Despite its collaboration with a Catholic university, St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix remains a non-Catholic institution due to dissent on abortion and medical ethics, Bishop Thomas Olmsted said July 23.
“Catholics and all people of good will are advised that they cannot be guaranteed authentic Catholic health care at St. Joseph's Hospital,” the bishop of Phoenix said in the statement, clarifying the hospital's status in response to its partnership with Nebraska's Creighton University.
Regardless of that collaboration, “St. Joseph's Hospital is not a Catholic institution” and “does not faithfully adhere to the (U.S. bishops') 'Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services,'” Bishop Olmsted said in the announcement, meant to “ensure clarity” among the faithful.
Creighton, a Jesuit university, partnered with St. Joseph's to establish the Creighton University School of Medicine Regional Campus at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The joint venture was announced in June 2009 and had its official opening in June 2012.
In November 2010, Bishop Olmsted formally stripped St. Joseph's Hospital of its Catholic status after a dispute that emerged over an abortion performed there 12 months earlier. Sister Margaret McBride, a hospital employee who approved the abortion, was declared excommunicated over the incident.
In discussions with Bishop Olmsted, hospital representatives defended the abortion as necessary to save the life of the mother, who suffered from hypertension. Advisers to the diocese said the “treatment” given was a direct abortion, which violated ethical directives and was not a treatment for hypertension.
St. Joseph's Hospital stated in December 2011 that Sister McBride had regularized her standing in the Church and was no longer excommunicated.
However, the hospital itself remains subject to Bishop Olmsted's December 2010 decision to withdraw its approval as a Church institution.
In the months leading up to that decision, Bishop Olmsted called attention to other ethical violations on the part of St. Joseph's and its parent company, Catholic Healthcare West. The hospital was accused of “formally cooperating” with a government program providing abortion, contraception and sterilization.
Unable to reach an agreement over ethical matters, the bishop declared that the hospital was no longer Catholic. The loss of status involved the removal of the Eucharist from the hospital and the withdrawal of permission for priests to celebrate Mass in the hospital's chapels.
In Monday's statement, Bishop Olmsted said the collaboration with Creighton University has “led to some confusion, since Creighton University is a Catholic institution.”
Bishop Olmsted does not have jurisdiction over the university or authority over its partnerships. But St. Joseph's Hospital, he stressed, remains disaffiliated from the diocese and the Church.
Bishop Thomas Olmsted
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As a youth minister in the Diocese of Phoenix, it is comforting to know that we have a bishop who will stand up for the truth! Let’s continue to pray for Bishop Olmsted :)
http://thankgodimcatholic.com/
I am so glad that the nun involved was excommunicated. This needs to be done more often to ensure that people know that it is seriously wrong. Hopefully this nun will see the error of her ways.
I am blessed to live in Bishop Olmstead’s diocese. Heading brings needed clarity on what church doctrine states and how it applies to our daily lives. It’s of note that Catholic Healthcare West is now Dignity Health. They’ve dropped the Catholic from their name. It’s probably more important to find a practicing Catholic doctor who understands the church doctrine. Modern medicine brings wonderful life saving treatments, as well as ethical questions.
If +Olmstead does not jurisdiction over Creighton U, which Bishop does?
And what is his position?
I also live in Bishop Olmsted’s Diocese. The writer of this article purposely minimized the disease this pregnant mom of 4 had. Shame on them! She did not have hypertension, she had pulmonary hypertension, a VERY different and much more serious illness. The good people at St Joe’s saved the only life they could. One of my daughters was a patient there a few months ago. A nurse (who was very good) who was non-Catholic was frustrated that even though Bishop Olmsted took away the Catholic name, tubal ligations and vasectomies were still not available at St Joe’s. Regardless of what Bishop Olmsted says, St Joe’s does faithfully adhere to the ethical and religious directives for Catholic health-care services. Good for Creighton University! This is a win-win for St Joe’s, for Creighton University and for the citizens of Phoenix.
Sam…keep reading:
“St. Joseph’s Hospital stated in December 2011 that Sister McBride had regularized her standing in the Church and was no longer excommunicated.”
Not impressed with that collaboration….members of the theology department at Creighton have published and taught things regarding sexuality and marriage that are in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Church…..I’m not sure of Creighton’s “Catholicity” at this point.
Bishop Olmstead is a Holy and Wonderful Bishop. Wish more in the USA were like him. For those interested in the use of the name “Catholic” go to the Vatican web site and look it up under ‘Code of Canon Law’. All Bishops can determine for their own Diocese who can and can not use the name “Catholic”.
As someone stated - It’s of note that Catholic Healthcare West is now Dignity Health. They’ve dropped the Catholic from their name for all their hospitals which has its headquarters in CA. This allows abortion, contraception, euthanasia (in States where allowed), and voluntary sterilization. Money speaks louder than the Lord until the Lord has had enough. He gives everyone enough FREEDOM to go to Heaven or Hell.
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/phoenix-bishop-hospital-remains-non-catholic-despite-collaboration-with-cat/#blogComments#ixzz21ZvloAwW
Go to Creighton University’s web site. They do not use the “CATECHISM of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” as a required student text for first and/or second year students. - This allows for the teaching of errors regarding our Faith - accidentally and purposely. This is typical of most US Jesuit Universities. Creighton University is NOT recommended in the “Newman Guide to choosing a Catholic College”.
I admire the courage of Bishop Olmsted in maintaning his position that St. Joseph’s Hospital is not a Catholic Hospital because of dissent on abortion and medical ethics. We need more Bishops like him. How is it that a Jesuit University like Creighton can be functioning as a Caholic institution in the diocese ruled by the Bishop, and shelter the non Catholic fnctions of St. Joseph’s Hospital ? I believe the Jesuits should be brought under the rule of the Bishops when it comes to deciding what is Catholic in the Bishops diocese.
As an old school German Jesuit patristics professor once told me, “At one time being a Jesuit university meant being a Catholic university, but in this age a ‘Jesuit university’ does not necessarily mean a ‘Catholic university.’” Pray that Creighton reflects on what it is doing. On the other hand, perhaps it has already done so.
Well hopefully she saw the error of her ways!
Thank you Claire!
This Bishop is cool. Too bad for those at the hospital that severed the hospital’s affiliation with Catholicism. They’ll just have to burn in Hell for all eternity. Sorry gang, not my rules,
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