Bishop revokes Phoenix hospital’s ‘Catholic’ status.
He actually did it. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted stripped St. Joseph’s Medical Center, in Phoenix of its Catholic affiliation. This came after a scandal in 2009, concerning a widely publicized abortion which took place there. That issue had already been addressed, but St. Joseph’s affiliation with the Mercy Care Plan , which provides care through the Arizona state medicaid program, required it to offer contraceptive counseling and other services antithetical to Catholic teachings. This contractual arrangement is said to be the tipping point to cause the dissolution of the Catholic affiliation
Mass may no longer be said at the hospital, and the Blessed Sacrament is to be removed from the Chapel.
Watch the changes which occur at St. Joseph’s in the aftermath of this “divorce” from Church affiliation. Will the hospital attempt to re-affiliate, or will it rely upon a closer relationship with the government for survival. Certainly the loss of Catholic affiliation will affect private donations to the Medical Center.
