The American Life League (ALL) has issued a report linking one of the nation's leading Catholic hospital chains with sterilization. Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) is the parent company of St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, where an abortion took place late 2009.
The ALL report was made public as Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix awaited an assurance from CHW officials that the Arizona hospital would never again perform a direct abortion, and that the institution would comply with Catholic moral teachings. Bishop Omsted has threatened to withdraw the "Catholic" designation from St. Joseph hospital if he does not receive such assurances by December 21.
In addition to the hospital in Phoenix, CHW operates institutions in Arizona, California, and Nevada. In researching CHW, the ALL found that:
* CHW institutions have provided referrals for tubal ligations and vasectomies;
* Health-care coverage at CHW institutions include provisions for contraception;
* and CHW institutions have provide grants to organizations that promote abortion, homosexuality, and contraception;
"At least one CHW member hospital promotes the nation's largest abortion chain, Planned Parenthood, on its web site, and another lists the provision of contraceptives as a service," the report states. "Twelve CHW members (as of 2001) performed tubal ligations," and "20 members currently refer for vasectomies by staff physicians on their web sites."
