Prayer for Protection of Conscience Rights in Health Care

Prayer is part of being Catholic. There are times when we pray 'off the top of our heads,' there are times when we pray using words that were prepared in advance. Lately, we've been joining in this prayer:

"Prayer for Protection of Conscience Rights in Health Care

"Father, in Jesus our Lord, we praise and thank you for your most precious gift of human life, and for forming us in your divine image. Keep us, the dwelling place of your most Holy Spirit, ever healthy in body and soul.

"Jesus, Divine Healer, pour your grace upon all those afflicted with illness or disease. Protect from harm those who are vulnerable due to sickness, suffering, frailty, poverty or age, whether elderly or unborn.

"Holy Spirit, touch the hearts of all who serve human life in medicine and science, so they will protect the dignity of each person, from conception to natural death, and remain faithful advocates of all entrusted to their care.

"Grant those who are called to serve as health care providers renewed conviction in their ministry, and increased wisdom to treat the whole person, and not merely the illness.

"Protect the right of health care providers to serve their patients without being forced to violate their moral and religious convictions. Guard them against discrimination, that they might be free to follow you faithfully while fulfilling their professional duties.

"Grant our lawmakers the wisdom and courage to uphold conscience rights for those called to the ministry of healing, and help them resist the pressure to become collaborators in the culture of death.

"Give us strength to be bold and joyful witnesses to the truth that every human life is sacred. In your goodness, guard our freedom to live out our faith and to follow you in all that we do.

"Father, we ask this in Jesus' name, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Catholics in America, those of us who take our faith seriously, have been praying this because we're not allowed to kill innocent people. Not even if our leader says we must.

We're not even allowed to pay someone else to kill an innocent person.

Unhappily, the Department of Health and Human Services says that what we believe doesn't matter: and that we're supposed to obey the HHS. The President of the United States is involved, and says that our faith doesn't matter, and that we must obey the HHS. I'm simplifying the situation: but not by much.

The HHS has issued a mandate that requires nearly all employers and health care providers to pay for abortions: or do the job themselves. Euphemisms aside, each abortion kills an innocent young person.

"Legal" May Not be Right

This isn't about contraceptives. This isn't about forcing someone else to go to our church, or believe what we do. This is about Catholics not being allowed to murder: even if the President says we must.

This is why Catholics and Catholic institutions have been deeply involved in health care and medical research, but won't kill innocent people:

• Human life is sacred
  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2258)
• Human beings are always people
  • From the moment of conception
    (Catechism, 2273-2274)
  • Until death
    (Catechism, 2273, 2277-2279)
• Murder is wrong
  (Catechism, 2259-2262, 2268-2269)
  • Even if the victim is
    • Very young
      (Catechism, 2270-2275)
    • Sick or helpless
      (Catechism, 2276-2279)
    • Yourself
      (Catechism, 2280-2283)
• Concern for health is a good idea
  (Catechism, 2288-2291)
  • Within reason
    (Catechism, 2289)
• Scientific medical research is a good idea
  (Catechism, 2292-2296)
  • Within reason
    (Catechism, 2294-2296)

As for why we won't abandon our faith when the President says we must obey him and his staff:

• Religious freedom is important
  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
  • For everybody
    (Catechism, 2106)

Our refusal to kill innocent people may seem 'intolerant,' and that's another topic.

Related posts:

• "Health Care, Women, and the Catholic Church: A Reality Check"
  (March 16, 2012)
• " 'Uncle Knows Best?' HHS Mandate, Religious Freedom, and Presidential Approval"
  (March 16, 2012)
• "What the Catholic Church in America Actually Says: Resource Link List, March 16, 2012"
  (March 16, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: Religious 'Freedom;' Killing the Victims; Another Hack Attack"
  (March 16, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Religious Freedom: For Those With Presidential Approval
  • 'It's Okay: She was Raped'
• "My Take on the News: Life; Ambition; Authority; and Saint Thomas Becket"
  (March 9, 2012)

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More posts about forcing Catholics to violate our conscience:

The Department of Health and Human Services vs. Conscience

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