By SR. CAROL KEEHAN, DC
CHA president and chief executive officer
The last couple of months have been especially busy at CHA, and I want to share some of it with you.
Rome
CHA again sponsored its ecclesiology course in April, and 40 members participated. In addition to the courses and a pilgrimage to Assisi, they had the opportunity to have Mass at the tomb of Saint Peter. Participants met with representatives from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers and Archbishop Gus DiNoia. They heard of the church's appreciation for Catholic health care and its understanding of the complexity of the health care environment today.
In May, the CHA executive committee traveled to Rome for their biannual visit. We met with Cardinal Jo‹o Braz de Aviz; Archbishop Joseph Tobin; Sr. Mary Wright, IBVM, and Fr. Hank Lemoncelli, OMI, from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; with Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski from the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers; and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi and his staff from the Pontifical Council for Culture (they have a section focused on science). Each conversation focused on the importance of Catholic health care and the opportunities and challenges inherent in new technologies. The executive committee also had the opportunity to visit over lunch with Miguel Diaz, United States ambassador to the Holy See, and his wife Marian Diaz. We left Rome knowing clearly that the church places great value on the healing ministry in the United States.
Assembly
In June, over 1,000 members attended the Catholic Health Assembly in Philadelphia, where we celebrated the election of Joseph Swedish as CHA chair and honored the contributions of several special people and programs. The Membership Assembly, after hearing the report of the membership task force, decided to allow for continued modification of the bylaws regarding membership in order to get a better understanding of emerging organizational structures and how they relate to Catholic identity. There will be much more shared with the ministry on this important issue as we go forward.
Contraceptive mandate
This has been a very challenging issue and one that remains unresolved. Getting an acceptable definition of what constitutes a religious ministry and appropriate exemptions remains a challenge. Let me assure you that CHA staff and board are working continually on this with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Obama Administration. There is much good will, and we will continue to work for an acceptable resolution.
USCCB meeting
The bishops had their regular summer meeting in Atlanta, and it included the newly constituted health care subcommittee under the chairmanship of Bishop Robert McManus. The CHA executive committee went to Atlanta to meet with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop William E. Lori, Bishop McManus, Bishop Robert Lynch and Msgr. Ronny Jenkins, the USCCB's general secretary. We had an excellent meeting and agreed it was important enough to plan to do it annually and to stay in close communication throughout the year.
Supreme Court
It was a joyous day when we learned that the court had upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, although we suffered through the initial agonizing, conflicting news reports. We all know there is so much work and uncertainty ahead, but this is the opportunity to do so much for so many who have no health security. It has been the top CHA priority for decades.
We were disappointed to learn that the Medicaid expansion would be optional. This presents us with the opportunity and the responsibility to advocate effectively in each state to accept this federal funding to help those who are poor. We have to challenge not accepting this opportunity to finally get them coverage. Also, our hospitals took cuts in funding that were to be offset by millions more people being insured. Threatening the viability of our ministries does not strengthen our economy or the health care safety net. We must help governors of both political persuasions to appreciate this.
While these have been busy times at CHA, I know our members are even busier caring for so many and working to implement health reform effectively. We have some significant challenges and opportunities before us and, with God's help, I know we will meet them together.
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