St. Joe's accused of doing abortions <http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/03/05/8636641-sun.html>http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/03/05/8636641-sun.html
Thu, March 5, 2009 Officials deny any wrongdoing By <mailto:[email protected]>JOHN MINER The Bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of London has ordered an investigation and advised the Vatican after allegations surfaced that St. Joseph's hospital has been performing abortions. Carried on several anti-abortion Internet sites, an article by LifeSiteNews says the London hospital has been performing "eugenic" abortions -- ones carried out because of fetal defects -- for 20 years. The hospital denies it's performing abortions and says its practices are clearly in line with Catholic teachings. Mark Adkinson, a spokesperson for Bishop Ronald Fabbro, yesterday said the bishop has taken the issue very seriously since the rumour first came up. "The investigation is still in process," said Adkinson. "The bishop does see it as a priority." Fabbro has written to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, the church body responsible for maintaining Catholic doctrine throughout the world, to advise them of the situation. St. Joseph's Health Care spokesperson Kathy Burrill said the hospital welcomes the investigation of its practices. "The bishop asked if we would go back and review our cases and provide him with a summary report, which we are doing and are very happy to do," she said. "As a Catholic health care organization, we support all of the principles of Catholic teaching and the principles of Catholic health care, which include honouring life from conception until natural death." The controversy centres on the hospital's policy of "early induction for lethal fetal anomalies." If a fetus has a condition that will cause its death in the womb, at birth, or shortly after birth, the policy allows for the birth to be induced early. The decision is made after the case has been reviewed by a hospital committee that includes medical and nursing staff, theologians, ethicists and social workers. Burrill said there are eight to 10 such early inductions a year at the hospital. Anti-abortion websites criticizing the hospital say the practice is actually abortion. Burrill said the births are only induced at the stage when the fetus could live outside the mother. "We wait until viability is possible," she said. Some parents want to hold their child before the baby dies or as the baby is dying, Burrill said. "We work very hard to support the family through each and every step as we go," she said. In one recent Internet report, a woman who was a patient at St. Joseph's says she was pressured by hospital staff to have an early induction. That story came as a surprise to the hospital, which is now reviewing the case, said Burrill. "We are surprised to know that one person who received care some 13 years ago is now apparently voicing concern through one of these websites," she said. John Miner is a Free Press health reporter. [email protected] <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/theblog/join-the-network/>The Network Directory <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "The fruit of abortion is nuclear war" - Bl. Mother Teresa + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/theblog/join-the-network/>The Network Directory <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "The fruit of abortion is nuclear war" - Bl. Mother Teresa + --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.ca/group/Catholics-on-Fire?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
