The following comes from an October 2 LifeNews article by Sarah Zagorski:
On October 1, the American Civil Liberties Union sued Trinity Health Corporation for refusing to perform abortions on women whose unborn babies were supposedly near death.
In a federal lawsuit against Trinity, which is one of the largest Catholic health systems in the country, the ACLU explained that their doctors refused to perform abortions on five women who suffered preterm, premature rupture of membranes. This complication arises when the amniotic sac breaks and leaves no fluid around the unborn child.
Sarah Prager, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington, said the condition almost always results in fetal death. She said, “This is a situation where there is virtually no chance that the fetus will survive. The miscarriage has started. It just hasn’t completed.”
USA Today reports that Trinity believes the case has no merit. In a statement, they said, “A federal court already dismissed a similar ACLU claim, and we will seek dismissal of this suit for the same reason. The Ethical and Religious Directives are entirely consistent with high-quality health care, and our clinicians continue to provide superb care throughout the communities we serve.”
However, the ACLU argued that Trinity violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) by failing to stabilize the women’s medical conditions. ACLU attorney Alexa Kolbi-Molinas said, “Patient welfare must be the No. 1 concern of health care professionals. Every pregnant woman who enters an emergency room should be guaranteed that she will get the care she needs, and should not have to worry that she won’t get appropriate care because of the hospital’s religious affiliation.”
As LifeNews previously reported, the ACLU has been big advocates for abortion and forcing Catholic hospitals to perform them even though it’s against their religious beliefs. In fact, the ACLU of Michigan recently lost a lawsuit where they were trying to force Catholic and other religiously affiliated hospitals to do abortions in cases where the mother’s life is supposedly in danger. The judge involved in the case, Robert Holmes Bell, dismissed it and said that Michigan federal courts had no jurisdiction over the bishops conference policy directive and had no business interfering with their religious doctorial decisions.
And what pray tell are the bishops doing about this? NOTHING. They are too busy being politically correct while the Catholic Church crumbles beneath their feet.
Pilar, this case was just filed. How do you know they are doing nothing?
I am sure you support the ACLU… YFC….
If the Catholic Church fails to stand up to fight for the helpless unborn children– what is their hope? Can’t the Holy Father and his leading cardinals, see this tragic situation?? Isn’t it worth it to them, to risk losing perhaps thousands of faithless, phony church members, by GETTING TOUGH ON SIN— and stating that any Catholic who has an abortion, or who co-operates in abortions, or performs them– WILL GET EXCOMMUNICATED?? (And they all risk ending up in HELL, with the loss of their soul!) ABORTION IS MURDER!! I’d LOVE to see the Church once again– SCARE THE HECK OUT OF THE WORLD, as they used to do, about crimes such as ABORTION!!
They DO say that.
Linda Maria, under the current Code of Canon Law those who undergo, procure or co-operate in procuring an abortion are automatically excommunicated. [the technical term is “excommunicatio latae sententiae”]
Well, when this life is over, those who chose to disobey God, and lead selfish, thoughtless, WORTHLESS lives, committing many horrible sins without repentance, such as KILLING helpless little unborn children in their mothers’ wombs– all of these people have sealed their own sinful fates, and will have to answer to God, for everything! And those (especially of the Church!) who knowingly watched this holocaust of horrors, selfishly and evilly refusing to do their duty by Christ, for the helpless unborn children– they, too, face their eternal reward, for their WORTHLESS lives of phony service to God, in the Church!
Just read where in Sweden, a bishop is asking that crucifixes be removed from all churches and that the congregation face East so the Moslems will be content. With news like this, it is safe to say the destruction of the Church is increasing daily, and only God can save Her.
Didn’t the ACLU pay attention when the Pope recently said that religious liberty, was critical for the well-being of any society to live in freedom?
Just as much as Obama did.
ACLU – Avowed Communist Libertines Unleashed… And like the good attack dogs on Orwell’s Animal Farm, they know that Two Legs are Bad and Four Good, unless it is Four good and Two Better…
Depending on where the paycheck comes from, as conscience rights are non-negotiable.
The ACLU only wants “baby freedoms,” to do as they please, and to sin!! They fail to understand, that there is truly no such thing, as “freedom!” All actions, all decisions, are a big responsibility! No one in this world is “free!” All mankind has a MORAL RESPONSIBILITY, to God, and to their fellow man! A “free” and democratic society, only means maturity and responsibility, for all of its citizens! No dictator ruling everyone! Without a firm religious and moral backbone, and responsibility, and a strong work ethic— a “free” democratic society, cannot survive!
How terribly sad, that Gov. Brown just signed the assisted suicide bill into law! “Thou shat not kill!” Suicide is a MORTAL SIN!! And just whatever happened, to the sacred Oath of Hippocrates, of physicians?? The ACLU, Gov. Brown, President Obama, and many other hippie-liberals, are just too big for their britches— smart-aleck, immature, pseudo-intellectual “know-it-alls,” who lost their faith in God, and lost their morals, and are headed for disaster!
The problem for the ACLU is that it offers no evidence that an abortion was required to stabilize the mother. There is nothing in the story to suggest the mothers were harmed. Secondly, even if the mother was harmed, EMTALA cannot compel an individual to violate his conscience, even if the consequence of the Hobson’s choice is harm to another. While the doctor cannot stand in the way of an abortion, he cannot be compelled to perform one. Such a law, state or federal, is patently unconstitutional. It was the patient’s (or patient’s personal representative’s) choice to go to a Catholic hospital. There are always public hospitals. I hope a Rule 11 motion is filed against the ACLU.
Close down the Catholic Hospitals if the government tries to force them into violating their 1st Amendment rights.
And then blame the ACLU for all the deaths they contributed to.
Let those who want abortions go to non-Catholic hospitals or clinics.
No one is stopping them from doing so.
This is a link to the USCCB Directive regarding Abortions:
https://www.usccb.org/about/doctrine/publications/upload/direct-abortion-statement2010-06-23.pdf
It is accurate and 100% in accord with the Bible and Catholic Doctrine.
Now that what author Kurt Vonnegut termed ‘ethical suicide’ is encouraged by the State – it will be interesting to compare the Net Financial Worth (as the value of Human Life is disregarded) of those who choose to have themselves killed.
Whaddya Bet that it is Mostly Rich Amoral Hedonists who opt to off themselves; leaving all their money to the poor and less fortunate?
Any Takers – Of is that too much like a sucker bet even for the demi-crat machine to buy in to? Besides, wouldn’t that also erode their voter base amongst rich hedonistic dilettantes?
The mission of the ACLU is to protect the Bill of Rights. In this case, they are on the wrong side of the issue. Religious liberty in America is on a slippery slope. The ACLU should be protecting that liberty, and not forcing the country to be free from religious beliefs.
ON that we are agreed, Bob One.