Bishop Vasa ends diocese’s sponsorship of hospital that performs sterilizations
February 16, 2010
Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker has announced that his Oregon diocese is ending its sponsorship of St. Charles Medical Center-Bend because the hospital persists in performing tubal ligations, thus refusing to adhere to Catholic teaching on sterilization.
“It is my responsibility to ensure the hospital is following Catholic principles both in name and in fact,” said Bishop Vasa. “It would be misleading for me to allow St. Charles Bend to be acknowledged as Catholic in name while I am certain that some important tenets of the Ethical and Religious Directives are no longer being observed.”
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Posted by: rpp -
Feb. 16, 2010 9:08 PM ET USA
Well the hospital is in BEND Oregon. I guess we know where that name comes from. God Bless Bishop Vasa.
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Posted by: brownjudith2930 -
Feb. 16, 2010 7:46 PM ET USA
If only the bishops of the USA and Canada had taken such a stand 40 years ago. This goes on in all "Catholic" hospitals. Bishop Vasa should also obtain the # of vasectomies done at St. Charles Med Center - it will be under "day stays", out-patients, or done in doctors' offices in the bldg. Best way to get the 'count' is from the Pathology Dept. - the vas deferens segments still have to be sent for "identification'. Tubal ligations are much less frequent that that of "clipping" men. Sad but true
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Feb. 16, 2010 6:19 PM ET USA
Thanks be to God for the good Bishop of the Diocese of Baker! Perhaps the name of the medical center should be changed to "Bend the Rules Medical Center" instead of retaining the name of a great Catholic saint.
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Posted by: -
Feb. 16, 2010 11:23 AM ET USA
God Bless Bishop Vasa! May his example give courage to so many other bishops facing similar situations.
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Posted by: New Sister -
Feb. 16, 2010 11:05 AM ET USA
Hopefully the other half of Oregon (i.e., Diocese of Portland) will have the courage to do the same!
