The changed abortion laws in Victoria have ignited a debate about the role Catholic hospitals will play in the provision of abortion services – or referrals.
Denis Hart Would Rather Shut Down An Entire Hospital Than Have It Perform One Abortion. It’s no surprise to hear that Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart has thrown his two cents in. What might be a surprise, however, is to hear the extent to which Hart will oppose abortion’s decriminalisation in Victoria – to wit, shutting down entire hospitals, if law reform makes providing either abortions or referrals for them (i.e. from medical practitioners and hospitals) mandatory. — The Dawn Chorus
“Pro-life” Archbishop Hart’s murderous misogyny. Archbishop Hart is throwing a tantrum because he wants Catholic hospitals to reserve the right to let you die – even when there are doctors and nurses by your bedside who could save your life. Archbishop Hart would like those doctors and nurses to stand by, perhaps holding your hand and praying for you, as you breathe your last gasp. If it’s not an immediate emergency but you’re still going to die without an abortion, Hart wants the hospital to be able to refuse to refer you to someone who will help you live. If you can’t figure out what you need and walk out of the hospital on a self-discharge to seek help, he wants the right to detain you while you expire. Hart’s idea of “medical care” for dying women seems to be calling a chaplain as they beg for help. The answer? We need this law passed, across the country and not just in Victoria. We need it to be enforced. — Hoyden about Town
State imposed murder. If you are looking for a bishop with backbone in Melbourne, than you wouldn’t look to the girlie-man Melbourne Anglicans. It takes Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart to state the obvious about the new Victorian abortion laws. — Dogfight at Bankstown
Pro-death Archbishops. What I’d like to know is what the actual medical practice in Catholic hospitals around Australia. Does the Archbishop’s hardline position (which, as I understand it, is in line with the Catholic Church’s official position) actually get followed in Australian hospitals? — Larvatus Prodeo
God, forgive me. Why on earth would a practitioner who feels so strongly about their religion they’d be willing to watch a woman die when they could save her be working in a field where that exact scenario comes up? Get out of Obstetrics, Catholic Medico, and into something where you don’t have to risk peoples lives to follow your religion. — This is my truth, tell me yours
If anyone is truly interested in what the Catholic Church teaches about abortion in life threatening situations please go to http://www.cuf.org. Catholic doctors try to save both the mother and the unborn child.
God, forgive me aka ‘This is my truth, tell me yours.’ Exactly. I wrote a letter to the Age suggesting that all medical students, knowing that their religion may at some stage be at odds with the law, should choose another job. Naturally it wasn’t printed. Too logical perhaps?
There is one simple question on the issue of abortion that is usually ignored, but without which any debate or discussion on the subject is relatively meaningless – ‘At what stage of development does human life actually begin?’
If the answer is ‘At birth’, then killing the baby after this is obviously murder. If the answer is ‘At some arbitrary period before birth – say, 24 weeks’, then killing the baby after this is murder. If the answer is, ‘At conception’, then killing the baby after this is murder.
Please carefully consider this question, then let your conscience, not someone’s convenience, be your guide.
Correction: The Catholic school system knobbled Robert Menzies’ government in 1962 — that was 46 years ago, not 60 years as I previously stated..
They threatened to close the Catholic schools and dump their kids on the states’ schools system unless Robert Menzies caved in and provided government aid nearly 60 years ago. We should nationalise the Catholic hospitals this time. After all, the taxpayers fund their capital works and running costs these days.