Resolutions Passed by the Catholic Medical Association General Assembly

by Catholic Medical Association

1. A Resolution concerning treatment of impaired clergy.

Whereas many dioceses have had a pattern of referring clergy with psychiatric disorders, including the paraphilias, to certain "clinics" throughout the United States. And

Whereas an investigation by a task Force of the Catholic Medical Association has disclosed that these clinics, by and large, engage in practices that are not in conformity with accepted standards of care for inpatient psychiatric facilities. And

Whereas recent revelations have demonstrated that many perpetrators of sexual molestation of adolescent males were treated at these institutions and then unwisely returned to active priestly duties allowing access to children,

Therefore, the Catholic Medical Association recommends that referrals of impaired clergy to these clinics be discontinued and that professional care be sought locally from conventional medical sources or with the assistance of advice and counsel from resources within the CMA.

2. A Resolution condemning prejudice against Catholic nominees for the Federal Bench.

Whereas Catholic candidates for the federal judiciary have been nominated by the Bush administration to fill vacancies. And

Whereas these nominees enjoy the support of a majority of the members of the United States Senate willingly to vote for their confirmation. And

Whereas Democrat members of the Senate judiciary Committee have blocked an up or down vote in the Senate by tactics of threatened filibuster. And

Whereas these filibusters are used expressly because of the nominees "deeply held religious bias",

Therefore, be it resolved that the Catholic Medical Association condemns a religious test for the federal judiciary now being employed by the Democratic Party.

3. A Resolution recommending impaired clergy be allowed to choose their own health care providers

Whereas clergy and religious are entitled, like all other competent citizens, to the freedom to choose their own health care providers. And

Whereas many priests are subjected to review and approval of their personal choice of attending physicians by pastors, vicars, and/or bishops. And

Whereas this type of control constitutes an inappropriate invasion of privacy in many instances,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Catholic medical Association supports the ability of priests and religious to negotiate for their own medical care, including psychiatric care where indicated.

4. A Resolution recommending screening at the seminary level for men with SSAD, or other sexual identity disorders.

Whereas the Catholic Church in general and the priesthood in particular have been severely traumatized by the crisis created by sexual molestation of minors by Catholic clergy, And

Whereas this crisis has been inappropriately attributed to the actions of "priest pedophiles", And

Whereas surveys indicate that true pedophilia is no more common among Catholic clergy than in the general population, And

Whereas the true portrayal of the crisis is as the result of the abuse of adolescent and pubescent males by homosexual pederasts,

Therefore be it resolved that the Catholic Medical Association recommends that candidates for the seminary be screened to eliminate men who are homosexually active or homosexually oriented.

Be it further resolved that those with sexual identity disorders not be accepted for seminary training until they have been successfully treated for these clinical disorders.

5. A Resolution proposing an initiative to prevent discrimination against Catholic medical School applicants because of their views on life issues.

Whereas investigations by the Catholic Medical Association have disclosed a pattern of discrimination against applicants for medical school who are Catholic and/or Pro-life, And

Whereas there is also evidence that refusal to participate in abortion or sterilization procedures can be an impediment to acceptance in post-graduate training programs particularly those in obstetrics and gynecology, And

Whereas students and house staff are being pressured to participate in medical procedures to which they have conscientious objection,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Catholic Medical Association join with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to develop and undertake strategies to be of assistance in addressing and correcting these injustices.

6.A Resolution endorsing state legislation requiring that mothers about to undergo abortion be told of their increased risk for breast cancer.

Whereas epidemiologic evidence of an association between abortion and breast cancer has existed for almost half a century, And

Whereas 29 out of 38 worldwide epidemiologic studies show an increased risk of breast cancer of approximately 30% among women who have had abortions, And

Whereas all women undergoing abortion are entitled to full informed consent as to all risks including long term risks,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Catholic medical Association endorses the passage of state legislation to require abortionists to inform candidates for abortion of their future increased vulnerability to breast cancer.

7. A Resolution proposing delay in removing the feeding tube of Terry Schindler Schiavo

Whereas the Florida Court had decided that the gastrostomy feeding of terry Schiavo should be removed, And

Whereas the parents of Terry Schiavo petitioned the Court that this not be done without first attempting to determine by medically accepted means whether Terry Schiavo could be taught to eat and drink on her own, And

Whereas the Court proposed to remove the feeding tube without first undertaking rehabilitation therapy to ascertain her ability to swallow and digest nourishment,

Therefore, be it resolved that to deprive Terry Schiavo of this opportunity would constitute depriving her of life without due process of laws (Florida Statutes Section 744.3211), And

Therefore, be it further resolved that, pursuant to the petition of Governor Jeb Bush that taking the life of terry Schiavo by ending her feeding should be delayed until her ability to be nourished by alternate means is properly evaluated.

8. A Resolution in favor of prohibiting all "emergency contraception" in Catholic Hospitals.

Whereas women who are victims of a sexual assault should be treated with compassion and provided with all the legitimate means to prevent health consequences from the assault, And

Whereas pregnancy is a rare outcome of rape, occurring in less that 5% of cases, And

Whereas ample evidence exists that "emergency contraception" which can be given up to 120 hours after the act, adversely affects the function of the corpus luteum and affects endometrial development, making implantation of the blastocyst less likely, And

Whereas "emergency contraception" given prior to ovulation does not consistently prevent ovulation or pregnancy, and still has an effect on the corpus luteum and the endometrium, preventing implantation,

Therefore be it resolved that "emergency contraception" is a misnomer as it does not consistently prevent fertilization, And

Therefore, be it further resolved that as "emergency contraception" has the potential to prevent implantation whether given in the pre-ovulatory, ovulatory, or post-ovulatory phase, that it cannot be ethically employed by a Catholic physician or administered in a Catholic Hospital in cases of rape.

----- (Reference: Kahlenborn, Stanford and Larimore, "Post fertilization effect of hormonal emergency contraception" Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 2002; 36: 465-470)

© Catholic Medical Association

This item 5310 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org