Not trying to stir up disrespect or controversy, but I read something today that I wanted to get your take on. (I’m a new kid here, protestant, and seeking deeper understanding of the Catholic church).
From “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, 4th Edition” by the USCCB (Part One “Introduction”): “Fifth, within a pluralistic society, Catholic health care services will encounter requests for medical procedures contrary to the moral teachings of the Church. Catholic health care does not offend the rights of individual conscience by refusing to provide or permit medical procedures that are judged morally wrong by the teaching authority of the Church.”
Did I misread that? Will Catholic health care refuse to facilitate those procedures but say they are not denying the rights of others to get those procedures done elsewhere? Or is that statement that Catholic health care will perform those procedures in order to avoid offending?
The latter was my first impression, and it surprised me because I thought that position was awfully tolerant.
Rather that try and answer your question directly (and risk mis-stating the Church’s position), I will give you a copy of an open letter to President Obama from the President of the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, Francis Cardinal George.
Bishops Congratulate Barack Obama on Historic Election;
Urge Him to Defend the Weak, Heal Divisions
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops congratulated President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American elected President of the United States, and called the event “historic” and coming at a difficult time.
“Our country is confronting many uncertainties,” the bishops said. “We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person.”
The bishops offered their remarks in a November 4 letter to President-elect Obama from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The letter follows.
**Dear President-elect Obama,
I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges.
Our country is confronting many uncertainties. We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person.
May God bless you and Vice President-elect Biden as you prepare to assume your duties in service to our country and its citizens.
Sincerely yours,
Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
President **
At the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops held in December 2009 in Baltimore, Cardinal Francis George, president of the conference, said this:
“In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any ‘interference’ in providing abortion at will,” George said in his official statement from the conference.
“It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars,” he said.
“It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country,” he added.
“FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children,” George said. “It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil.”
**“In practical terms, this (FOCA) would mean the closure of every Catholic hospital in the nation,” Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, reported to Life
SiteNews.com.
“No bishop is going to stand by and allow the federal government to dictate what medical procedures must be performed in Catholic hospitals”
“Make no mistake about it, the bishops would shut down Catholic hospitals before acquiescing in the intentional killing of an innocent child. Were this to happen, it would not only cripple the poor, it would cripple the Obama administration.”**
