Health Care Ministry
The Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York of Saint Catherine of Siena Church and Priory, is a team of Catholic health care chaplains and ethicists who serve Catholic patients and their family members as well as the clinicians and other health care professionals, in collaboration with the pastoral care departments of the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Rockefeller University Hospital.
Along with providing bedside pastoral care to Catholic patients and their families, the Friars are also available to help patients, family members, and clinicians think through difficult ethical decisions in health care vis-à-vis Catholic moral thought.
The Friars are available for consultation on the Catholic perspective on ethical issues in health care via e-mail queries sent to: ethicsconsults@aol.com. They can also be consulted to participate in or facilitate scholarly dialogues, or give scholarly presentations on any number of ethical topics within the clinical milieu.
Article from February 14, 2010 Bulletin:
IN HEALTH REFORM, HEAR THE CRY OF THE POOR
By Sr. Carol Keehan, D.C.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Health Associate
“The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” How often we sing or say this line from the Psalms.
Currently these words are powerful reminders that health reform is about hearing the cry of poor persons. It is about hearing the cry of those who are sick but cannot afford coverage or are denied it due to a preexisting condition. Health reform is about hearing the cry of the working mother whose employer does not offer health insurance but whose child needs to see a doctor. It is about hearing the cry of the millions who suffer or even die simply because they were uninsured.
In Catholic health facilities, our caregivers and administrators experience the cry of poor persons every day: we provide treatment, aid and comfort to those hoping their struggle to get health care will finally come to an end. And, as a ministry we have dared to dream that for the first time, so many of our brothers and sisters would have health insurance, that their cry may be quieted.
We must keep in mind this cry when we hear the recent news about health care reform; how it faces “insurmountable hurdles”; or is on “life support.” Some fear the mood of the country has been so soured and exhausted by fear mongering; misinformation, and even legitimate policy debates – over what works best; what can we afford; that we will lose health care reform.
The need is too great to accept the above. Poor persons, working families, employers, health care providers and our nation’s economic future all have a stake in substantive, real reform. None of us can afford to wait!
The Catholic Health Ministry has been clear on our vision for the U.S. health care system, beginning with reform that protects life from conception to natural death. Within the framework, our first principle is expanding coverage to the greatest possible number of people. Analyzing the bills that have emerged from the House and Senate, we recognize they are not perfect, and they do not truly achieve universal coverage.
The question, however, should not be “Are the bills perfect?” but rather, “Are they a good first step?” Do the bills help a significant number of uninsured people obtain coverage? Do they make coverage more affordable for everyone? Do they begin to reduce systemic costs? Do they eliminate predatory insurance policies? Do they protect life?
In Catholic health care, we expect that reform legislation will keep President’s Obama’s commitment to no federal funds being used for abortions. We also strongly support efforts within reform to make sure that quality maternal and infant care is readily accessible to low-income women and families. We must not ignore recent studies showing that in these difficult economic times, women who are 300 percent below the poverty level, have abortions at four times the rate of women in other economic brackets.
Health reform has unfortunately become a caricature of itself. Opponents have reframed the legislation into something scary and unaffordable. The truth is, the U.S. public supports most of the provisions of health care reform when asked about them independently of “the health reform bill” or “Obamacare.” And the costs of inaction are widely published and accepted: study after study shows that if we fail to act, future generations will pay with their health; their pocketbooks; and even their lives!
For Catholics, this issue could not be more important. Health care reform speaks to protecting human life and dignity, and keeping our commitment to those who are poor and vulnerable. As a nation, we have never needed responsible citizenship more! It would be wonderful if we could finish this debate much differently than we started. That is: looking responsibly at issues and options; and collaborating to put the needs of people first, instead of getting mired in misinformation and fear mongering.
It is not too late! We can still plan for responsible health reform that respects life. And we can, with the Lord, hear the cry of the poor. In responding to that cry, all of us will be better off.