Washington, D.C. (01 September 2009) – Weeks after promoting a health care campaign featuring footage of President Obama rallying Congress to support his plans for “health care reform,” the Catholic Health Association announced it is not endorsing Obama’s legislation.
“We’re grateful CHA is finally drawing a line in the sand and stating that Catholic principles will guide its efforts to bring about health care reform,” said Judie Brown, president of American Life League, “but we still look for the day when CHA fully embraces Church teaching on health care.”
Brown offered seven points that define Catholic health care’s nonnegotiable commitment to the dignity of the human person:
• No chemical, medical or surgical abortion
• No contraceptive services
• No embryonic stem cell research or therapies
• No sterilization procedures
• No allowance for euthanasia
• No provision for assisted suicide
“We challenge CHA, Catholic Charities, the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul and each bishop to approach the health care debate from the rock of Catholic teaching,” Brown said. “Principles first – not politics. The starting point for any moral health care reform must be uncompromising adherence to these seven principles that reflect the Church’s clear teaching on the personhood of every human being.”
Last month, CHA, Catholic Charities and the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul collaborated in a campaign to support health care reform, provoking a huge outcry from Catholics loyal to Church teaching.
The above-listed groups sent action alerts to their members, asking them to lobby their legislators immediately to support health care reform. As Obamacare is the only viable health care reform legislation now under consideration, the groups became the target of mounting frustration with Catholic organizations apparently willing to support so-called health care reform at any cost – including the abandonment of Church teaching on the sanctity of life.
American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
