"If we are to save truly Catholic healthcare in this country, we must amputate the rotting limbs immediately or risk losing the patient"

As per Archbishop William Lori, "Plaintiffs in HHS legal challenges include business leaders who want to bear witness to Christian principles. We cannot be silent about the conscience rights of private employers and then say on Sunday, 'Bear witness to your faith in the workplace.'”

The Catholic Health Association has somehow given its "blessing" to the draconian HHS mandate, demonstrates absolute impertinence to the USCCB, and is "throwing under the bus" any of us who struggle to be faithful witnesses in the face of open assaults on conscience. God help us! (See http://www.chausa.org/newsroom/women's-preventive-health-services-final-rule.).

Yesterday, the National Catholic Register published a powerful critique in exceptionally dramatic language:

"The Bishops have tried to work with the CHA for a long time, to bring them in line, and to have them be more respectful and diligent in protecting Church teaching in health matters. They have failed. The CHA, in this crucial moment for religious freedom in this country, is on the other side. The Catholic Health Association is the enemy....

"the competent ecclesial authorities must remove permission for the CHA to use the word Catholic in their name. This must be done immediately. The CHA is not Catholic and they must not be allowed to use the name when they are in open opposition to the Bishops and Church teaching. This is most especially true with all the pending litigation against the mandate by Catholic institutions. The Bishops cannot allow the Church to seem divided on this question.

"Further, each and every Bishop should urge (read threaten) Catholic Health institutions within their dioceses that continued association with the CHA calls into question their commitment to Catholic principles and their affiliation with the Church.

"This may seem drastic but it is necessary. If we are to save truly Catholic healthcare in this country, we must amputate the rotting limbs immediately or risk losing the patient"

As one person commented in response: "Jesus did not ask the money changers to leave the temple. He THREW them out."

The time has long since passed for playing footsy with people who might talk a good game but who demonstrate no inclination to practice medicine in accord with authentic Catholic teaching. Nightmarish conditions of the CHAUSA-affiliated "Catholic" hospitals in my own archdiocese include:

1) a paucity of NFP-only physicians

2) "privileges" for IVF specialists

3) "privileges" for associates of a practice involved with "fetal reduction"

4) provision of information on "advance directives" which fails to specify that Catholic teaching must be honored - particularly with regard to the provision of nutrition and hydration. And I live in the home archdiocese of Terri Schiavo!