First, I want to say this: I fully respect the Archbishop as my Catholic shepherd and guardian of the faith in this diocese. I never want to make his job more difficult, or to appear to call into question anything he says or does unless I have a moral duty to actually question something. Furthermore, I want to say that I do not envy his role in this situation, or any other that raises debate and heated discussion amongst the faithful.
Second, I want to re-iterate the fact that I think that the statement is an overall victory for Catholics in the Archdiocese, the Pro-Life movement, and for Providence. The Archbishop is courageous to admit there is a problem, that it is a troubling situation, and that he will now do what it takes to correct the problem and ensure that moving forward there is full adherence to Catholic teaching by a Catholic entity under his 'watch.' You honestly can't ask for anything more than that. Since Friday, there have been those that have commented that I took it too 'easy' or too 'hard' on the Archbishop and his statement. To those, on both sides, I would say, maybe I was "too" something but ultimately the Archbishop and myself, and the Pro-Life community are on the same team and want the same thing: a culture of life built up through the authentic witness of Providence Hospital as a beacon of Catholic identity, to all.
Next, there are those that have suggested that the Archbishop and the Archdiocese appear not to have "known" about the situation. To this I respond: so what? I didn't know about it until someone emailed me. It isn't as if the Archbishop is supposed to be watching every move Providence makes. In fact, Providence has a duty, based on the ERDs, to inform the Archbishop of certain decisions before they are implemented, for his approval. This situation was one of those, and it appears that they did not reach out. You can't blame the Archbishop one bit for that, and so this accusation is unfounded.
Some have suggested the Archbishop should "suspend" or "pull" the Catholic title from Providence until they are in compliance. To this I would say, that isn't how Canon Law works, at least to my understanding. Also, I don't think it serves anyone any good to use a gimmick or threat to compel Providence to act in a certain way. Hospitals are complex entities, and while I am not making any excuses here, as I said in my original post way back when I first wrote about this: these things take time to sort out. The truly positive thing is that everyone knows about it now, and the entities that need be are working on its resolution. The goal, in my mind, has always been to ensure Providence is a hospital that provides services that are fully within the moral spectrum of Catholic teaching. In that they are Catholic they are a "Pro-Life" hospital, and should be doing things that build up the "Culture of Life". Anything contrary to that understanding places such actions into the realm of "non-compliance" with the ERDs and thereby Catholic teaching. Ultimately, Providence should be an entity that is a visible symbol of Catholic teaching and ethical practices.
Finally, some were disappointed that I addressed some of the negative technical aspects of the statement and article. While I do admit they didn't necessarily affect the substance of the statement, they did paint the presentation of it in a poor light. I have always said, and will continue to say, that I would be more than willing to assist the Archdiocese directly in issues such as these. In this situation alone, I reached out the Archdiocese through multiple channels. My goal is not to paint them in a negative light but to act as "iron sharpening iron." We are on the same "side" and we are working towards the same goal - the Kingdom of God. Therefore, while I may criticize certain aspects of this situation, I repeat: the Archbishop appears to be taking a very courageous and positive stance on the situation. He seems to be fully committed to upholding Catholic teaching, as well as ensuring that Catholic entities are heralds of Catholic identity and virtue.
In conclusion, I want to make sure that I once again say that I am happy the Archbishop is tackling this head on. It isn't an easy situation to work within, and I know that "fixing" this problem isn't going to be an easy process. Hopefully, my criticism will be seen as a positive force in making sure that precise actions are taken to correct a "troubling situation." Ultimately, my goal is to be a critical mind willing to discuss difficult topics and navigate tough waters to find Truth and to uphold the Church and its teachings.
Link:
Diane at Te Deum has posted about Bishops and Holy Boldness. Not directly on point, but clearly relevant.
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