Texas bishop condemns sterilization, rips FOCA, urges Catholics to rally against culture of death Tyler, Texas, Dec. 5, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Bishop Alvaro Corrada of Tyler, Texas, has issued a powerful public statement condemning surgical sterilization and warning against legislation that could deprive health-care workers of their right to refuse involvement in such immoral procedures.
Bishop Corrada indicated that his concern not only about sterilizations, but about the broader question of whether Catholic individuals and Catholic institutions will stand up against pressure to engage in immoral medical procedures. He expressed particular concern about the federal Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) championed by President-elect Obama, noting that the legislation could require doctors to cooperate in procedures that they find objectionable, including abortion and euthanasia as well as sterilization.
The bishop opened his statement by saying that he wants to promote a strong Christian witness in the Texas diocese. He says that he is "particularly concerned that our witness remain strong in the field of health care."
However the bishop cites two "serious threats" to the clarity of the Catholic witness in the health-care field. The first is the involvement of Church-related hospitals in sterilizations. The second is FOCA< style="font-style: italic;">"deny freedom of conscience to health-care workers and institutions to refrain from participating in medical procedures contrary to human dignity."
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