Bishop Lynch, Catholic Health Association downplay FOCA threat to Catholic hospitals, conscience rights

January 29, 2009

Even as many American bishops mobilize their dioceses to encourage opposition to the federal Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the news agency of the US bishops' conference has run a story suggesting that fears of the legislation have been overblown. A Catholic News Service article begins, “Internet rumors to the contrary, no Catholic hospital in the United States is in danger of closing because of the Freedom of Choice Act.”

The CNS article quotes Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg and Sister Carol Keehan, president and CEO of the Catholic Health, both of whom state their opposition to FOCA, but downplay reports about the possible impact of the bill. “There is no plan to shut down any hospital if it passes," Bishop Lynch said. "There's no sense of ominous danger threatening health care institutions."

According to CNS, Sister Keehan “was equally sure that FOCA poses no threat to Catholic hospitals or to the conscience rights of those who work there.” Sister Keehan added that FOCA “has never contained anything that would force Catholic hospitals or Catholic personnel to do abortions or to participate in them … I want to make it very clear that Catholic health care will not close and we will not compromise our principles.”

FOCA’s threats to conscience rights and Catholic health care rest on more than “Internet rumors.” In August, the USCCB’s Office of General Counsel released an analysis of FOCA that highlighted the bill’s dangers to “the conscience rights of doctors, nurses, and hospitals.”

Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Chicago, a civil and canon lawyer who is chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, said at the November bishops’ meeting that the passage of FOCA “could mean discontinuing obstetrics in our hospitals, and we may need to consider taking the drastic step of closing our Catholic hospitals entirely.” Bishop Paprocki, who has served as vice president of the Illinois Catholic Health Association, added, “It would not be sufficient to withdraw our sponsorship or to sell them to someone who would perform abortions. That would be a morally unacceptable cooperation in evil.” Bishop Paprocki emphasized, “I do not think I’m being alarmist in considering such drastic steps.”

 

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Further information:

• Rumors aside, FOCA legislation no threat to Catholic health care (CNS)
• FOCA: Legal Analysis (USCCB Office of General Counsel, August 2008)
• Catholic Bishops Urge Huge Anti-FOCA Campaign to Stop Abortion Expansion (LifeNews.com, Nov. 2008)