From The Chapel Of The Jesuit Infirmary In Rome

A mosaic of Mary and Joseph presenting the child Jesus to Simeon decorates the chapel of the Jesuit infirmary in Rome June 8. The Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments is establishing an office to promote the development and use of appropriate liturgical art, architecture and music.
Link (here) to the Catholic Register

Confusion In Omaha

Creighton University Medical Center

Creighton University, located in Omaha, Nebraska, recently embarked on a partnership with the Phoenix hospital to establish a regional campus of Creighton’s School of Medicine. This was disturbing to many because in 2010, Bishop Olmsted stripped St. Joseph’s of its status as a “Catholic” hospital after Mercy Sister Margaret McBride, who served on the hospital’s ethics panel, approved of an abortion because the mother was suffering from severe hypertension. That abortion led to the excommunication of Sr. McBride and the hospital’s loss of its status as a “Catholic” hospital. Because Creighton University is a Catholic institution, the recently announced partnership, Olmsted said, “led to some confusion” which he sought to clarify with this statement:

It has been recently announced that Creighton University has established a medical school in conjunction with St. Joseph’s Hospital. This has led to some confusion since Creighton University is a Catholic institution. Thus, to ensure clarity on the issue, I wish to affirm to all of the faithful that St. Joseph’s Hospital is not a Catholic institution. Secondly, St. Joseph’s Hospital does not faithfully adhere to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. Catholics, and all people of good will, are advised that they cannot be guaranteed authentic Catholic health care at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Bishop Olmsted prohibited the celebration of Mass on the hospital’s campus and had the Blessed Sacrament removed from the hospital’s chapel in 2010. As the bishop of Phoenix, Bishop Olmsted does not have jurisdiction over the university.  Calls to the Archdiocese of Omaha were not returned at the time of publication.

Link (here) to read the full Cardinal Newman Society Report

South Americian Jesuit Hospital Defending Life

Battle in Colombia over woman who wants to abort deformed fetus
Bogota, Mar 3, 2008 / 03:46 pm (CNA).- A woman in Colombia who is in her sixth month of pregnancy has filed a lawsuit demanding that the San Ignacio Hospital grant her an abortion after tests revealed the baby is deformed. Migdony Yolima Bernal Castillo decided to file the lawsuit after the San Ignacio Hospital ruled against granting the abortion for ethical reasons and insisted that despite the abnormalities, the baby could be saved and could live. Castillo alleged that her unborn child, who suffers from hydrocephalus and symmetric growth, should be aborted because “it is better to live with that pain now and avoid seeing our child like this, because he has the right to a decent life.”

The hospital, operated by the Society of Jesus, said an abortion is not only unnecessary in this case, it also goes against its principles, which hospital officials said they would defend no matter what the cost. “Because of the Hospital’s mission and ethical position, abortions will not be performed at any time,”

said Dr. Julio Cesar Castellanos, director of the facility. He said they would await a ruling from the court before deciding on what step to take next. According to an official from the Ministry of Social Protection, the hospital can only refuse the procedure if a statement of objection to abortion signed by the doctors exists. Colombia’s Constitutional Court has legalized abortion in cases of rape, grave deformation of the fetus and life of the mother. However, according to the law, abortion is legal up to the twenty-second week of pregnancy, and Castillo has already reached her twenty-seventh week. She alleges that the delay has been the result of “medical negligence,” about which the courts will decide. According to the Secretariat of Health, an abortion at this stage would pose a risk to the life of the mother. Castellanos said, “We carried out an exam and we can confirm that the fetus does have serious deformations, but they are not lethal. Other babies with similar problems have been born.”

Link (here)