Dr. Haas Reports from Rome -- Day 3 of the Colloquium

The President of The National Catholic Bioethics Center, Dr. John Haas, is in Rome this week to attend an international colloquium on the Complementarity of Man and Woman organized by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and co-sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Family, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

Dr. Haas will also be attending the annual assembly of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care for Healthcare Workers, for which he serves as a Consultor. 

Dr. Haas is providing daily reports of the proceedings of both those meetings for the benefit of those who are visitors to our website and social media sites. We will provide regular updates to you here on the Blog this week!

Click here to read about day 1 of the Humanum Colloquium.

Click here to read about Day 2 of the Humanum Colloquium

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The third day of the conference was a radical shift from the two previous days.  There were no papers in the morning.  Instead there was the Wednesday audience with Pope Francis for participants in the colloquium – and a few hundred other people.  It was a beautiful, clear day with a bright blue sky.  The participants in the conference were taken as a group and placed in chairs near the Pope.  Francis lived up to his image of being outgoing and freewheeling with the crowd, taking one baby after another in his arms and kissing them.  I asked a Swiss Guard if his job were more demanding now with this Pope, and he responded diplomatically, “It is certainly more interesting!”

A Swiss Guard checking credentials

Spotted at the Colloquium: The Honorable Mary Ann Glendon,
Professor of Law and former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See

Also spotted: Dr. John Garvey, President of Catholic University

Dr. Haas got to meet the new Archbishop of Sydney,
His Excellency Anthony Fisher, OP, at the Colloquium.

Father Scott Borgman (driving) was kind enough to take Dr. Haas to one of his appointments!

At 12:15, as others were heading to lunch, I reported to the Swiss Guards at St. Anne’s Gate of the Vatican to keep an appointment with my mentor, Pope Emeritus Benedict!  The Swiss Guards checked  my passport and then had a driver take me up to the convent in the Vatican Gardens which had been renovated to accommodate the Pope Emeritus.  We were first taken to a sitting room and offered a seat.  Shortly a religious sister came in and visited with me, asking me how I knew the Holy Father.  She said that Pope Emeritus would see me for 10 or 15 minutes.  

After a short time I was taken in an elevator to his apartments.  As I came in, he entered through a door across the room, walking slowly but steadily.  It was a great joy to see him again.  He sat on a couch in the room and I sat in a chair beside it.  He was very alert.  He asked about the work of the NCBC and even remembered projects with which we had collaborated.  He remembered having twice addressed the Bishops’ Workshops which are organized every other year by the NCBC and underwritten by the Knights of Columbus.  I showed him the material we had prepared for the next Workshop planned for February 2015, and he seemed most interested.  He has a remarkable memory.

He asked me about the HUMANUM conference I was attending and so was quite aware of what was going on.  He said it would have been inconceivable thirty years ago that there would be the need to defend marriage against the assaults of something such as same-sex marriage.  He said the current situation was a result of the collapse of Christian culture.   He spoke of the beauty of Catholic folk customs, so dear to him in Bavaria, which helped to nurture sound family life.  Indeed, he said it was important to nurture such customs in our day lest they die out.  We visited for about 40 minutes after which he gave me a commemorative medal and a holy card.  The convent sits on a hill above the dome of St. Peter’s.  The walk down the hill provided stunning views of the basilica – and the opportunity to reflect on the significant contributions Benedict XVI made to Catholic thought and practice.    

Dr. Haas and His Holiness Benedict, Pope Emeritus

The View of Saint Peter's Basilica from the residence of the Pope Emeritus

After lunch with some friends I headed back for the conclusion of the Humanum conference.

Passing Saint Peter's on the way to lunch

 Archbishop Luis Ladaria, SJ, Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, chaired the afternoon session.  The Archbishop made it clear that marriage of a man and a woman is a natural institution for which there is no substitute.  In the Church this natural institution becomes a supernatural, sacramental reality.  Archbishop Charles Chaput spoke with his customary clarity on the nature of marriage and the plans of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.  As a conclusion to the colloquium, the Pentecostal minister Dr. Rivers and his wife Mrs. Jacqueline Cooke-Rivers delivered a rousing “Affirmation of Marriage”, taking turns in making declarations on the beauty of marriage and the unique and essential contribution it makes to society.    There was tremendous enthusiasm on the part of participants as the program concluded with renewed commitment to work in defense of marriage.

***

Check the NCBC Blog this week, and keep your eyes on our Facebook or Twitter accounts for notices of new posts. You won't want to miss these glimpses into the daily life of the Church in service to the world!

BREAKING -- The NCBC Releases Official Statement on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

After considering the matter at length, the National Catholic Bioethics Center is happy to announce their official stance regarding the now viral Ice Bucket Challenge used to promote awareness about ALS. The Center had not yet taken a public official position on this: "Challenge [which] started trending in late July 2014 [and] has successfully raised awareness about the disease on a dramatic scale, accomplishing its main purpose with great creativity and fun." We hope you will find our commentary helpful in clarifying many elements of and relating to this popular event.

Please take a few moments and read the NCBC's full commentary on the Ice Bucket Challenge, HERE

Happy Friday!

BREAKING -- The NCBC Response to SCOTUS Decision in Support of Religious Freedom

The National Catholic Bioethics Center hails the decision today of the United States Supreme Court in support of the religious freedom of the owners of Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation and Hobby Lobby Stores Incorporated!The National Catholic Bioethics Center was a party to an amicus brief signed in support of the religious freedom of the two family-owned for-profit businesses, neither of whose families were Catholic. The rights of these two companies, protected under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, were violated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate. We give thanks for this decision and offer our congratulations to the brave owners of these companies who have worked hard to carry on and weather the storm of these legal proceedings.

The Center's release states:

"These family-owned businesses took the courageous stand of challenging the assault on their religious freedom, under the guise of preventative health care, by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate. The mandate requires virtually all employers to provide contraceptive, abortifacient, and surgical sterilization insurance coverage, at no cost to the employees, regardless of the deeply held religious objections of employers. Both Conestoga Wood and Hobby Lobby argued that their deeply held religious beliefs concerning the sanctity of human life were violated by HHS forcing them to pay for abortifacient drugs and devices for their employees..."

Please be sure to read the FULL NCBC statement HERE

BREAKING -- The National Catholic Bioethics Center Supports The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Its Lawsuit Against the HHS Mandate

The National Catholic Bioethics Center officially supports the courageous stance of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as they work against this: "Unjust regulation, which seeks to impose a “choice” between the untenable alternatives of supporting the intrinsic evils of contraception, sterilization, and abortion or ceasing to provide basic health care coverage to its employees..."

Be sure to read the full NCBC statement, HERE.

To read the Archdiocesan statement, click HERE.

For a more detailed story on the release itself, visit CatholicPhilly, HERE.

May God bless and guide the Archdiocese throughout this process.

  

Happy Friday!

The National Catholic Bioethics Center Supports: The CMA's Medical Student Boot Camp

This Summer, Catholic medical students from across the country can take advantage of a unique opportunity at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. The Catholic Medical Association, in primary partnership with St. Charles Borromeo Graduate School of Theology, will be holding a four-day intensive formation experience. The Annual Medical Student Boot Camp will consist of prayer, study, practical training, and mentoring with leading Catholic Physicians, Priests, and Moral Theologians from the area.

The CMA looks to provide students with the support and the tools to: "Live and thrive as faithful Catholic Physicians," to "develop skills to organize Catholic support groups within medical schools," and to "evangelize the Catholics and non-Catholics encountered throughout medical training."

The NCBC supports the organization of such a program and invites you to spread the word to any Catholic medical students you may know who would benefit from the CMA event.

The Boot Camp will take place from June 17-22 and requires application beforehand. Successful applicants will have 90% of their travel expenses covered by the program sponsors!

If you, or anyone you know would like to participate in this excellent experience, please visit the program website and registration page, HERE.

Thank you for your continued support of The National Catholic Bioethics Center and of Catholic medical ethics in our nation. Please continue to pray for us and for all of our endeavors.

The Global Reach of the NCBC: Dr. Haas Reflects

Over the course of one month’s time NCBC President, Dr. John Haas, had two trips to Rome for tasks associated with his Vatican appointments. Between February and March, Dr. Haas attended the annual meeting and assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life and a special plenary session of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers.

Amid the whirlwind of activity that has surrounded the The National Catholic Bioethics Center recently, Dr. Haas has had some time to collect his thoughts and recollections of his travels. 

What follows is Dr. Haas’ report of those two trips to Rome:

The Pontifical Academy for Life

The Pontifical Academy for Life had its annual assembly and members’ meeting February 20th and 21st at the Augustinian College by St. Peter’s Square. Customarily the meetings take place in the Synod Hall of Paul VI but this year a consistory was taking place at the same time and the Cardinals of the Church supplanted us! The day before the opening of the Assembly I attended the meeting of the Directive Council which discussed possible themes for future assemblies, reviewed possible candidates, and discussed other business of the Academy.


Because of the Consistory and the creation of new Cardinals, the Holy Father was unable to receive the members of the Academy in a private audience as has been customary. However, the members of the Academy were invited to be seated with him at the time of his public Wednesday audience in St. Peter’s Square.

 

                                                             Public audience with Pope Francis

The theme this year was “Aging and Disability”, an increasing problem in Europe and North America with the attendant threats to human dignity and increased calls for physician-assisted-suicide or even euthanasia. As a member of the Directive Council of the Academy (thanks to Pope Benedict), I presided over one of the initial sessions of the assembly. Board Member and neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Buchanan gave an excellent presentation entitled: “Disabilities through Cognitive Impairment and Dementia”.


It was quite a festive occasion this year since we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Academy. The meetings began with mass celebrated at the tomb of St. John Paul II who established the Academy. The principal celebrant was Cardinal Willem Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht, president of the Dutch Bishops’ Conference, and a member of the Academy.  

   

                                                  Mass in front of the Holy Remains of John Paul II

The Workshop concluded with a banquet for Academy members amidst classical statuary and friezes in the Vatican Museum. 

 

I also serve on the board of the International Federation of Bioethics Centers and Institutes of Personalist Inspiration (i.e., the thought of John Paul II!) and had a meeting for it as well. This past year we had our program in Havana, Cuba with a theme of health care and social justice.

The Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers

Approximately every five years the Consultors and Members of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers are summoned to Rome. The Plenary Session was opened with a mass for the participants by the Cardinal Secretary of State who had communicated the consent of Pope Francis that the Plenary Session take place. It was the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Council by St. John Paul II. (The Pope had initially formed the Pontifical Academy for Life through the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. Among Vatican offices, a Council has a higher standing than an Academy.)


At the first meeting of Members and Consultors, there were reports on the activities of the Council since it founding, particularly concerning the observances of the World Day of the Sick on February 11, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. After our first session participants were taken to the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace for a private audience with the Holy Father. He thanked us for our work and praised the work of all Catholic health care workers around the world in their service to the sick and the suffering. (When I met him I told him that I brought greetings from The National Catholic Bioethics Center and from my family, all nine children and spouses and twenty-seven grandchildren at which he gave me a “thumbs-up” which the photographer caught!)

                           The members of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers sit with Francis.

  Archbishop Zimowski Addresses Pope Francis and the Council

                                                                 Dr. Haas with Pope Francis

 

                                                                     The Papal 'Thumbs Up'!

On the second day of the Plenary Session, March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, mass was offered by the President of the Council, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, in the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia just off the Via Conciliazione.

 

                                                             Mass with Archbishop Zimowski

Following mass and a light breakfast, our work continued. In 1995 the Council had issued its Charter for Health Care Workers under Cardinal Angelini. It has been common knowledge that it was being revised, and there were reports on the revisions taking place.


While in Rome, I took advantage of the occasion to meet with the President, Chancellor and Coordinating Secretary of the Pontifical Academy for Life even though our own assembly had taken place a mere month before. One of the problems with the visits to Rome during conferences and assemblies is that the schedules are so full it is difficult to address other projects with which one is involved. I then had a meeting the day after the Plenary Session with the President, Secretary and Sub-Secretary of the Council. One of the subjects discussed was the International Association of Health Care Institutions. Its President is Dr. Anthony Tersigni who serves on our board and is the President/CEO of Ascension Health.


There was also a meeting at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which has recently sent to the Bishops of the United States guidelines for collaborative ventures with non-Catholic health care institutions. It was also a joy and privilege to be able to have lunch with Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, former President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, founder of the Bioethics Institute at the Gimelli Hospital, and author of Personalist Bioethics which the Center has translated and published. While in Rome, I also take advantage of the opportunity to invite a group of moral theologians out to dinner so I can keep up with developments in the work and thinking taking place in academic circles there.

 

                                                            Meeting with Cardinal Sgreccia

It was a very full and productive week. However, as I later reflected on it, I saw much of supernatural significance. I would like to share some reflections with the hope I am not being overly pietistic.


We all know that we are facing the gravest governmental threat to the practice of our religion perhaps in the history of our Republic. The HHS Mandate would have all employers cover contraception, sterilization, and abortifacient drugs and devices in the health insurance provided their employees, despite the strong religious and moral objections of many employers. It is a scientific fact that a new human life comes into existence at the moment of conception and that intra-uterine devices and certain “morning after pills” can prevent a new, tiny human being from implanting in the womb. This is a particularly sobering thought when one considers that our redemption began at the moment the Blessed Virgin conceived the Christ Child in her womb at the annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel.


This fact was very much on my mind as Archbishop Zymowski celebrated mass on the Feast of the Annunciation in Santo Spirito in Sassia. I was especially aware that it was on that very day that the Supreme Court was hearing oral arguments on the legal challenges to the HHS Mandate brought by those with strong moral objections. Everything is in God’s Providence, I thought, even the day on which the Justices would hear the case! I prayed intensely for those who would be arguing the moral case and for the Justices that they might judge rightly. Also, I thought the Archbishop’s homily was a moving and a providential reflection on what was actually happening in our own country. I attach it for your edification, HERE.


It just so happened that I was also in Rome on the occasion of the visit of President Obama with the Holy Father on Thursday of that week, March 27. In fact, I stood on the Via Conciliazione as the President’s motorcade went speeding and screaming by. I think I counted 17 vehicles, not to mention the squadrons of motorcycles. I thought of this display of wealth and power on the way to visit a man who has called us to embrace the poor and who himself lived a life of poverty. Nonetheless, I prayed for the President as he sped by and for the Pope who waited to receive him.


While the meeting was taking place I obviously could not help but reflect on the encounter between President Obama and Pope Benedict in July 2009. At that time Pope Benedict had presented the President with a copy of the Vatican Instruction Dignitas Personae, which defended the life of every human being from the moment of conception. It also condemned interventions that would prevent an embryo from implanting in the uterus, the very issue argued before the Supreme Court earlier in the week.


Two world leaders met face to face that day, one a courageous champion of a Culture of Life and the other representing forces who have shaped a Culture of Death. Pope Francis had repeatedly condemned abortion that “kills children that will never see the light of day”. I thought of St. Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” For our part, none of us play the role of world leaders! But we do nonetheless have our essential roles in the Church and in the world. As our contribution to the struggle, we are called to individual holiness and to fidelity to the tasks with which God has entrusted us in our little part of the world, wherever it may be.


Once again, the Eternal City was the locus of great worldly and spiritual struggles. And we, through our involvement with The National Catholic Bioethics Center and in our own way, were party to it that week.

5 PM TODAY -- Connecticut Assisted Suicide Bill was Defeated Once Again

Thanks to the assistance and coordination of NCBC Ethicist and Director of Public Policy, Dr. Marie Hilliard, the testimony of Law Professor and friend of the NCBC, Steve Mikochik, and the tireless effort of the Connecticut Catholic Conference and the Family Institute of Connecticut, the once-again proposed Connecticut Assisted Suicide Bill was defeated this year. The Connecticut Public Health Committee did not be meet today and, therefore, the existing deadline for voting on the Assisted Suicide Bill was missed. The bill was dropped at exactly 5 P.M. today.

In a manner mirroring those NCBC efforts that helped defeat the bill last year, Dr. Hilliard worked with Steve Mikochick in her role as a board member of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability. Dr. Hilliard coordinated and assisted with the testimony that Mr. Mikochik presented in opposition to the bill.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Dr. Hilliard! Congratulations!

Dr. Marie Hilliard

Good news for a happy Friday.

TONIGHT -- Dr. John Haas Appearing Live on EWTN

NCBC President, Dr. John Haas, is headed to Washington, D.C. and will be appearing for an interview on the new EWTN segment: News Nightly with Colleen Carol Campbell. The interview will answer the many complicated questions that arise at the end of one's life and Dr. Haas will address and clarify the Church’s stance on end-of-life issues and the determination of death.

The interview comes at a critical time in the national conversation about determining death, and the Center is pleased to have the opportunity to present its opinions and to affirm the truths held in Catholic Teaching.

The program will air live on EWTN at 6 P.M. TONIGHT and it will be broadcast again at 9 P.M. this evening.

To learn more about News Nightly and tonight's show, click HERE

To see EWTN's full programming schedule, please click HERE.

Save the Date: The NCBC Supports the National Association of Catholic Nurses 2014 Conference

Above and beyond all of her incredible work for The National Catholic Bioethics Center, Director of Bioethics and Public Policy, Dr. Marie Hilliard, also sits on the board of the National Association of Catholic Nurses (NACN) and supports all of their programming throughout the year. Dr. Hilliard, a registered nurse herself, is preparing with her fellow health care workers to attend the National Association of Catholic Nurses – USA's Annual Conference, 2014. The central theme of the event will be The Art of Nursing: Beyond Technology and the conference will be held from March 21st - 23rd.

Dr. Hilliard and the NACN encourage all Catholic nurses, nursing students, or any of those interested or affiliated with the field to attend the conference in Nashville, Tennessee this year.

If you, or anyone you know would like to attend the NACN seminar, a flyer with a rundown of rates and details can be seen HERE

For full information about the NACN 2014 Conference and to learn about the entire event, please feel free to view the conference registration packet, HERE.

UPDATE -- Radio Debate on Brain Death Now Available Online

If you missed last night's spirited debate between NCBC President, Dr. John Haas, and Paul Byrne, M.D., never fear! Their discussion on the topic of brain death is now available on the website of the Kresta in the Afternoon show on Ave Maria Radio's website. To stream the archived version of the program, please click HERE, scroll to the media player labelled "January 8, 2014 Hour 2," click play and (after a brief ad from Ave Maria), scroll to minute 22:25.


Happy listening!

NCBC President, Dr. John Haas, to Debate Brain Death TODAY

It has just been confirmed that today at 5:20 The National Catholic Bioethics Center's President, Dr. John Haas, will take to the airwaves to engage in a live debate with Paul Byrne, M.D., on the topic of Brain Death.

The debate will air on the “Kresta in the Afternoon” show on Ave Maria Radio and it will be available for live-streaming through your internet browser. Visit Al Kresta's web page, HERE, at 5:20 P.M. TODAY and click on the Listen Live button in the right corner at the top of the page to tune in.

NCBC President, Dr. John Haas

Good luck, Dr. Haas!

READ IT! -- Article Concerning Criteria for Determination of Death Now Available on the New NCBC OpenAccess Page

In accompaniment to the official statement by the NCBC concerning the Jahi McMath case, Dr. Haas, President of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, has asked that a scholarly article he wrote on the subject of Catholic Teaching Regarding the Legitimacy of Neurological Criteria for the Determination of Death be posted for the public on the NCBC Publications Department's OpenAccess page. The document, which is from 2011, covers an enormous number of details concerning brain death and neurological damage and it will be of great help to those seeking further information on this topic.

The NCBC's new OpenAccess page offers documents often requested by our clients or those of general interest to the public. They are presented, free of charge, The National Catholic Bioethics Center. The offerings there 'rotate' occasionally, so please check back regularly to view new material.

Please take some time to read the Official Statement of the NCBC on Jahi McMath, and then, for more information, head to Dr. Haas's article on the OpenAccess page today.

And please, continue to pray for the McMath family and for all those who are faced with such pain and tragedy.

NCBC Ethicist Grapples with Issue of Brain Death, Weighs in on Jahi McMath Case

The National Catholic Bioethics Center has been commenting on questions about brain death and reaching out to those with related concerns as the difficult issue of assessing and caring for persons suffering cerebral damage has reentered the consciousness of Americans. This week, as media outlets continued to report on the tragic case of Jahi McMath in California, Staff Ethicist John A. DiCamillo gave an interview to the Catholic News Agency that has been picked up by religious and secular media contributors and is being cited widely.

NCBC Staff Ethicist, John A. DiCamillo

John's opinions were quoted, notably, by Catholic blogger Simcha Fisher and John provided more quotes to Religious News correspondent (and Washington Post contributor) Cathy Lynn Grossman in two excellent pieces related to the news on the McMath case.

Please take a little time and learn about a few elements of the NCBC's stance on brain death highlighted in John DiCamillo's interview with the Catholic News Agency, HERE.

To read two excellent follow-up pieces in response to John's interview, please see Simcha Fisher's post HERE 

and Cathy Grossman's piece HERE.

Stay tuned to the NCBCblog, as we expect further commentary on the issue of brain death will be forthcoming.

And most importantly, please pray for Jahi McMath and her family.

Where in the World is Dr. Haas? -- The Global Reach of the NCBC: Collaboration with Catholic Health Care in Korea

Last month, NCBC President, Dr. John Haas, and his wife Martha had the pleasure to travel to Korea for the marriage of their son Joseph to a Korean woman. Dr. Haas had met participants from Korea in the NCBC National Catholic Certification Program in Bioethics and so contacted them before his departure. He was also aware of the fact that the Korean Catholic Bioethics Institute in Seoul had translated two publications of the NCBC into Korean.

Dr. and Mrs. Haas landed in Seoul toward the end of November and were picked up at their hotel the following day by one of the former certification students, a Korean physician, Dr. Seon-Hee Yim, who goes by the nick-name of Sunny, and taken to St. Mary’s Hospital as well as the medical school and the bioethics center, all on the campus of the Catholic University of Korea. Dr. Sunny is an epidemiologist and is now involved in molecular genetics and genetic counseling. She spent time at Oxford so her English was excellent.


Dr. Haas recounted the details of the rest of his his journey below:

We first had a traditional Korean lunch near the hospital with several administrators, physicians, and other health care professionals. We were joined by Father Jae-Woo Jung (Father Sebastian) who has his doctorate from the Regina Apostolorum in Rome. I had actually encountered him several times in Rome at assemblies of the Pontifical Academy for Life.



From Left: Father Sebastian, director of the bioethics institute at Saint Mary's;
Dr. Sunny, the epidemiologist and genetic counselor; Dr. Lucy, who has her doctorate in Philosphy
from The Catholic University of America and works at the bioethics institute;
and Dr.Young, an oncologist and one of those who oversaw the building of the new
St. Mary’s Facility; Dr. Young is also a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life


The current facilities of Saint Mary's Hospital were completed in 2002 and were built for $1 billon! It is the largest Catholic hospital in the world with 1,325 beds. St. Mary’s Hospital performed the first kidney transplant, did the first bone marrow transplant, had the first hospice in Korea which has become a model for the country, and oversees extensive drug trials. Altogether it would constitute what we would call a health care system with 8 hospitals around the country. We were struck by the fact that a funeral home was part of the hospital complex. I suspect U.S. hospitals would be nervous about incorporating a funeral home into their buildings!

St. Mary’s Hospital was actually started by lay persons rather than religious as is the tradition in this country. It was built in 1936 during the Japanese occupation. I was fascinated to learn that it was also laity who brought the Catholic Church to Korea. In the 18th Century a group of scholars went to China to enhance their scholarship. While there they encountered the Church, converted and brought it back to Korea. The first Korean baptism actually occurred in China in 1784, and their leader, who took the baptism name of Peter, returned their country with zeal for the Faith. They then set about trying to find priests in Europe who would come to minister to them! Priests finally arrived from France in 1836. The first Korean priest, St. Andrew Kim, was ordained in 1845 – and martyred in 1846!



The new Saint Mary's Hospital in Seoul, Korea


One of those giving the tour was Dr. Young-Seon Hong, an oncologist who oversaw the building of the new facility and then went back to his clinical work after its completion. St. Mary’s has the most extensive bone marrow transplant program in the country. Also with us on the tour was a Sister Regina (Dr. Hyen Oh La) from a Korean religious order which has Our Lady of Perpetual Help as their patroness. She has a Ph.D. in pharmacology and oversees the hospital pharmacy and a very robust drug trial program with 1500 protocols underway. They add about 300 new protocols a year.

The Archdiocese of Seoul averages 30 ordinations to the priesthood a year! The Church there is growing robustly. The country is roughly 30% Christian, 10% of whom are Catholic. The current president of Korea is a woman and a Catholic. The Catholic Church apparently has very good reputation in Korea because of the strong leadership of the laity and because the priests are very well educated, humble, and known for their kindness. The Church was also a major force for democracy in the country and has been very involved in social welfare programs, St. Mary’s Hospital being a prime example! The Church has grown 70% in the last ten years and has 15 dioceses.

The hospital has a vast atrium and once a year they have a great gathering of hospital employees from health care professionals to service staff for mass baptisms and confirmations. Friends and relatives are on the balconies overlooking the atrium to take part in the event. It is very moving. This truly is Catholic health care as a powerful force for the evangelization of culture! When Dr. Choi took us to the principal chapel (there are several throughout the buildings), he said it was the “cathedral of the hospital”. There is a large statue of Our Lady of Lourdes with water running down the black wall behind her. I commented that the NCBC was formally consecrated to Our Lady of Lourdes, another spiritual link between the NCBC and the hospital.

There is a children’s hospital within the entire complex where the young patients have their education continued while they are there, with the credits accepted by the school systems. We witnessed a delightful music class with children bald from probable chemotherapy.

The hospital has an executive floor for wealthy individuals, government officials and ambassadors posted in Seoul. There are apartments of several rooms where the family members can stay and private elevators which take patients to their respective suites directly from the garage. There is office equipment so they can continue to run the enterprise (or the government) from their suite. Later, there was a visit to a large board room for the hospital which can also be used for board meetings for businesses or even cabinet meetings for members of the government. Such accommodations are, of course paid, for by the individuals and not from insurance.

In Korea, the national health insurance plan pays 60% of the costs while the patients pay 40% for which they can buy insurance. If it is a “catastrophic” illness, the government pays 95%. Abortion is illegal in Korea except in cases of rape, incest and threat to the life of the mother, but St. Mary’s will not perform those or any so-called therapeutic abortions.

The NCBC considers itself privileged to be able to collaborate with St. Mary’s Hospital and the Catholic Bioethics Institute of Korea and is humbled by such an impressive example of health care professionalism and by such a moving witness to the Catholic Faith.

Dr. Haas Hits NPR Again, Talks Pope Francis

After his recent defense of both the USCCB and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Dr. Haas returned to the radio and to NPR's Diane Rehm show last week to participate in a panel discussion on Pope Francis. The discussion on His Holiness was excellent and enlightening and it served as an altogether pleasant foil to the undeniably strained discussions from the weeks before. Dr. Haas was able to make several good points throughout the interview and his opinions on Pope Francis provided a forthright and thought-provoking look into the actions - and related perceptions - of our Supreme Pontiff.

You can stream Dr. Haas's full discussion of Pope Francis through the Diane Rehm Show's media player, HERE.

BREAKING -- NCBC President Gives Crucial Interview Defending USCCB Today on NPR

The President of The National Catholic Bioethics Center, Dr. John Haas, gave an incredibly powerful interview today, as he defended the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) on NPR's Diane Rehm Show. In the interview, which was part of a larger story concerning an ACLU lawsuit against the Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dr. Haas gave ample time and consideration to the Church's position on these matters and, in the process, illustrated the utmost importance of interpreting the ERDs properly and using them correctly, whether one is acting in accordance with the ERDs, or simply making judgments concerning them and their nature and purpose in governing Catholic health care facilities.

Dr. Haas cited numerous direct examples from the literature of the Catholic Church in this matter and, in the undeniably hostile environment of a secular radio discussion, acquitted himself impeccably on behalf of The Center and in defense of the position of the USCCB and the Catholic Church.

Please, take some time to listen to the full story and discussion on the Diane Rehm Show's website, HERE.

Well done Doctor Haas!

The NCBC is Honored by a Visit from the Bishop of Lourdes, France

The NCBC was honored yesterday by a surprise visit from his Excellency Nicolas Brouwet, Bishop of Lourdes France!

The Bishop was visiting Philadelphia as part of his tour of several U.S. historic sites dedicated to Lourdes or Our Lady of Lourdes.

Why Philadelphia, why the NCBC, you ask?

The National Catholic Bioethics Center  has its office in a beautiful building in the historic neighborhood of Overbrook Farms in Philadelphia:

The NCBC Offices at the Katharine Drexel House

The Overbrook neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places and, fascinatingly, was the first 'planned community' built along the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. A keystone of the project plan was the idea that the neighborhood be built around central institutions important to the community, namely, churches. As a result, the now historic Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes was built in Philadelphia, just a stones-throw from where the NCBC offices would come to be.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Philadelphia, PA
Photo Courtesy of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish

The Bishop of Lourdes visited Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and was received on Monday by parishioners at a reception hosted by the Order of Malta, an Order of which NCBC President, Dr. John Haas and NCBC Director of Public Policy, Dr. Marie Hilliard are members. After the reception Dr. Haas invited Bishop Brouwet to stop briefly at the Center. His Excellency was happy to oblige and no sooner had he agreed than he was driven up to the NCBC to meet with us.

The Bishop's visit to the NCBC was as felicitous as it was exciting, for it served as a fitting reminder that the NCBC and its mission (a mission tied, ultimately, to healing and care) has long been consecrated to Our Lady of Lourdes. The NCBC staff gathered with the Bishop for a photo, and then prayed the NCBC's consecration prayer together.

Gathering for prayer

The NCBC Consecration Prayer

The NCBC Staff with The Most Reverend Nicolas Brouwet, Bishop of Lourdes

The Bishop was a kind and soft-spoken man. He asked about our building (which suffered water damage last month) and hoped our recovery would go smoothly. He was well aware of the disasters water can cause, as the Shrine of our Lady and the whole diocese of Lourdes have been working hard to recover from the European floods of last year.


The NCBC was grateful to receive such a guest!

Please pray for the NCBC and for Bishop Brouwet's travels this month!

NCBC Protects Organ Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) Donors from Abuses

NCBC Joins the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) in their Mutual Attempt to Protect Potential Organ Donors after Circulatory Death (DCD Donors) from Abuses

After a series of small victories in defense of organ donors, as well as a nationally broadcast NPR story, The National Catholic Bioethics Center and NCPD are renewing the organ donation conversation as they continue to collaboratively express their opposition to current drafts of policies drawn by the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.  Specific concerns relate to the potential violation of the so-called “Dead Donor Rule” as well as the true informed consent of potential donors and their families. Persons with disabilities will be particularly vulnerable due to a number of factors, including the proposed change in eligibility criteria for potential donors. Despite the revision of some wording in the OPTN policies (a positive result of the aforementioned NPR story), there remains great potential for coercion and other abuses as explained in the NCBC's two statements to OPTN: HERE and HERE.

Through the tireless efforts of Dr. Marie Hilliard, the NCBC collaborated with NCPD’s past chairperson and current NCPD Board member, Steve Mikochik, JD, in developing a panel response delivered by Professor Mikochik at the 4^th International Congress on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) Therapy, at Penn State Hershey Heart & Vascular Institute, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and Penn State College of Medicine on October 19, 2013.  The misuse of Extracorporeal Interval Support for Organ Retrieval (EISOR),  a procedure utilizing modified ECMO to bring about brain and cardiac death of potential organ donors, was identified by Professor Mikochik, whose comments can be read HERE.

UPDATE -- Dr. Haas speaks on Role of Health Care Navigators

When asked for a personal opinion to accompany the NCBC's official statement on Healthcare Navigators, The President of The National Catholic Bioethics Center, Dr. John Haas, had this to say:

"The National Catholic Bioethics Center has taken considerable time to review the status and the roles of these so-called Navigators and we are urging Catholic agencies not to participate in these enrollment programs lest they cooperate with evil in the role of a Navigator. While acting as a Navigator might not be unethical in and of itself, it could easily place a Catholic in a compromised situation if a person the Catholic is helping specifies the desire to sign up for plan or program with abortion coverage. 

Also, in light of the continuing contentious relationship between the Catholic Bishops and the Obama administration over the Health and Human Services Mandate for contraception and abortafacienct coverage and the risk of scandal, the NCBC cautions Catholic agencies that are considering participating in these enrollment programs."

Please read the NCBC's FULL Health Care Navigator Analysis HERE.

NCBC Ethicist Speaking TONIGHT

John A. Di Camillo, Staff Ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center, will be giving a presentation tonight at St. John of the Cross Parish in Roslyn, PA from 7 to 9 P.M.

NCBC Staff Ethicist, John A. Di Camillo

John will be speaking on end-of-life care and decision making. The seminar answers the question: Are my actions or is my inaction causing death? John will highlight some of the issues that arise when caring for the elderly, the disabled, or the dying. John will discuss many of those issues that are confusing to the average person and misrepresented by popular culture. The program will address Catholic moral teaching in relation to the question of disproportionate means of treatment, the use of assisted nutrition and hydration, and the trouble with euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and advance directives. 

The speech will be followed by a period open for questions and answers.

John Di Camillo's presentation tonight is in conjunction with his excellent work representing the NCBC as a sitting member the Respect Life Leadership Council of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. John's presentation comes as one of a five-part series on Life Affirming Choices and is sponsored and coordinated by the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Office For Life and Family.

The Church location is:

St. John of the Cross Parish

2741 Woodland Rd

Roslyn, PA 19001

For more information, see page 4 of the St. John bulletin announcement HERE

Thank you for your hard work, John!