Catholic Doctors Tackle How to Survive in an 'Increasingly Toxic Culture'

[markomalley]

From the National Catholic Register (yes, the one that wasn’t condemned as heretical by its Ordinary):

Conscience rights’ protection and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services contraception mandate were the topics foremost on the minds of medical professionals gathered in St. Paul, Minn., for the Catholic Medical Association’s (CMA) 81st educational conference.

(snip)

“The Catholic Church stands in the way of the sexual revolution —  efforts to redefine marriage, access to abortion and reproductive  technology and mercy killings,” said Reno. “Our increasingly aggressive  adversaries will continue to use their political muscle to push us out  of the way.”


“These are critical times,” said Bishop Robert Vasa of Santa Rosa,  Calif. “Whether or not a physician is practicing in line with the  teachings of the Church, they’re going to be forced to do something they  may not want to do.”


“This is a clarion call for America,” added Bishop Vasa. “American  Catholics, and in particular American Catholic physicians, have to wake  up to the fact that they can no longer presume that their individual  choices about how they practice medicine in this country will be  respected.”

Yet, according to some, this is the most pro-Catholic president in history.

Go figure.

 

[Nimzovik]

Somebody needs to talk to this person…

 

[MarcoPolo]

From the National Catholic Register (yes, the one that wasn’t condemned as heretical by its Ordinary):

Was the “Reporter” condemned by its Ordinary?

 

[markomalley]

Was the “Reporter” condemned by its Ordinary?

Yup. Back in 1968. They still (at least as of 2011) brag about it:
Charles Helmsing, the Kansas City bishop who initially authorized NCR’s existence (in the days when such things were necessary), soon regretted his decision. Yup, Helmsing later lamented that was one he wished he could pull back.

You see, our reporting on the pope’s birth control commission – we published the findings of the lay-led panel, which supported married couples’ right to use “artificial means” of birth control – did not, shall we say, please Helmsing. He played hardball.

The bishop moved to have the word “Catholic” removed from our banner. He tried to shut us down. Emergency board meetings were held, compromises considered (I know because I’ve read the minutes). But it soon became clear that NCR had moved beyond the need for an episcopal imprimatur. We kept publishing, Catholics kept subscribing, and we’re still here.

(snip)

Our survival, our continuing success, is a source of considerable frustration to those who do not like what we publish. (Which, in turn, is a cause of considerable delight to those of us responsible for NCR – is such a schadenfreude moment an occasion of sin?) There were many other disputes with Helmsing related to our coverage and commentary on women’s ordination, optional celibacy (permission for which seemed right around the corner), remarriage after divorce, and more.
The “fishwrap” is not worth using as bird cage liner. I would expect more faithful coverage of the Church from the NY Times that from that paper.

 

[johnotc]

This is a very important point. But the statistics are not encouraging: according to the Catholic Medical Association, 98% of Catholic Obstetricians prescribe abortifacients that are so called oral contraceptives, and do sterilizations on a routine basis. Which means only 2% are faithful…and likely not earning as much as the other 98%. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology itself considers the refusal to provide contraception and sterilization and even participation in educational programs on how to perform an abortion UNETHICAL and can result in the loss of membership in this preeminent organization that controls the practice of obstetrics in this country. THERE IS A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THIS AREA–INCLUDING THE ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE OBSTETRICIANS TO BE TRULY FAITHFUL TO THE TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH. This is tough and arduous because most, if not all, medical schools are ruled by the most liberal of doctor-professors.

 

[johnotc]

On the other hand, I do not agree that the 2% of these catholic doctors stop practicing because of the culture and their eventual loss of conscience protection. Like any martyr, one just have to be courageous and continue to practice in the community. They will be sued and maligned but is there any other choice if obamacare pushes through? One has to be a light through all this darkness! So I say: PRAY, FAST, FREQUENT the sacraments and continue practicing as a faithful Catholic physician you all are…however few they surely will be…which echoes Pope Benedict XVI’s statements of a “smaller, simple church.”

 

[MarcoPolo]

The “fishwrap” is not worth using as bird cage liner. I would expect more faithful coverage of the Church from the NY Times that from that paper.

Although I’ve occasionally read decent stuff there, I am familiar with their sometimes borderline heretical if not heretical published opinions. And now that you mention that 1968 incident, it rings a bell. But enough about them. Thanks for sharing the article in the OP anyway.