Closing Catholic Hospitals

Closing Catholic Hospitals

Closing Catholic Hospitals

Barack Obama's Abortion Position Could Result in Closing Catholic Hospitals
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Barack Obama told Planned Parenthood in July 2007 that the first piece of legislation he would sign would be the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, a bill that would overturn pro-life laws nationwide. One little-discussed aspect of the ramifications of the bill could see the closing of Catholic hospitals. Both sides of the abortion debate readily admit the measure makes unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy a national law and legal right, and that it would invalidate virtually all abortion limits approved by state legislatures in all 50 states. But the bill could have the affect of closing down Catholic hospitals that refuse to do abortions. Here's how: As Cardinal Justin Rigali of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia warned in September, the FOCA bill "forbids government at all levels to 'discriminate' against the exercise of this [abortion] right 'in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information.'" Michael Moses, a top attorney for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, adds that the language of FOCA is so far-reaching that it will remove any conscience clause measures from state laws that protect doctors, hospitals and medical professionals who don't want to be involved in abortions. Moses' reading of the proposed legislation is that if abortion is a fundamental right that can't ever be infringed, then every hospital and medical center must do abortions -- including Catholic and other religious or private hospitals that object to do them.
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