FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                     
June 28, 2021

Contact: Brian Reardon

Statement by Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, President and Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Health Association of the United States

WASHINGTON, DC — "On today's 52nd anniversary of the Stonewall Inn police raids in New York City that sparked the LGBTQ+ Pride movement, the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) extends a hand of welcome to the LGBTQ+ community. All of us serving in Catholic health care strive to treat every patient - including those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender - with dignity and compassion. While there have been times when we have failed in this regard, we commit to making sure all LGBTQ+ patients who seek our care feel respected and accepted.

"As we celebrate the progress that the LGBTQ+ community has made over the past half century overcoming injustice and achieving greater equality, we know that all of us have a moral obligation to confront prejudice and discrimination. Those of us serving in Catholic health care need to listen with openness and learn from the LGBTQ+ community to ensure that we consistently reflect Christ's healing love as we meet and accompany LGBTQ+ patients, their spouses, and partners.

"Pope Francis recently said in Fratellli Tutti: 'The dignity of others is to be respected in all circumstances…that every human being possesses an inalienable dignity is a truth that corresponds to human nature apart from all cultural change. For this reason, human beings have the same inviolable dignity in every age of history, and no one can consider himself or herself authorized by particular situations to deny this conviction or to act against it.'

"Because we believe in the inherent value of every person, all of us who serve in Catholic health care commit to honoring the human dignity of everyone and being more inclusive as we care for all of God's people."

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The Catholic Health Association of the United States is the national leadership organization of the Catholic health ministry, representing the largest nonprofit provider of health care services in the nation.

• 1 in 7 patients in the U.S. is cared for in a Catholic hospital each day.
• Catholic health care, which includes more than 2,200 hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, systems, sponsors, and related organizations, serves the full continuum of health care across our nation.