Monday Mayhem

Welcome to Monday! I don't mean that sarcastically. That isn't true, I guess. I sort of mean it sarcastically. OK, so hopefully your monday didn't include an email inbox like mine. If it did, I offer my sympathies. That being said, I am going to do a quick links post to some stories and maybe circle round with a few of them later, but there is too much to cover, so I want to get as much info out there.

Since some people visit my blog for more of the "Current Events" topics, I figure a post like this, on a day like this would be the best way to get this info out there, without doing 15 different posts.

The Pope Vatican ...a pontifical commission council wants a One-World Gov't World Bank Supports Occupy Wall Street has listed some ideas to move forward...
Ok, by now you have probably read all 18 pages of the most recent letter from the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace. If you haven't you have probably read some article distorting what it says, which carried a headline like one of the crossed out ones above. All of those were actual headlines, in some form that I read. It is crossed out, it isn't true. That being said, go read the 18-page document, study it, read it in light of Rerum Novarum and other documents of a teaching level. Then read this blog post: "Vatican wants One World Government!!!!" Enough said. Seriously. Remember the whole: "The Pope supports contraception and condoms!?!?!" Yeah. Let us be a little more tempered in our commentary, and read this in light of Church teaching. You might also want to brush up on your Distributist reading and understanding of where Catholicism sits in terms of economic justice and norms. Oh, and read this too... about what the letter from the council isn't doing... Catholic Vote: ...Not a Papal Decree.

Providence and "Courage, Compassion, and Cross-Cultural Care"
Apparently there is a "Cultural" educational class occurring at Providence Hospital today. I dont have a lot of details except what is provided on there website, and the website of "Bent Alaska - Alaska GLBT News and Events" It doesn't bother me that a Catholic hospital is discussing better ways to interact with different "communities" that present themselves for care at a Catholic hospital. What concerns me is that there is an indication, or inference that can be drawn, that there is a lack of compassion for certain individuals, due to their differences. While I won't pretend that certain prejudices don't exist, it offends me as a Catholic, that an allegedly Catholic institution would ever treat any human being as less than another human being. This is the kind of thinking that paves the way for abortion, contraception, and sterilization. There are all sorts of "ghosts" in this story, but I don't want to touch on them because I don't have all the facts. I would love if a reader that attended this lecture report back and let us know how this subject was handled. I think there is a need to properly discuss homosexuality within the context of Catholic teaching. We need to stop conflating homosexuality and "gay" and realize there is a difference between sexual attraction and lifestyle choices. (Some great blogs in this regard are Abbey Roads, as well as Steve Gershom's blog) Unfortunately most of the time Catholics handle the homosexual issue in one of two ways: full acceptance or none at all. The teaching of the Church is somewhere in the middle. Find out more at: Courage.

Cistercians of Spring Bank Auction: Good sets of Vestments for Auction (Black, Gaudete, etc...)
From the Badger Catholic:

The Cistercians of Spring Bank still have items left to be sold off. They have several nice vestment sets worth taking a look at. Since they declared bankruptcy, the auctioneer has to make money off of them. At the discounted price, they are still a good deal. If you can find a good home for the vestments please do. Go to auctiongroove.com and search the word "vestments."

It appears there are several other items of interest from the abbey that might be of interest. The website is a bit hokey, but you should be able to search if you are interested.

 ###

Further Thoughts on the Archbishop's "Providence Hospital Statement"

I wanted to further explain what I think about the Archbishop's statement on the Providence Hospital situation. I wrote my response right after reading the Anchor's article, and while my off-the-cuff remarks captured my response to the statement it didn't elucidate where I think the situation stands overall.

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.

†††

Archdiocese of Anchorage Responds to the "Troubling Situation" at Providence Hospital

Archbishop Schwietz

Well, I found out about 2 minutes ago, 4:58pm, that the Archdiocese of Anchorage has finally responded to the Providence Hospital partnership and lease of space to Alaska Women's Health Clinic (Click for original report). The Catholic Anchor seems to be the only source of the statement and so I will post for you what they have:

The Sept. 16 statement from Archbishop Schwietz reads as follows:

“Archbishop Schwietz takes this troubling situation very seriously, He has been in dialogue with Providence leaders who do understand the gravity of this matter. The Archbishop continues to work with the leadership at Providence Alaska Medical Center to be certain that requirements for compliance with The Catholic Healthcare Directives are fully implemented and that Providence be a clear witness to Catholic values in all it does.”

The is some good and some not so good news in the Anchor's report of the Archbishop's statement. Let's start with the not-so-good first, and I am going to be just as critical of the bad, as I am praiseworthy of the good because this situation is so important and it has been so long since we first reported on it, 40 days actually - how ironic.

The Bad

··°†°··

I really don't want to slam this release, but there are some big issues with it, and I will try and be as objectively critical, without being nit-picky, as possible.

There are "technical" issues with this release. It came out at 4:58pm, on a Friday, and on the Anchor blog; the timing and method of releases is a big deal. There are also grammatical issues with it, for instance they call the Ethical and Religious Directives: "The Catholic Healthcare Directives", and other small points. These don't affect the substance of the statement per se but they do point to the fact that the Archdiocese needs to better understand how they communicate with the faithful. Details are important... as they say, "the devil is in the details." We shouldn't linger on these too much.

The statement from the Archbishop himself doesn't say much. It says that he is continuing to work with Providence, but the statement t doesn't say what that means, what the timeline is, or what he views as the most glaring problem. He says it is a "troubling situation" but doesn't point to any real specifics beyond that. I wish that he would have spoken to what he saw as the biggest problem or two, but he didn't and that is his prerogative. Yet, pointing to something might have given us a glimmer of understanding of how he sees the issue. I put this as a problem with the statement, only because he appears to have written the statement as a response to inquiries, and I would think that the best way to respond is to be specific.

The biggest issue though, is this: the Archbishop's statement, and the Anchor's analysis of the situation,  misstate the major problem with the Providence-AWHC relationship. It is hard to determine if the Anchor or the Archbishop is the source of the confusion, but the statement of concern is this:

While AWHPC as part of its lease agreement with Providence Alaska agreed not to provide abortion services (or any ethically prohibited services) on the Providence premises the presence of this clinic is for many, including Archbishop Schwietz, a cause of grave concern.

This makes it sound as if no ethically prohibited services are provided on the premises of Providence. THIS IS UNTRUE. While no abortions take place on Providence's grounds, there are prohibited services that do. Abortion referrals, contraceptive services, and sterilization procedures do occur on the premises and are prohibited by the ERDs (see, Why the Providence Situation Isn't Just About Abortions).  We feel confident in saying this for a few reasons: 1) AWHC advertises those services on their website. 2) There are confirmed reports from Pro-Life leaders that hospital administrators have admitted that they occur. 3) We have private first hand accounts that they occur.

We have always said this isn't just about abortion or the presence of AWHC on the premises, that this was about Catholic identity and the full spectrum of Catholic teaching. This statement is troubling and we hope for further clarification from the Anchor or the Archbishop on this point. This really is the crux of our issue with the whole situation. Yes we are dismayed that Dr. Whitefield is there, but that is secondary to the fact that actual procedures that are contrary to Catholic teaching are occurring on the premises. 

The Good

··°†°··

First off, I must applaud the Archbishop for calling the situation "troubling" and to admit that Providence sees the "gravity" of the overall situation. The first step to correct a problem, is to admit there is a problem and they have done that. While I have taken issue with how they have framed the issue, the fact that the Archbishop is taking a lead role in this situation is fantastic. We need our Bishops to be willing to lead and teach the faithful what it means to be Catholic.

Next, the Archbishop's personal statement says that he is working to ensure that Providence implements the ERDs fully, and for Providence to be a "clear witness to Catholic values." While I think virtues would be a better word here, the fact that he wants FULL implementation of the ERDs AND wants Providence to be a witness of Catholic identity is AWESOME! This sentence seems to capture the problem, even though it sounds more aspirational than actual. The problem I stated above, regarding the fact that the article insinuates that no services are provided currently that are contrary to the ERDs, is troubling, but ultimately this statement shows that the Archbishop has the right goal in mind. The key will to match the facts to the goal.

Finally, there seems to be an ongoing conversation occurring. I have heard from many people that the upper echelon of the hospital's administration, the Archbishop, and even Pro-Life leaders are continuing to find a way for Providence to fully realize and reflect Catholic teaching. These types situations are not solved over-night, I recognize that. At the end of the day Providence must not allow AWHC perform any ethically prohibited services, if they are to be a Catholic hospital. This isn't my opinion, this is the statement of the Church via the USCCB and the ERDs. It sounds as if this conversation is heading in that direction. 

My Thoughts

··°†°··

The take from this is that the overall landscape looks good, but is marred a bit by a poorly crafted statement. I am concerned with the one statement which insinuates that there currently aren't any prohibited services occurring, it is troubling. It is the essence and crux of this situation. This statement must be clarified. Certainly, if the rest of what the Archbishop states is happening, in terms of direction and dialogue, then it will be cleared up in the end, but it is a confusing landscape at this point.

We must continue to be diligent. We must continue to pray. In fact, I urge you all to commit to daily prayer until this situation is resolved. We must storm the gates of heaven asking for God to speak to the hearts of all those involved. Strength in courage are sometimes in short supply in these situations, and we can all use the help. We must also write the Archbishop and thank him for dedication to this issue, and to ensure him that we are praying for him and for the defense of the Church. Just as we write to voice our concerns, he is a human and needs our encouragement as well.

I will continue to monitor this situation, and will report anything new that I find. Hopefully there will be clarification coming down the pipes, and hopefully we will be privy to some of the developments and discussions that occurr concerning the unethical practices currently occurring at AWHC. Let us pray that this is the beginning of reform at Providence, which at the end of the day will leave a Catholic hospital that is a witness to Catholic values in all it does.


NB: Edited slightly for grammar and clarity.

†††

Fifty-Two babies, so far...: A Providence/AWHC Update

Fifty-two (52) is the number of babies, based on their own numbers, that the Alaska Women's Health clinic has aborted since July 11th. This is the date that AWHC set up their new offices inside of Providence hospital, a  situation that I posted about on August 7th.  Since the 7th, Sixteen babies have been aborted. I don't have numbers for contraception or sterilization services, but I can assure you that those figures would only compound this awful and scandalous situation. 

The Archdiocese has told me that meetings have taken place with Providence and that they are currently trying to determine what, how, when, why, who, and where things happened. The Archbishop is in Madrid for WYD, so I don't blame the slow go of things, but as I said - fifty-two babies (based on their numbers) have been aborted since they partnered with Providence.

Catholics from around the country have contacted me completely shocked that they would even allow a clinic to offer contraceptive services let alone sterilization. But then, to put inside a Catholic hospital, a clinic which admits to performing abortions and that is lead by such a notorious abortionist is beyond their comprehension.

So, while we wait for facts to be found, meetings to be held, and nuances to be debated - babies die.

FIFTY TWO... 

The Culture of death is claiming lives every day, I am doing what I can... are you?

††††††††††

††††††††††

††††††††††

††††††††††

††††††††††

††

Using a Wolf as a Sheepdog: How Providence isn't following the ERD

Wolves aren't meant to guard sheep, but eat them

During a discussion on Holy Family Radio - Kentucky yesterday, I used an analogy to try and explain the situation at Providence.

The analogy is that of a large farm. Let us say that all the Catholics are represented on the farm as sheep. One day, the Shepherd decides to allow a "Sheep Wool-Farmer" to come in and build a big pen in one corner of the the farm. Now some of the sheep are worried that what it means to be a "Wool-Farmer" is that while most sheep would go into the pen and simply get their wool harvested, some will be "harvested" for meat. So they want assurance from the Shepherd that the Farmer won't kill any of the sheep in the pen, and so the Shepherd writes some rules based on the "good" of the Sheep as to what can and can't occur in this new pen.

As time goes on, the "Farmer" decides to hire a new "Sheepdog" for the pen. When the new dog arrives some of the sheep are distraught because it is a WOLF. And not just any wolf, but a wolf that admits that he eats over 500 sheep a year.  So they ask the Shepherd how having a wolf, especially this wolf, as a Sheepdog can be reconciled with the rule that no sheep will be killed for meat. So the Shepherd talks to the Farmer. The Farmer assures the Shepherd that no killing of sheep will happen inside the pen. When the Shepherd asks further if the Wolf will try and talk to the sheep about "getting fattened up" or other things contrary to what good sheep need to do in order to produce wool, the Farmer tells the Shepherd that there are some nuanced and complex positions that some sheep holding regaring what it means to be a sheep and what are acceptable ways to farm them. The Farmer assures the Shepherd that he will uphold the tradition of his sheep farming and not to worry.

But the question remains: even if the Wolf doesnt't kill any sheep in the pen, but he admits to killing so many each year, then it seems obvious that the wolf would get some of the sheep to come with him somewhere outside of the pen to kill them, doesn't it? Not only that but the wolf also is allowed to teach the sheep how to "fatten up" so as to be better for eating, even though being fat is bad for wool production, which is the main purpose of these sheep. So why would the Shepherd, knowing all this, want this wolf for a sheepdog. Especially if he counsels the sheep to get fatter, thereby hurting their wool production, and who admits to being a sheep killer? 

With this analogy, take the facts of the situation and apply them to ERD #70 & 71:

70. Catholic health care organizations are not permitted to engage in immediate material cooperation in actions that are intrinsically immoral, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, and direct sterilization.


71. The possibility of scandal must be considered when applying the principles governing cooperation. Cooperation, which in all other respects is morally licit, may need to be refused because of the scandal that might be caused. Scandal can sometimes be avoided by an appropriate explanation of what is in fact being done at the health care facility under Catholic auspices. The diocesan bishop has final responsibility for assessing and addressing issues of scandal, considering not only the circumstances in his local diocese but also the regional and national implications of his decision.

I don't see how this clinic, this doctor, and these services are allowed to exist and practice at Providence. I also don't see how their statement on the matter can be said with any modicum of sincerity:

Kirsten Schultz, communications director for Providence Health & Services Alaska, said that “Providence Alaska Medical Center adheres to the Ethical & Religious Directives, and we remain faithful to our Catholic tradition.”

“Every physician who is credentialed to practice at Providence Alaska Medical Center must sign an agreement that requires they abide by the ethical standards of the Catholic Church in treating patients in our facilities,” Schultz added.

We must continue to pray and to let the Archbishop know how we are scandalized by this situation and how we as Catholic faithful lose a sense of what Catholic teaching is, when abortion, contraception, and sterilization are acceptable at the one place where they should be spoken out against.

The disappointing thing about this whole situation is the we are arguing over nuance, complexity, and the greys of the faith. Why can't our written and traditional faith exist in black and white? Why can't we have clear teaching on these things, and expect that teaching to be put into action that wave the flag and banner of the Church? You can't argue that this doesn't have an affect on Catholics. Ask Catholics in the pews what the teaching of the Church is, or better yet what they believe. We need examples of our faith, we need to be bombarded with truth, and we need concrete examples of how the teachings of our faith actually correspond to how we live our lives!

So let us continue to pray and let us to continue to let our shepherd know that we want the faith to be upheld in a pure and direct way.

The Chancery:
Archbishop: The Most Reverend Roger L. Schwietz, OMI: ab.schwietz@caa-ak.org
Vicar General: Reverend Thomas Lilly: tlilly@caa-ak.org
Judicial Vicar: Reverend Thomas Brundage, JCL: tbrundage@caa-ak.org

†††

About to Go on the Radio - Listen Live Online

For those interested in the Catholic Hospitals, ERDs, and 'Material Cooperation' discussion I am about to go on Holy Family Radio to discuss those issues with Lisa Graas.

We will be on at 5:30p EDT (1:30 AKT).

You can listen live at:

WLCR AM - LISTEN LIVE LINK

†††

Archbishop Kurtz on Ethical & Religious Directives (ERDs)

Archbishop Kurtz

Archbishop Kurtz, of the Archdiocse of Louisville, recently wrote an article and spoke about the importance of upholding and defending ERDs by Catholic hospitals::

Our Catholic moral and social teaching, as reflected in the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, is informed by a concern about the dignity of the person and the common good. We do not believe, for example, that the destruction of the child in the womb serves mothers, children, or families, and we do not see this as a legitimate healthcare service. Does it truly serve the common good to require us or any healthcare provider to violate important issues of conscience or principle in order to provide for the health of persons within our community?

You can add to that line of thinking contraception and sterilization as well. As he states, these are not legitimate healthcare services. 

If Providence wants to be a Catholic hospital they must stand for Catholic moral virtue, that includes the ERDs and the Catechism. Otherwise, they are simply prostituting the faith for some ulterior motive. We must pray that Archbishop Schwietz will be as courageous and strong as Bishop Olmsted and Archbishop Kurtz. It means something to say that you are Catholic. In today's world where so many Catholics "pick and choose" what they believe, we are in dire need of truth and clarity.

†††

Radio Appearance to talk about Providence Hospital Situation

Wanted to let my reading faithful know that I will be going onto Holy Family Radio, in Louisville, Kentucky tomorrow to discuss the Providence Catholic Hospital situation and how it relates to ERDs, 'Mediate Cooperation', and Catholic identity. I have been asked by the ever gracious Ms. Lisa Graas to come on with her, and discuss these topics because of a proposed merger between a Catholic Hospital and a secular one that is being debated there in Louisville. Since there is the opportunity to prevent another Catholic hospital from succumbing to the 'Culture of Death', as Pope John Paul II aptly named it, this seems like a good outlet to have such a discussion.

The Archbishop of Louisville is the Most Reverend Joseph Kurtz, and so the hope is to have a discussion that outlines the ideas behind ERDs and explains the scandal that occurs when those directives are not followed, and hopefully the good Archbishop will be able to listen to that discussion. On top of that, Archbishop Kurtz is the Vice President of the USCCB, so there is some hope that his decision and leadership on the issue will be a model and template for other Bishops to follow.

The nice part is that this radio station streams its broadcast live, so anyone can listen wherever the internet is found. So hopefully there will be some here in Alaska that can listen in.

The Details are as follows:

• Who: Lisa Graas and Myself


• What: Discussing Providence & Mercy hospitals, ERDs, 'Mediate Cooperation', and Catholic identity 


• Where: WLCR AM 1040 - Louisville, Kentucky & The Internet (Live Stream)


• When: Tomorrow - Thursday, August 11 at approximately 5:30 - 6:00 pm ET (1:30 - 2:00pm Alaska Time)


• Why: To explain the issues surrounding Providence and other Hospitals that ignore their ERDs


• How: LISTEN ONLINE: Go to WLCR and click on the LISTEN LIVE Link 

Try and listen in, as what we discuss will be pertinent not only to Louisville and Anchorage listeners, but to Catholics nationwide.

†††

What Can Archbishop Schwietz 'Do' About Providence Hospital?

Providence Hospital - Anchorage, AK

An interesting thing happened last night, I was on Facebook and saw that my blog post had been shared by various people on their walls, many were Non-Catholic Pro-Lifers. What was even more interesting was their outrage that a 'Catholic' Hospital would do something like this? They immediately saw the contradiction in what the faith is supposed to stand for and offering services such as AWHC does, inside of Providence. Many of the people began to ask: "What can we do to stop this?" Eventually the discussion went to writing the Archbishop and Providence to plead with them to adhere to their Catholic 'roots' and stop cooperating with evil practices.

One question that was asked, that no one really had an answer to, was 'What can the Archbishop do to stop this?' Because there were multiple discussions that I read, this question was asked and treated in different ways, but no one really knew what could be done, or what might happen in this situation. I also know from emails that there are many readers that aren't quite sure what Archbishop Schwietz can 'do' about this situation either, so I want to shed a little light on a few options he has.

If you remember this winter, in Phoenix, Bishop Olmsted stripped St. Joseph's hospital of its ability to call itself a "Catholic" institution. In his decree, he sited Canon 216 as his basis for doing so. His decision came down to the fact that there were various practices utilized by the hospital that were contrary to Catholic teaching. His explanation was as follows:

The reason for this decision is based upon the fact that, as Bishop of Phoenix, I cannot verify that this health care organization will provide health care consistent with authentic Catholic moral teaching as interpreted by me in exercising my legitimate Episcopal authority to interpret the moral law.

Again, this was based on Canon 216 which states:

Since they participate in the mission of the Church, all the Christian faithful have the right to promote or sustain apostolic action even by their own undertakings, according to their own state and condition. Nevertheless, no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic without the consent of competent ecclesiastical 
authority.

Now in reality this is a pretty drastic measure. In fact, Bishop Olmsted said that over many years the ERDs were not followed, but that he didn't know of direct violations per se to an egregious level until earlier in 2010.  (For a complete analysis of the Phoenix situation, please read Apologist Jimmy Akin's series on the matter). In his official statement on the matter, which goes into further detail than his decree, Bishop Olmsted in fact lists those practices which were contrary to the ERDs and which lead ultimately to his final decision. He stated that the following practices were committed by the hospital and were contrary to the ERDs:

• Contraceptive counseling, medications, supplies and associated medical and laboratory
examinations, including, but not limited to, oral and injectable contraceptives, intrauterine
devices, diaphragms, condoms, foams and suppositories;
• Voluntary sterilization (male and female); and
• Abortions due to the mental or physical health of the mother or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

Not surprisingly, these are the same practices which are at issue in the Providence case. Although we do not have confirmation on the fact that abortions occur on site, we do know that AWHS performs abortions somewhere, and that Providence has admitted in the past that it is their policy to refer patients to clinics for abortions if they seek such procedures.

Archbishop Schwietz

So Archbishop Schwietz clearly has Canon 216 at his disposal, although I don't think this is the best option or the one that needs to be taken immediately. The goal here isn't to hit with a hammer, but to use a scalpel, if possible. If the hospital is willing to remain committed to their Catholic identity, then it is quite possible that the Archbishop can simply urge them to remove AWHS from within Providence, and to ensure the community and the Catholic faithful that no services will be rendered or referred that are contrary to the morality and teaching of the Church.

There are other options of course, ones which are less drastic and at the same time preserve the integrity of Providence and preserve a Catholic hospital in our community. As I stated in my post yesterday, and as others have better said, this isn't only about abortion. The list that Bishop Olmsted listed abortion third. Likewise, Providence allows the AWHS to publicize all sorts of services that are contrary to the faith. Any service or referred service that strikes against the ERDs places Providence within the realm of 'mediate cooperation', and therefore places them outside of the parameters of the ERDs. Archbishop Schwietz has a difficult task ahead.

What concerns me is that rather than looking at this from a Theological standpoint, there will be pressure on the Archbishop to look at this from a cost or "practical" stand-point. Bishop Olmsted faced a lot of heat, and regardless of where he eventually came down on the issue he was going to have opponents. Likewise, the Archbishop here will similarly have opponents. The question ultimately should be about whether what Providence does and what they allow adheres to the morality of the Faith.

Unfortunately, Providence has abrogated their duty in maintaining their hospital in compliance with the ERDs. This means that all of the pressure falls on the Archbishop to shepherd his flock and to protect them from Scandal. It also falls on the good Archbishop to make hard decisions, which means he might have to make hard demands of a multi-million dollar institution to return to full compliance with the directives that are intended to guide their operation and services. This could mean all sorts of things in terms of how the Archbishop wants to proceed to ensure that Providence returns to a full compliance. Of course, Providence will probably argue that their actions are fully acceptable under the ERDs and that there is some nuanced position which they have taken so as to be able to reconcile AWHS' existence inside of Providence.

ERDs are meant to be an expression of the Catholic faith. They aren't suggestions or a list of "hopes" of how a hospital might act. Instead, they are a statement and set of directives that is supposed to guide Catholic hospitals to live out the gospel and proclaim the Kingdom of God. When they are abused and ignored, Christ is abused and ignored. We live in a time where some estimates say that 85% of practicing Catholics use contraception. Is it not wonder that this number is so high when Catholic institutions charged with our health and welfare offer such services? The same goes for sterilization and abortion. Catholics don't believe in certain aspects of the faith because those entrusted with their preservation are horrible examples.

Archbishop Schwietz can act bravely and boldly, and restore the dignity of every human that walks through the doors of Providence. This wont be an easy task, or a popular one in the "greater society" but what is right isn't always popular. He is going over to Madrid to urge our youth to live boldly, and we must do the same. We must "preach the gospel always, and when necessary use words." If we find an exception or loophole in the Culture of Life we become the aptly named Culture of Death. Catholics look to the guidance of their leaders, this situation will be a testament to all those services which are advertised and offered. Every Catholic that reads about this situation and learns of its outcome will be formed by the decision. The Archbishop can Catechize his flock with his decision and he can do it with bravery and force.

Let us continue to pray for this stuation and let us continue to contact those in the Archdiocese who will have a part in deciding this issue. Let us pray that the sanctity of life will be upheld, that the sexual dignity of each person treated at Providence will be maintained, and that the truth of Christian morality be the guiding light in the process.

†††

Why the Providence Hospital situation isn't just about Abortion

First I would like to update you on what the Archdiocese has let me know concerning their end of things regarding the Providence Hospital situation. I have been keeping in contact with them as closely as possible. Obviously they are somewhat guarded in what they say to me, knowing that it will be posted for everyone to read. (Unless of course they told me something that they requested not be blogged.) What I have been told is that the Archbishop is aware of the situation and is addressing it. Due to the fact that he is leaving for Madrid this week, there probably wont be any official statement or resolution of this until he returns.

This Archbishop has always been very "quiet" in terms of how he responds to situations. Statements are only published once a full resolution of some matter is decided, and so this type of response is not abnormal or concerning. In fact, we must take this as the best possible scenario. This means the Archbishop is looking into this situation with full attention and it gives both he and all of us an opportunity to pray about this seeking the heart of God and the protection of the unborn. We must prayerfully and obediently await the outcome of his inquiry and we should also pray for the pilgrimage of all of those traveling to World Youth Day.

That being said, this issue isn't only about abortion. In fact, if it only about abortion then we are misguided in our focus as Catholics, and we are confused as to what makes this situation so offensive to the Church and Her teachings. In fact, Stacy Trasancos wrote about this subject at her blog "Accepting Abundance" just the other day, in relation to the situation in Colorado and Mercy Hospital.

The point isn't just that there is a Doctor at Providence who is a notorious abortionist, and it isn't just that there is some 'material cooperation' with evil through that relationship. The mere fact that this clinic exists in Providence and advertises and offers the services that they do is so contrary to the morality of the Church and to the ERDs that guide Catholic hospitals that it is an abomination of the mission of Catholic health care.


We must expect and ensure that Catholic hospitals treat each person as if they were Christ, we wouldn't expect a Catholic hospital to offer the services that we see from some of these clinics to the Blessed Virgin or Christ himself, so why should we accept that they offer them to the most vulnerable of our society?

 That is why our 'protest' should be more than just about Providence and their ties to abortion; as Ms. Trasancos explains:

We should also be protesting any Catholic hospital that employs any OB/GYN physician who is involved in any procedure that "separates procreation from the marital act in its unitive significance." That is a direct quote from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services" under the section, Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life.

So when faced with a situation like ours, what do we do? It is obvious that the Alaska Women's Health clinic operating inside of Providence is doing so contrary to the ERDs of the Church and creating scandal amongst the faithful. Lisa Graas points out that based on Canon Law, we the faithful may actaully have a duty to speak out to our clergy about this. She links Canon 212. §3:

§3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they [Christian faithful] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.

As Christian faithful, it seems we have a right and most likely a duty to stand against decisions made by boards of directors that are contrary to the ERDs which are supposed to keep hospitals within the realm of right action. Some ask why I take such a measured approach towards the Archdiocese and why we shouldn't demand action. My response is that this situation isn't "us vs. them"; in fact the Archdiocese is our greatest ally. The Archbishop is a man that to us, the Christian faithful, represents Christ. Therefore we are obliged to be obedient to him in that manner. We must pray that he will follow in the footsteps of his brother bishops, Bishop Olmsted in Phoenix and Bishop Kurtz in Louisville, and bring this matter to a conclusion that upholds the dignity of the person, the unborn, and the Holy Catholic Church.

Again, this isn't just about whether abortions occur on the grounds of Providence. This goes to the meaning and purpose of the ERDs which that hospital is obliged to follow. If a "loophole" can be found where a Catholic hospital can bring in any clinic that adheres to their own set of ethical princples, the purpose and point of ERDs and a Catholic hospital have been lost. Abortion, Contraception, Sterilization IVF, and other services that destroy the dignity and sanctity of procreation are contrary to the faith and contrary to the dignity of the person. If a Catholic hospital is more concerned with profit, community, standing, or some other focus other than the teachings of Christ and His bride, the Church - then we really ought to rethink why we are providing health care in the name of the Church.

Therefore, we the Christian faithful in our duty to make known our opinion on this matter to the sacred pastors within the Archdiocese need to take an appropriate approach to how we express our beliefs. Stacy Trasancos has 5 things that we all can do. Four of them are communicating with those in positions to do something about it and the fifth one is to pray. The fifth one is more powerful than the first four combined, but the first four give the fifth something to work with.

Let us continue to make our hearts and minds known to the Archbishop and those involved with this situation, and let us do it in a way that is respectful and appreciative of the complexity of the manner in which this situation exists. Let us also remember that we must combine our human efforts with sacred spiritual ones as well. Prayer, Mass attendance, and of course penance will help more than any communication effort we make.

The Chancery:
Archbishop: The Most Reverend Roger L. Schwietz, OMI: ab.schwietz@caa-ak.org
Vicar General: Reverend Thomas Lilly: tlilly@caa-ak.org
Judicial Vicar: Reverend Thomas Brundage, JCL: tbrundage@caa-ak.org

NB: Remember to keep your communications respectful and focused on the specific ills of this situation. We must work with our sacred pastors to uphold the GOOD of the CHURCH. 

†††

Perplexing Providence Hospital - Why isn't this Catholic hospital 'acting' Catholic?

When one thinks of the latest scandals surrounding Catholic hospitals, it is hard to ignore that these situations from a very object point of view are completely perplexing. In the case of Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska allowing the Alaska Women's Health Clinic to become a clinic inside of Providence and granting notorious Dr. Jan Whitefield privileges at the hospital flies directly in the face of Catholic teaching and doctrine.

Unfortunately Providence isn't alone in their actions, Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado has an almost identical situation, to which Live Action and Lila Rose came to protest. Bishop Thomas Olmsted was forced to strip St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona of their Catholic "identity." It was an example of an "end game" scenario but after years of deceit and insubordinate, he was left with no option. And in development, we  see a situation in the Archdiocese of Louisville, where pressure is being placed on those in power to manipulate the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) to allow for a hospital merger.

So while some may view the Providence issue as a local Alaskan issue, they would be incorrect. This issue is much deeper than some localized blip on the radar, it actually strikes at the core of what it means to be a Catholic Organization.

What is perplexing about the Providence situation, as well as these other situations, is that Catholic hospitals should have a pretty straight-forward criteria for what clinics and the partners they associate with, especially ones that they physically have in their buildings or share services with. I admit that a person could imagine various complex relationships which could be developed between a Catholic hospital and a secondary partner, and when analyzed that relationship would be difficult to determine whether it was appropriate under Catholic teaching and doctrine.

Yet, the Providence situation is a rather blatant case of an improper relationship. This relationship appears so egregious, that there must be some ulterior motive driving the decision to partner with the state's most notorious abortionist, instead of operating based on Catholic teaching. This situation is a perfect example of the necessity for Catholic hospitals to adhere to the 'Ethical and Religious Directives' (ERDs). Not only for the sake of their Catholic identity but more importantly for the sake of what it means for an organization to be Catholic within the public sphere.

Browsing Providence's site, one can find a disclaimer called: 'Services Disclaimer' which is the legalese that a hospital publishes to explain what liability exists based on the information they have on their website. Essentially it is the "disclaimer" which attaches to the website. Oddly Providence's seems contrary to their action. The disclaimer says:

Providence Health & Services does not recommend, endorse or promote any procedure or intervention that may be discussed on this site, and which may be prohibited by Providence Health & Services’ Mission and Core Values and the Roman Catholic moral tradition as articulated in such documents as The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

If this is the case, why did they let Dr. Whitefield and AWHS walk right in the building and set up shop? Not only that, but how can they reconcile the actions that Dr. Whitefield is infamous for with the ERDs they are required to follow? It is just so confusing and frustrating that this hospital isn't acting very Catholic. There must be a reason, but it still perplexes me. It is hard to imagine that there is some greater and almost infinite good that must exist to justify the decision to let the clinic open and operate out of Providence.

Over the next couple of days I plan to update you on the developments in this story, as well as highlighting what other people are saying about this issue. Some great Catholic thinkers and bloggers are talking about this issue in earnest and it is comforting to know that many of things I have been thinking and writing about regarding it all align quite closely to what these other Catholics have been saying. I also plan to talk a little more about ERDs and what they are supposed to do in terms of keeping Catholic hospitals... Catholic.

Lastly... don't forget to pray and write the Archbishop. Please let the Chancery know how you feel about this issue as a Catholic. Let them know that you are praying for an outcome to this situation that is centered in truth and protects the sanctity of life.

††† 

Providence Hospital Alaska: New Home to Abortionist, Dr. Jan Whitefield's, AK Women's Health Clinic

Providence Hospital - Anchorage, AK

Providence Hospital, a Catholic Hospital, in Anchorage, Alaska recently got a new tenant. That tenant is none other than the Alaska Women's Health, P.C. clinic (aka Alaska Women's Health Services) a clinic notorious for providing abortion, contraception, and sterilization. One of the head physicians within the clinic is the infamous Alaskan Abortionist: Dr. Jan Whitefield.

This information was brought to my attention via an email from a blog reader, they wanted to let me know that they had found out that the Alaska Women's Health, P.C.,  had recently opened this new office inside of Providence Hospital. When I went to the AWHPC website to check it out for myself I found the address listed was indeed for a suite inside of Providence. The news announcement from their site:

We are proud to announce the merging of our two offices into a larger, newly renovated space on the Providence Hospital campus. Our opening date at 3260 Providence Drive, C Tower, Suite 322 will be July 11. We know you will enjoy the calming atmosphere and modern amenities our new clinic has to offer!

Immediately, I thought about Lila Rose, of Live Action fame, earlier this week helping lead more than 70 protesters against a hospital in Colorado that is in almost the same exact situation as what we see going on at Providence. So as I began researching what I could online, I was left with more questions than answers.

What is AWHS?

••†••

What exactly is going on in Providence at the AWHS? Well, it is hard for me to say for certain, but what I can do is give you some facts. First, the AWHS clinic has another location off of the Providence campus, so it is quite possible that no abortions are occurring on Providence property. I am not 100% certain if the off-site location does abortions either (or if they are done at some other medical facility) and whether it will remain open, in light of the new office in Providence. I can tell you that Dr. Jan Whitefield works for the AWHS clinic inside of Providence and he performs abortions - somewhere. Which leads to the question of who exactly is Dr. Jan Whitefield?

Dr. Jan Whitefield

••†••

Dr. Whitefield - Click to Enlarge

Dr. Jan Whitefield is an abortionist. He admits so himself in various court pleadings. The court pleadings I refer to are various complaints, spanning years, against various pieces of Pro-Life legislation and on behalf of abortion 'rights'. Dr. Whitefield is often one of the lead complainants in these court cases along with Planned Parenthood. In his most recent action against the State of Alaska regarding the "Parental Notification Law", Dr. Whitefield claims that he along with other physicians at AWHS perform over 500 first trimester abortions each year. Dr. Whitefield is also a physician provider within Providence. I couldn't ascertain exactly what that means, but I assume it has to do with physician privileges within Providence. Essentially, it means that he has the ability to admit and treat patients within Providence. When you search for him in the provider search on the Providence website it lists his organization as AWHS, so it is difficult to know if he receives any sort of payment for services from Providence directly.

This leads to the next logical inquiry, what services does the AWHS clinic provide? From their website, it is clear that there are various reproductive services provided which include Contraceptive services and Sterilization. As for abortion there was nothing listed on the site, but by his own admission, Whitefield has stated that they do perform abortions. The question is whether they do them at Providence. Unfortunately I could find no information to answer this question either affirmatively or negatively, yet it still leaves us asking whether this clinic should even be inside Providence based on what they do provide.

USCCB Ethicial and Religious Directives

••†••

Therefore, based on what services they do perform, and the fact that Dr. Whitefield is a well known abortionist, how does this square with the Ethical and Religious Directives that the USCCB requires that all CATHOLIC hospitals adhere to? [The E&RDs can be found at Providence's website or at the USCCB.]

It is pretty clear that abortion, contraception, and sterilization are against Catholic teaching and have no place in a Catholic hospital. What isn't as clear or immedietally evident is what the E&RDs say about partners or clinics within a Catholic hospital. For the directives that deal with such an issue, we must turn our attention to paragraphs 67-72:

67. Decisions that may lead to serious consequences for the identity or reputation of Catholic health care services, or entail the high risk of scandal, should be made in consultation with the diocesan bishop or his health care liaison.

68. Any partnership that will affect the mission or religious and ethical identity of Catholic health care institutional services must respect church teaching and discipline. Diocesan bishops and other church authorities should be involved as such partnerships are developed, and the diocesan bishop should give the appropriate authorization before they are completed. The diocesan bishop's approval is required for partnerships sponsored by institutions subject to his governing authority; for partnerships sponsored by religious institutes of pontifical right, his nihil obstat should be obtained.

69. If a Catholic health care organization is considering entering into an arrangement with another organization that may be involved in activities judged morally wrong by the Church, participation in such activities, must be limited to what is in accord with the moral principles governing cooperation.

70. Catholic health care organizations are not permitted to engage in immediate material cooperation in actions that are intrinsically immoral, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, and direct sterilization.[44]

71. The possibility of scandal must be considered when applying the principles governing cooperation.[45] Cooperation, which in all other respects is morally licit, may need to be refused because of the scandal that might be caused. Scandal can sometimes be avoided by an appropriate explanation of what is in fact being done at the health care facility under Catholic auspices. The diocesan bishop has final responsibility for assessing and addressing issues of scandal, considering not only the circumstances in his local diocese but also the regional and national implications of his decision.[46]

72. The Catholic partner in an arrangement has the responsibility periodically to assess whether the binding agreement is being observed and implemented in a way that is consistent with Catholic teaching.

To simplify what these mean to the situation at hand, we essentially have to look at two issues and how they relate to the Providence-AWHS relationship:

1. Material Cooperation (with evil) -  see #70


2. Scandal - #71

Material Cooperation & Scandal

••†••

For those unfamiliar with these terms or how they apply to this situation, Lisa Graas over at Live Action recently did an excellent job explaining them. One important directive that comes from another section of the E&RDs is paragraph 45, which states:

45. Abortion (that is, the directly intended termination of pregnancy before viability or the directly intended destruction of a viable fetus) is never permitted. Every procedure whose sole immediate effect is the termination of pregnancy before viability is an abortion, which, in its moral context, includes the interval between conception and implantation of the embryo. Catholic health care institutions are not to provide abortion services, even based upon the principle of material cooperation. In this context, Catholic health care institutions need to be concerned about the danger of scandal in any association with abortion providers. (Emphasis mine)

This leaves Providence having to answer a two part question:
Does having the AWHS clinic inside of Providence, provide abortion services (or other intrinsically immoral ones) based on the principle of material cooperation, and if not, does having such a clinic and doctor located within, and associated with, the hospital cause scandal?

I would answer YES to both questions.  Without getting into too much theology or philosophy we  to need secure a decent understanding of what is meant by immediate material cooperation. Lisa Graas and I both reference a Catholic dictionary for an understanding of the term. Based on the following it is hard to say that Providence is guilty of IMC:

In immediate material cooperation, one person actually does something morally wrong with another person. Thus if a surgeon and an assistant are both engaged in actually aborting a fetus, the co-operation of the assistant is immediate. Immediate material co-operation in the sinful act of another is always wrong. It is pointless to say that a person who is not under duress performs a criminal action without intending to do so.

Yet, they are most definitely guilty of Mediate Cooperation:

Mediate material cooperation is concurring in the wrong action of another, but not in such a way that one actually performs the act with the other or agrees with the evil intention of the other. While doing something that is in itself good or indifferent, a person rather gives an occasion to another's sin, or contributes something by way of assistance.

Providence co-operates in several ways. They have granted office space to the AWHS, the have given privileges to and utilize the services of Dr. Whitefield, and they allow for the clinic to provide other intrinsically immoral services. One could argue that the new facilities and access to patients helps co-operate with evil through the ease of access to Dr. Whitefield by some patients.

As for Scandal, even if one finds a grey area to reside in regarding Material Cooperation, there is no denying that this situation causes Scandal. The definition is:

Any action or its omission, not necessarily sinful in itself, that is likely to induce another to do something morally wrong. Direct scandal, also called diabolical, has the deliberate intention to induce another to sin. In indirect scandal a person does something that he or she forsees will at least likely lead another to commit sin, but this is rather tolerated than positively desired.

It is obvious that a clinic that provides immoral services and has a history of providing abortion will likely induce women that come into their clinic to have an abortion. As Dr. Whitefield himself claims, the AWHS clinic provides over 500 abortions a year. Those patients more than likely obtain guidance and services by walking through the doors of the clinic. Not only that but the last sentence in paragraph #45 above states that:

In this context, Catholic health care institutions need to be concerned about the danger of scandal in any association with abortion providers.

So clearly Catholic hospitals are put on notice by means of this directive, that any association with an abortion provider has the danger of scandal. Therefore, an abortionist as high profile as Whitefield is not only more likely to cause scandal but also more likely to utilize the office space at Providence to perform abortions even if they are "off-site."

••†••

Does this mean Providence is in the wrong? Well, it seems that way but there are always nuanced positions and distinctions that can be made. Overall I think that Providence is in the wrong an that there is at least mediate material cooperation if not a further degree of culpability. As for scandal, this definitely causes scandal.

Going further, if you read the E&RDs closely, you will see in part six that there is a requirement that the bishop be brought into the decision making process when a Catholic hospital is forming a relationship with an outside entity that may be questionable to the teachings of the Church. I am not sure if that occurred or not. In fact, I did contact the Archdiocese to both inform them of this situation, if they didn't know about it, and to ask questions regarding the E&RDs and how they relate to this situation. I was informed by a high ranking member of the Archdiocese that my concerns were being forwarded to the Archbishop and that this official would see how the Archbishop wants to proceed from here. This seems like an appropriate response, yet I don't know how or when the Archbishop will respond. In fairness to him, I sent the email on Thursday, and this is a rather intricate and complicated situation so I expect him to take a few days to really look into all aspects of it. 

As for what any of us can do now, I would suggest two things:

1. Pray. Pray that the Culture of Life is fostered and defended by all means possible especially through the courage and commitment of our Archbishop, priests, and religious. Rosaries and Chaplets of Divine Mercy are especially powerful in situations such as this, and if you have an opportunity may I suggest going down to Providence, and in a legal and respectful way, praying on site for the hospital and its commitment to the Church and Her teachings.


2. Contact the Archbishop. His contact information is:


• The Most Reverend Roger L. Schwietz, OMI


• 225 Cordova Street | Anchorage, AK 99501


• Phone: (907) 297-7755


• Email: ab.schwietz@caa-ak.org & kbakic@caa-ak.org (Exec. Asst.)

In terms of contacting the Archbishop, I would like to make a few suggestions. First, be respectful and charitable. What is most helpful in these situations, especially as we await his response, is not to accuse or place blame but instead to express how this impacts you as a Catholic. Second, We don't know all of the facts, we only know what we can ascertain on-line. Again, it is more helpful to discuss what we know for certain, rather than what we think is true or expect to be true. Finally, These sorts of things take time to sort out, discuss, and change if necessary. Please understand that this will most likely take more than a day or two in order to sort things out. Be patient, pray, fast and give alms. Don't forget to pray. I would suggest a novena for the Assumption.

I will keep you all updated on this and let us devote ourselves to praying for an outcome that fully supports the sanctity and Culture of Life.

NB: To stay "up-to-date" on developments in this situation please follow the blog - All posts related to this situation can be found under the "Topic Link": 'Providence Hospital'

†††

Lord Jesus Christ,
 You have conquered the power of death
And opened for humanity
The hope of eternal life in body and soul.

You granted your Mother
A share in heavenly glory,
And did not allow decay to touch her body.

As we rejoice in the Assumption of Mary,
Grant us new confidence in the victory of life over death,
And renewed reverence for the human body.

As we honor Mary, Assumed into Heaven,
May we proclaim the hope of Your Gospel:
That you want every human life seated on your throne.

May that hope strengthen us to protect every life here on earth.

You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.