The Bishops and the "Right to Life"

More than 55 leading Catholic Bishops, all members of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, are speaking out against the University of Notre Dame's decision to host and honor President Barak Obama at their commencement ceremony on the 17th. Much of their ire is due to President Obama's support of the right to choose abortion. And, indeed coverage of the Bishops' opposition has largely, and unfortunately, centered on the issue of abortion, rather than on the pregnant women who have them. Sixty one percent of women who have abortions are already mothers and 84 percent of all women become pregnant and give birth over the course of their lifetimes. While Bishops criticize the president for being unwilling "to hold human life as sacred," an examination of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishop's (USCCB) public positions in two historic legal cases makes clear that that the USCCB itself is unwilling to "hold human life as sacred" when the life belongs to a pregnant woman.

Twenty two years ago this June, when a District of Columbia court ordered 27 year-old Angela Carder to undergo cesarean surgery against her wishes, she said: "I don't want it done. I don't want it done." The unborn child who the surgery was intended to save survived for just two hours. Carder died two days later with the cesarean listed as a contributing factor. In the highly publicized appeal that followed, and that reversed the order, only two groups defended the forced surgery: one was the United Catholic Conference -- now known as the USCCB.

While the USCCB defended the forced surgery that contributed to a pregnant woman's death as "the correct choice," it vigorously opposed removing Terry Schiavo's feeding tube because it would lead to her death. Terry Schiavo who was not pregnant had suffered irreversible brain damage and had been in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years. Experts who examined her concluded that she had no consciousness whatsoever, and that there were no treatments that could possibly improve or reverse her condition. Nevertheless, according to the USCCB, Schiavo's condition was anything but futile, describing her as someone with "cognitive disabilities." The USCCB rejected the notion "that there are some lives that aren't worth living."

In contrast, the USCCB explicitly viewed efforts to preserve Carder's life as futile and her life as not worth living. According to the USCCB the forced cesarean surgery was justified because Carder "was lying very near death" and "had at most one, possibly two days, to live." At best, "A.C. might have lived 24-48 hours without surgery" arguing that, "with or without the cesarean operation, A.C. would most probably die within 24-48 hours of the court hearing." Although Carder had specifically agreed to treatments that might prolong her life, the USCCB defended the surgery because the "attempt to save A.C.'s unborn child properly recognized . . . the futility of improving A.C.'s situation."

Not only did the USCCB discount the value of Carder's life, it urged the court to ignore her pain and the fact that subjecting her to a c-section -- major abdominal surgery -- could only make that pain worse. The USCCB argued that refusing a c-section "could not save her life or even make it more bearable."

The USCCB did not even object to the fact that Carder was stripped of due process --the opportunity to have her rights fully reviewed. Her rights were decided at an emergency hearing, leaving her no opportunity to select a lawyer, obtain medical records, or find experts. Still, the USCCB hoped a precedent would be set for the "next case" so that future courts could similarly force surgery on pregnant women whose rights would be "decided in the same emergency setting." In contrast, the USCCB supported legislation to guarantee that Schiavo, who had eight years of judicial review, would have additional access to the court system.

In other words, according to the USCCB, eight years of due process is not enough for someone in a persistent vegetative state, but less than a day of due process is plenty for a pregnant woman.

In Terri Schiavo's case, the USCCB argued "every human life has incalculable worth and meaning, no matter its age or condition." Their position in the Angela Carder case, one that they have never recanted and that is embodied in the Religious Directives in force in Catholic Hospitals across the country, suggests that the one form of life that does not have incalculable worth or meaning is that of pregnant women.

If it is true that the USCCB in fact prioritizes some lives over others, and excludes pregnant women from the right to life it claims to so vehemently defend, Notre Dame should be praised for inviting a speaker, President Obama, who is committed to promoting a true culture of life--one that includes and values the women who give that life.

Comments

[jennysez]

The Catholic Church's whole stance against women, as anything other than Catholic baby making machines, makes my uterus cringe.

And in all honesty, til every member of their clergy comes forward in public penance for every pedophile priest they hid and protected from justice, I want to hear nothing from them concerning morality.

I've witnessed firsthand the destruction their "policies" of blaming the victims and hiding the perpetrators did to the communities that trusted in their priests, bishops and cardinals to stop the abuse. It's reprehensible that these "men of the cloth" hid behind the Pope's skirts; Cardinal Law deserves to be in jail!

How dare they claim to have any higher morality!

[steppenwolfsayshi]

I'm a Catholic, so I think I can speak pretty well for American Catholics when I say that it is pretty well accepted that the Bishops' position is extreme. In general we don't support abortion or euthansia, because of the "slippery-slope theory"-kind of like the "domino theory" of the Cold War. Most Catholics don't let their family members live on in vegetated states for years, because that's extreme, clearly. The Church is trying to protect the elderly, disabled and indigant from the euthanisia movement that has been growing in Europe (and which is based in fear coming from the Nazi extermination). I read in the news last year that in Britian, for example, a (about, I forget) 10 year old girl won the right to refuse a surgery needed to continue her life without the consent of her parents. There are also prepackaged "SUICIDE KITS" on the market in Europe and Australia.
As for abortion, Catholics as real people have abortions for incest or rape or when the life of the mother is in danger. To the Bishops, all lives are sacred since everyone has a soul, so they try don't see one life as more important than the other. Abortion is an important part of the modern world that lifted the status women. Very religious people are not practical and when they tell us things, its inconvienient, but the truth is important to hear, so that solutions that preserve social justice can be found.

[Willow712]

And what is the average age of these Bishops? Probably in their 70s. Not having lived in family life for over 50 years, never being a mature man in a marriage and having their own family, they are not qualified to speak for every person. I am also Catholic and have found a lot of nuns to be woman supportive in a lot of ways that surprised me. Supportive in marriage tribunals vs divorce, supportive of women raising families alone, etc. Times are changing in the Catholic Church in a lot of developed countries.

[JGatsby]

"I'm a Catholic, so I think I can speak pretty well for American Catholics when I say that it is pretty well accepted that the Bishops' position is extreme...Catholics as real people have abortions"
What i don't understand is why do you remain in a religion when you don't believe many of the major beliefs, where you don't respect the leadership, and where the buereacracy is set up so that they have no interest or notice for what you think?
"The Church is trying to protect the elderly, disabled and indigant from the euthanisia movement that has been growing in Europe (and which is based in fear coming from the Nazi extermination"
Oh please, what nonsense. Can you provide some references that there is such an extreme euthanasia movement based on Nazi dogma? Anything I've heard from people who advocate the right to die is all based on giving the individual the right to make the decision, not at all on any theories of eugenics.

[JackNasty]

As I am not a women, so I won't pretend to speak for any women, However, most reasonable people would not want a group of superannuated men in dresses following them into their personal medical appointments.

[Sepulchre]

The Catholic Churches stance on this is simple, they want to breed more Catholics. To them the value of a child is higher than an adult because there is the potential they will have more babies than their pregnant mother who may be reproductively damaged during a difficult pregnancy. The girl in Brazil who was raped by her step-father is a perfect example. They were told she might die but hey if the babies made it that is two new Catholics for the price of one. It's the same reason for their stance on birth control, screw the people of Africa if they die of AIDS, we have to have more Catholics. If they reversed their stance on that they would admit they were wrong, which they do only when offered no other choice, and they would have to really more heavily on converting people to Catholicism which is harder than breeding them. Their whole policy makes me ill. It's a house of cards they can't retract one stance without jeopardizing the others and they know it. This is what so called 'men of God' have become.

[JudgeCCrater]

Pretty much summarizes anything I wanted to say. Religion as practiced by committee. There's no God anywhere in that decision and certainly nothing Jesus would recognize as spiritual. About as spiritual as a spreadsheet.

[Rogo99]

Where are all of these protesters when the call goes out for volunteers to staff day care centers or to counsel unwed mothers?
Let's just end religion, and put this whole thing to rest. The idea of the old man in space who gave us the 10 things you should or should not do is long past its expiration date.

[MsLiz]

That's one view of religion, not the full picture.

[bowthai]

Well, if the protesters are from Notre Dame, chances are they did volunteer to staff day care centers or counsel unwed mothers. Over 80% of the student body participates in service at some point while at the university, something the president pointed out in his commencement speech.

[cqyates]

I wish anti abortion activists would admit that the vast majority of women who have abortions do it because they don't see the means and the path to raise a child.

I was once a homeless pregnant girl who was told..."whatever way you want to go..there is help for you."

I wish that was true

[mypicasso]

Well, God bless you. You were lucky to have been surrounded by loving, supportive people, It's time to get rid of these antiquated commands by the church. It helps no one and the hyprocrisy of these people is astounding, inappropriate and shameful.

[roshni]

I guess women should think twice before going to Catholic Hospitals if they are pregnant?
This is horrendous.
I also recall the case in Brazil where they wanted a 10 year old who was raped by her stepfather and pregnant with twins to give birth even though her doctor thought it would kill her. They ex-communicated the doctor for performing the abortions.

[GrainneKathleen]

There was also a landmark case in Ireland where a 13 or so year old girl who was regularly molested and raped by her father was not allowed to have an abortion. While her fate was being decided for her in the courts, she miscarried - most likely a great blessing.

[disbelief]

GWB presided over 150+ executions while Governor of Texas. He also supported abortion in the case of rape, incest and the life of the mother.

I have no idea why they supported GWB because he "said" he was pro-life when in fact he was not.

Obama supports women and families and understands the nuances and subtleties of the issues of poverty, multi-generational poverty, equal pay, a woman's autonomy over her own life and body, health care and the fact that men need to step up and support their families.

Why is it so difficult for some people to step away from single issues or intractable positions that do nothing to help people?

I have been watching in disbelief for years and I remain completely perplexed by the "pro-life" movement which is really "pro-birth" with no thought or concern about what happens after a child is born.

[roshni]

It's political and the pro-fetus crowd is prime for brainwashing.

[Northlite]

Please don't blame: Men. Many of us strongly support women's right to make their own decision.

These same Roman Catholic Bishops were silent as pedophila and child abuse ran rampant on their watch in their churches. Silence. They have no credibility.

Today's Rasmussen polls are interesting in regard to Obama's speech tomorrow: Though 85 US Bishops have come out against Obama's speech at Notre Dame, a strong majority of Catholics support Obama and the university and not the Bishops. Even a majority of weekly church goers do not support the Bishops.

These men and this institution has lost so much of their credibility, even with their own flock. They have no one to blame but themselves. Considering the tens of thousands of children abused by Roman Catholic Priests and the fact that the Bishops and Archbishops have been forced to acknowledge guilt in numerous court cases, it is apparent that they still have not learned the lesson of penance and contrition--they continue to blame others for the moral failings of humanity rather than looking in the mirror.

[bowthai]

It would be wrong to blame 'men', but I also think the role of men has not been discussed enough. The burden always falls on women - they are often, though by no means always, the ones who must make a decision about their bodies and they bear most of the weight of their decision. So one thing I hope from Obama's willingness to bring together both sides here is also an opportunity to discuss how men can take more responsibility - not only as potential fathers but in all the ways that help nurture a healthy family environment so that we can reduce the number of abortions.

[JoeSchmuk]

Another word: idiots!

[unnecesarean]

Of course they would support the Carder decision. They probably wanted that baby OUT so it could be baptized. RCC support of dangerous cesareans is not new according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

"Religion has affected medicine throughout recorded history and, as noted earlier, both Jewish and Roman law helped shape early medical practice. Later, in early to mid-nineteenth century France, Roman Catholic religious concerns, such as removal of the infant so that it could be baptized, prompted substantial efforts to pioneer cesarean section, efforts launched by some of the country's leading surgeons. Protestant Britain avoided cesarean section during the same period, even though surgeons were experimenting with other forms of abdominal procedures (mainly ovarian operations). British obstetricians were far more inclined to consider the mother primarily and, with cesarean section maternal mortality over fifty percent, they usually opted for craniotomy."

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/cesarean/part3.html

Historically, the mom would have already been baptized so she could be sacrificed before the fetus who would have not yet received the sacrament and a chance at heaven. More babies= more Catholics.

[mommadona]

One word: men

[JGatsby]

What does that mean? Are we supposed to infer from this story that all men are driven to oppress women? I agree its ridiculous for a bunch of men who claim to have given up sex to dictate to women what they must do with their bodies. The thing is I'm a man. And I know plenty of other men who are as adamently for abortion rights. Generalizing that all men are somehow evil is as foolish as saying that all homosexuals are evil or all immigrants are evil.