so disturbing, I’ve always admired Cardinal O’Malley.
I recall that the Archdiocese withdrew from the adoption business rather than place children with same-sex couples (and quite rightly) but that pales in comparison with involvement with abortion with abortion. All to get a state contract?

 

[aggiecatholic05]

any cooperation with abortion is a grave evil. it doesnt matter if its driving a woman to get one, voting for a pro-abortion politician, or reffering someone to a place that will murder a baby. lets just hope the Cardnial has a trick up his sleeve we dont know about.

 

[JReducation]

any cooperation with abortion is a grave evil. it doesnt matter if its driving a woman to get one, voting for a pro-abortion politician, or reffering someone to a place that will murder a baby. lets just hope the Cardnial has a trick up his sleeve we dont know about.

If there is one thing that I know about Sean O’Malley is that he is neither pro-choice nor pro support of any organization that is pro-choice. That leads me to the following hypotheses.

1. This is not a dead issue yet. There is more to come.
2. There are other legal matters involved that the press is not reporting, but are out of the hand of the Archdiocese. Often the press does not report them, because they assume that such reading is tedious and of little interest to the reader.
3. The hospitals involved are not Catholic hospitals. Contrary to some posts, many Catholic hospitals had to be handed over to lay corporations to run them in order to keep them open. The religious communities that handed them over did so very reluctantly, because they dearly loved their hospitals, but they could no longer fund them. The high cost of medical technology and the overhead, including insurance, made the operation of these hospitals impossible for religious congregations to run. Many times the hospitals kept the name, because in the agreement made between the religious who handed them over and the religious congregation there was a clause that the hospital would employ members of the religious congregations and would give preferential care to Catholics and to the poor in the name of the founding community. This does not stop the administration of a hosptial from entering into contracts with other organizations, because these contracts were never foreseen by those who handed over their beloved hospitals.

In these cases, the Catholic Church has no legal authority over the hospitals. The Cardinal can prohibit that they call themselves Catholic. However, this does not mean that they will cease doing so, just because the local archbishop says so.

1. My last hypothesis is that the Center for Biomedical Ethics, which the Cardinal asked to help with the study of the proposal may have said that there is no ethical responsibility on the part of the Church for what another company does for whatever reasons the Center may have found. The results of the Center’s study has not been published.

My suggestion is that people who are interested in knowing what the truth is write the Archdiocese of Boston. They can answer the question with more clarity than the press can. But ask respectfully. No one likes to be bullied into giving an account for their situation.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[aggiecatholic05]

i think those are all plausible possibilities, but i have to admit i am hoping he just has an ace in the hole and when it comes time he drops the hammer and suprises everyone(in a good way from the faith’s prespective)

 

[djeter]

If there is one thing that I know about Sean O’Malley is that he is neither pro-choice nor pro support of any organization that is pro-choice. That leads me to the following hypotheses.

1. This is not a dead issue yet. There is more to come.
2. There are other legal matters involved that the press is not reporting, but are out of the hand of the Archdiocese. Often the press does not report them, because they assume that such reading is tedious and of little interest to the reader.
3. The hospitals involved are not Catholic hospitals. Contrary to some posts, many Catholic hospitals had to be handed over to lay corporations to run them in order to keep them open. The religious communities that handed them over did so very reluctantly, because they dearly loved their hospitals, but they could no longer fund them. The high cost of medical technology and the overhead, including insurance, made the operation of these hospitals impossible for religious congregations to run. Many times the hospitals kept the name, because in the agreement made between the religious who handed them over and the religious congregation there was a clause that the hospital would employ members of the religious congregations and would give preferential care to Catholics and to the poor in the name of the founding community. This does not stop the administration of a hosptial from entering into contracts with other organizations, because these contracts were never foreseen by those who handed over their beloved hospitals.

In these cases, the Catholic Church has no legal authority over the hospitals. The Cardinal can prohibit that they call themselves Catholic. However, this does not mean that they will cease doing so, just because the local archbishop says so.

1. My last hypothesis is that the Center for Biomedical Ethics, which the Cardinal asked to help with the study of the proposal may have said that there is no ethical responsibility on the part of the Church for what another company does for whatever reasons the Center may have found. The results of the Center’s study has not been published.

My suggestion is that people who are interested in knowing what the truth is write the Archdiocese of Boston. They can answer the question with more clarity than the press can. But ask respectfully. No one likes to be bullied into giving an account for their situation.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

More is coming but not of the sort to make any of us feel better:

Celticare Health Plan of Massachusetts, which describes itself as “a partnership between Celtic Group, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and Caritas Christi Health Care” – the network of six Catholic hospitals affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston – has launched its website along with unmistakeable evidence that all three of its Commonwealth Care health plans will include abortion coverage. On March 6th of this year Cardinal O’Malley asserted that ‘Caritas Christi will never do anything to promote abortions, to direct any patients to providers of abortion or in any way to participate in actions that are contrary to Catholic moral teaching and anyone who suggests otherwise is doing a great disservice to the Catholic Church.’”

An update on the ongoing controversy is at
payingattentiontothesky.com/2009/06/08/a-significant-defeat-for-the-pro-life-movement-inflicted-by-the-catholic-church-in-boston/

For those of you who visited before, scroll to the bottom of the page where I have tacked on these updates. The link to address the Archdiocese of Boston is on that page, please make use of it, as Br. JR suggests above. I’ve only had a half dozen or so of the 60 folks who have viewed the page make use of the email link.

Your #3 above seems to be somewhat in conflict that all I have read so far. Are you saying the six hospitals that belong to Caritas Christi were not run by the Archdiocese? In most things I have read the link is quite clear: “Caritas Christi, a network of six hospitals that were owned and managed by the Archdiocese of Boston.” Following the changes dictated by the Attorney General of MA the archdiocese announced that its control over the affairs of Caritas Christi would henceforth be “limited to matters pertaining to Catholic identity, mission, and the implementation of the religious and ethical directives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and any transaction that would involve the sale or transfer of the system.” Hence the Cardinal’s assertion of March 6th.

This is the problem: mismanagement of the system that leads to state intervention, then participation in a contract that will provide abortion services after promising in no uncertain terms that its health care agency, Caritas Christi, would never promote abortions. YESTERDAY the entity that will promote just such activities (clearly identified: “CeltiCare is a partnership between Celtic Group, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and Caritas Christi Health Care”) launched its website with information contrary to Cardinal O’Malley’s March 6th statement.

Something has to give here.

DJ

 

[transfinitum]

Catholic Culture:

This is so disturbing, I’ve always admired Cardinal O’Malley.
I recall that the Archdiocese withdrew from the adoption business rather than place children with same-sex couples (and quite rightly) but that pales in comparison with involvement with abortion with abortion. All to get a state contract?

Why, I wonder, would Catholics admire a man who has not only signed a contract making himself a direct partner in an organization which cooperates in the procuring of abortions (this is an offense which carries the canonical penalty of excommunication, btw).