Cardinal O'Malley pulls out of joint health care venture over abortion

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Boston, Mass., Jun 27, 2009 / 08:06 pm (CNA).- After weeks of ethics discussions, the Archdiocese of Boston announced on Friday that the Church-sponsored Caritas Christi Healthcare has withdrawn from its partnership with CeltiCare Health Plan. The archdiocese said it was not possible to find agreement between the archdiocese-affiliated medical organization and the Missouri-based health insurer, which provides abortion and contraception.

The joint venture was scheduled to start providing care on July 1st, but in a statement issued on Friday by Richard Lynch, chief executive of CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts, said: "effective today, Caritas has withdrawn their ownership position in CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts. Celtic Group Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation) now owns 100% of the company. Caritas Christi will continue to participate as a key part of the CeltiCare provider network. The arrangement in no way affects the operations of CeltiCare Health, and we look forward to delivering quality health care services to our members starting on July 1st."

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley said in a statement, "I am pleased that Caritas Christi was able to achieve this outcome. Throughout this process, our singular goal has been to provide for the needs of the poor and underserved in a manner that is fully and completely in accord with Catholic moral teaching. By withdrawing from the joint venture and serving the poor as a provider in the Connector, upholding Catholic moral teaching at all times, they are able to carry forward the critical mission of Catholic health care."

The protection of human life and dignity demands that Catholic institutions never contribute to procedures which are inconsistent with Catholic moral teaching, such as abortion and sterilization. These procedures and others are prohibited by the Ethical and Religious Directives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The decision to withdraw from the joint venture follows an extensive analysis by the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) which was undertaken at the request of the Cardinal.

Cardinal O'Malley explained that the goal of the review was to ensure that Caritas Christi could "serve the poor through a plan for participation in the Connector that is in complete accordance with Catholic moral teaching."

The Commonwealth Connector Authority required the partnership to provide "confidential family planning services."

The cardinal extended his "sincere gratitude to Dr. John Haas and the staff at the National Catholic Bioethics Center for their diligent and comprehensive review of the proposal. I am pleased that they were able to provide a recommendation whereby Caritas can go forward in fulfilling its mission of Catholic healthcare."

American Life League president Judie Brown praised the decision, saying:

"We profoundly thank Cardinal O'Malley for his courage, leadership and pastoral concern for the health and well-being of those youngest members of his archdiocese. He has set a beautiful example of dedication and charity for those poorest of the poor -- the preborn."

"What happened in Boston will ring out far beyond the potential scandal that could have involved Caritas Christi and thereby the Archdiocese. Cardinal O'Malley's reaffirmation of the Faith, when it would have been all too easy to compromise, is a sign of the vitality of United States Catholics' commitment to human life and personhood," Brown added.

"American Life League and our supporters are humbled to stand alongside Cardinal O'Malley as a sign of contradiction to the culture of death."

Comments: 17

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Anita
Somerville, MA, USA 06/30/2009 07:27 PM EST

Subject: Important statement from Carol McKinley on Caritas

> Sadly, this may, once again, be a continuation of the deceptive
> practices that have surrounded this scandal since February.
>
> At this juncture, all that we know is that the Cardinal is claiming he
> is "withdrawing from the venture but will maintain their position as
> the provider for the venture and this arrangement will therefore not
> change anything that happens on the level of the patient. Caritas CEO
> has affirmed that nothing has changed and that when the patient comes in
> to seek an abortion, they will be referred back to CeltiCare who has
> taken out contracts with abortionists and hired phone operators to
> accept the requests from the patients that Caritas refers to it, make
> the arrangements for the abortion and then pay for the abortion.
> CeltiCare up until Friday was 49% owned by the Archdiocese. However,
> upon the withdrawal of their ownership interest, they have maintained
> their working relationship with CeltiCare and will in fact forward the
> women to Celticare. CeltiCare had previously p
laced NARAL as a police
> dog for the enforcement and had made arrangements for NARAL to police
> Catholic employees - even inside of examination rooms if necessary.
>
>
> We do not know what agreements have been made by and between Caritas and
> Celticare and the Commonwealth. One must assume that the Commonwealth
> would not agree to permit Caritas to be the provider unless they agreed
> to

Published by: Richard Chonak
Boston/MA/US 06/29/2009 07:03 PM EST

It's a relief to read that the Cardinal has corrected this terrible mistake by Caritas as much as possible.

Still, work remains to be done. Apparently, the Caritas board's decision-making didn't include sufficient medical ethics review before this major contract was undertaken.

Published by: D. Smith
california 06/29/2009 03:43 PM EST

Hooray for Cardinal O'Malley !

The very vulnerable must be protected and God's Law must be obeyed - even by you , Mr President. Are you listening?

There is NO compromise when it comes to taking human life.

And BTW, do we really have to be subject to looking at that IMVU, "Define your look" dollies in their revealing underclothes which graces the spiritual box which contains Homily, Saint, Gospel and Readings of the Day?
Besides being annoying and animated, it is hardly compatible. I presume that is Yahoo's idea.

Published by: Joe
Massachusetts 06/29/2009 03:39 PM EST

Thank You Thank You Thank You Cardinal O'Malley for your leadership in this matter! Your decision will save many of the Preborn and sends an important message to us Catholics that even in difficult decisions we can decide in favor of the victims that have no say in the matter, the Preborn. This is why I'M PROUD TO BE CATHOLIC.
Joe Gilberto

Published by: Marilyn Stec
Parma, Ohio 06/29/2009 12:18 PM EST

Cardinal O'Malley, how please the Lord must be that you took a stand and withdrew Caritas Christi Health agency from Celticare partnership in the name of life. You are a church leader with a Holy Spirit backbone. Thank you.

Published by: steve abril
TAMARAC 06/29/2009 12:05 PM EST

I'm very proud of the Cardinal from Boston and support 'Caritas' 1000%

Published by: j.gibbs
Chicago IL 06/29/2009 11:42 AM EST

Thank You Cardinal O'Malley!

Published by: Terence
Albuquerque/NM/USA 06/29/2009 11:22 AM EST

Bravo Cardinal O'Malley

Published by: Elizabeth A Powers
Denver CO 06/29/2009 11:05 AM EST

Thank God for the faithful shepherding and example of Cardinal O'malley, and those shepherds like him with whom we have been so abundantly blessed!

Published by: Susan
Woonsocket, RI - USA 06/29/2009 10:53 AM EST

Thank God! Thank God! Thank God! God bless Bishop Sean O'Malley. Thank you Bishop O'Malley for upholding our precious faith.

Published by: Disturbed mary
NYC 06/29/2009 09:13 AM EST

God bless you Capuchin Franciscan pro-life Cardinal O'Malley for your courage and love of Christ on this great feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Published by: Ed Rice
Kingsland,GA, USA 06/28/2009 06:50 PM EST

Thank God for Cardinal O'Malley! May his principled leadership become known and followed by all his fellow priests, especially those in positions of national and international authority.

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 06/28/2009 11:26 AM EST

Now the CAL (Catholic Action League)Executive Director C. J. Doyle ownes the Cardinal a public apology for making false accusation against the Archbishop of Boston. Is C.J. Doyle brave enough to apologize or is he hiding behind his desk like a cowardice??????? What is lower than making false accusation against a good man???

Published by: Bethany
MA 06/28/2009 07:45 AM EST

Cardinal Sean O'Malley's commitment to Catholic moral teachings is a beacon of light and clarity in the Archdiocese of Boston, which suffers from so many weak clergy and parishioners.

Published by: dAVID LARSEN
scituate Mass. USA 06/28/2009 06:48 AM EST

Cardinal Sean O'Malley is an excellent leader for the archdiocese of Boston as well as one of the best Cardinals in the Catholic Church. Thank God that God has been served and not all of the "special interests"! The devil has one too many "Politically Correct Names" these daze umm ah days!

Published by: Psalm
Detroit/Mi/USA 06/27/2009 09:50 PM EST

Thank you Cardinal O'Malley for standing firm in the truth.

Published by: Maria Trujillo
Plantation/FL/USA 06/27/2009 09:31 PM EST

An unprofitable servant, stepping back from the brink.
God is so Good.

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