Abortion is not health care
Statement by Louis Brown, Esq., Executive Director of Christ Medicus Foundation
For Immediate Release
February 7, 2023
This evening the President of the United States will deliver the first State of the Union Address of the post-Roe era.
Let us pause and give thanks to God for an end to Roe v. Wade, an unjust moral stain on America that undermined human dignity and sanctity of life, undermined the legal civil rights movement, and did unspeakable harm to millions of unborn children and millions of mothers. While abortion procedures are still killing the unborn and causing their mothers to suffer in pro-abortion states, since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision it is estimated that over 40,000 babies have been saved thanks to pro-life laws that restrict abortion in several states across America.
Regrettably, by all accounts President Joe Biden will double-down on his anti-life and anti-religious freedom policy agendas that destroy unborn life, harm the dignity of pregnant mothers, and violate the religious freedom and medical conscience rights of healthcare professionals.
Abortion is not health care, has killed over 60 million unborn babies, and has no place in American society. Instead of advancing abortion providers, the president should support pro-life medical clinics and pregnancy centers that are staffed by compassionate women and men who love both the pregnant mother and her child. Life affirming medical clinics and pregnancy centers offer pregnant mothers incredible love, care, and support.
We hope, pray, and encourage Members of Congress and Senators to work for pro-life legislation, defend against attacks on religious freedom and medical conscience rights, and to empower medical professionals, Catholic health centers, and other faith-based healthcare entities in their healing ministry to care and heal the sick, the suffering, and the vulnerable.
Federal law protects medical conscience rights and helps keep ethical, moral and religious convictions about the sanctity of every human person at the forefront of health care especially for the vulnerable. The civil rights of conscience and religious freedom ensure that medicine is only used to protect the health and life of patients. These vital human and civil rights complement other civil rights laws that prohibit unjust discrimination based on race, sex, disability, and national origin.
Ultimately, the rights of medical conscience and religious freedom in health care protect the freedom of medical professionals to love their patients. Specifically for Catholic medical professionals and medical institutions, these rights protect their freedom to share Christ’s healing love with others.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is proposing regulations under the Affordable Care Act that would make Catholic health care virtually unlawful and that would target other pro-life and religious healthcare institutions by compelling the performance of abortions and transgender procedures that are harmful to patients and that violate basic medical ethics.
Every time policymakers act to protect religious freedom and medical conscience rights, they are protecting the life and health of poor and vulnerable patients and stopping the advance of the throwaway culture in health care. We at the Christ Medicus Foundation hope and pray the president will be converted and will begin protecting the dignity of every person, beginning with the unborn child. We hope and pray that Congress will do everything it can to protect and defend human dignity from conception to natural death and to safeguard the vital civil rights of medical conscience and religious freedom for medical professionals and patients alike.
Catholic Principles for Evaluating Health Care Policy
The Christ Medicus Foundation shares Jesus Christ’s healing love in health care. We champion religious freedom for medical professionals and patients. We promote Christ-centered pro-life medical care, and we offer our CURO Catholic health care community for medical needs and whole-person wellness. Founded in 1997, the Christ Medicus Foundation works to accomplish its mission in religious freedom and medical conscience through promoting public policy and education, supporting Christ-centered pro-life medical centers and our CURO health care community.
PRESS CONTACT: Kathy Dempsey for Christ Medicus Foundation