Bishop Thomas Tobin Admonishes the Catholic
Health Association and Sr. Carol Keehan
CathNews – Providence RI Bishop Thomas Tobin has withdrawn two hospitals from membership of the Catholic Health Association following the organization’s backing for the recently passed health care reform bill.
CHA head Sr Carol Keehan met with President Barack Obama at the White House days before the bill passed. The bill was signed into law March 23, AP reports.
The diocese on Wednesday released a letter written March 29 by Bishop Thomas Tobin to Keehan in which he complained that even an association with the group was embarrassing.
“Your enthusiastic support of the legislation, in contradiction of the bishops of the United States, provided an excuse for members of Congress, misled the public and caused a serious scandal for many members of the church,” Tobin wrote.
Keehan said in an interview Wednesday that she replied to Bishop Tobin that the group would honor his request.
She noted that very few Catholic hospitals are sponsored by dioceses, and that while she had great regard for St. Joseph, it is a small hospital group.
She said she believed groups on the far right were using the issue of abortion funding as a way to kill health care reform, and that the language, while not the way she would have written it, does not allow federal funding of abortions.
“It certainly does the job,” she said.