Church Ousts Nun Who OK'd Abortion to Save Woman

(CBS)  A nun was kicked out of the Catholic Church for approving an abortion in order to save a pregnant woman's life.

According to a National Public Radio report, Sister Margaret McBride approved the abortion for a 27-year-old woman who was 11 weeks pregnant but suffered from a serious heart condition. Doctors said the woman faced near-certain death had she continued her pregnancy at the Catholic Church in Phoenix last November.

McBride, who was an administrator at the hospital, signed off on the abortion - in part because of a church loophole that allows the procedure under certain extreme circumstances, NPR reports.

The woman survived.

However, McBride was promptly excommunicated for her actions by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted.

"She consented in the murder of an unborn child," said the Rev. John Ehrich, the medical ethics director for the Diocese of Phoenix. "There are some situations where the mother may in fact die along with her child. But - and this is the Catholic perspective - you can't do evil to bring about good. The end does not justify the means."

The decision was questioned by at least one member of the church.

Rev. Thomas Doyle, a canon lawyer, told NPR that the bishop "clearly had other alternatives than to declare her excommunicated." Doyle said Olmsted should have shown McBride some mercy given the agonizing moral dilemma. He said the case highlights a "gross inequity" in how the church chooses to handle scandal.

"In the case of priests who are credibly accused and known to be guilty of sexually abusing children, they are in a sense let off the hook," Doyle told NPR.

[Anotherjunkie2]

After reading thia and in case involving a 9 year old girl from Brazil (who was raped by her stepfather since the age of 6 and became pregnant), I am beginning to wonder if the real reason for not ex communicating pedophiles is too many in the cloth themselves...sick..all of it...downright sick.

[mjlewis6]

I presume the Bishop has also excommunicated all other Catholics and Americans and requires the congregations in his diocese to cease any contact with the murderers and cooperating in the state government and all of its entities? Are they not ALL GUILTY by failure to act, then?

Granted, the Nun operated in a life-saving position, but similarly, the conduct complained of....should be equally levied against the other Catholics in the state by the church?

Shall all Catholic citizens of the diocese in the state be EX-COMMUNICATED for consorting with government and all its entities for its actions in murder? Or Only those Catholics who have an active role..and the rest are submissive to the state are less culpable?

How about ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES who are Catholic are EX-communicated for failure to act to preserve life as both the State and the Federal government are engaged in permitting abortion?

The Bishop is mistaken. It is two lives and one is lost and a vocation is destroyed by a mistake...

There is forgiveness in the church, but apparently The Bishop is concerned about something else here. Did he even try to talk to the Nun before this action? I wonder.

[LetoDiggory]

As I said below the bishop did not excommunicate her. She excommunicated herself. Any and every Catholic who actively participates in an abortion, including facilitation of an abortion is automatically excommunicated. This means she is considered not in communion with the Church. This does not mean she is considered not Catholic, or that Catholics must "cease any contact" with her. It means she can't receive communion.

No Catholic can activly participate in abortion and remain in full communion with the Church. Her vocation is not destroyed. Coming back into full communion with the Church is as simple as going to confession. That's it. It is unreasonable to expect an organization not to hold its own (voluntary) members to its own standards.

"How about ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES who are Catholic are EX-communicated for failure to act to preserve life as both the State and the Federal government are engaged in permitting abortion?" by mjlewis6

In some situations yes. Politicians who vote or support anti-life legislation are not permitted to receive communion, because they have directly promoted the murder of the unborn. Though this is rarely actively enforced.

The Bishop was not mistaken. He stated church teaching. Anyone who procures abortion(including facilitation) is automatically excommunicated (Can. 1389) This was not his decision, or even his action, it is the law of the Church. The nun facilitated an abortion and in doing so she excommunicated herself.

[kansas1946]

(CBS) A nun was kicked out of the Catholic Church for approving an abortion in order to save a pregnant woman's life.
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No surprise here. It is perfectly moral to abuse children, hide amd move around priests that abuse children for decades, but save a woman's life. Forget it. That sister is better off out of that crazy club.

[Perish1]

Another knee jerk who knows nothing of the truth or substance behind this or the priest story.

[kansas1946]

Really. I would be really interested to hear what is behind the "priest story." And as for the nun, most women have known for years that having a baby in a Catholic hospital was very risky because if it came down to the mother or the baby, the mother was toast. Which is really insane when you think about it.

[skepticalJM]

Someone should remind the Catholic Church what the two great commandments are: Love of God and Love of Neighbor. But then all religions have become exclusive clubs, that break that second great commandment of God in their organizational structure; that is because they have changed love into a motivation instead of a duty. Love is not bought or bargained for, but given freely to ALL - that is the meaning of the second great commandment.

[Perish1]

What the heck are you going on about? Since when is valuing the sanctity of human life not loving your neighbor or God? What is this exclusive club nonsense? They believe that you don't take a life for any reason. They believe that life begins at conception. That is it! the Catholic church has done more to protect and defend life and to serve the poor and starving and homeless than any other non government (and probably govenment) organizat6ion in the history of the world. More nuns and priests and brothers and followers have been killed in the defense of the needy and oppressed than any other religion by far. These people are at this moment in the worst hell holes on the planet helping the neediest of the needy. Frequently to the point of their own health is destroyed. I only wish that they believed in promoting birth control.You people who bend scriptures and teachings to try to defend your own opinions don't have a clue the meaning behind the words or scriptures. Go to the deepest cesspool of human suffering on earth and you will find a nun, or brother, or priest. Ask them.

[cleric60]

This Sister (religious) could not have been the only member of the ethics committee of that hospital. She could not have the final word on allowing a patient to have any abortion. This decision had to be made by the whole hospital ethics team. I just wonder if she is playing the "fall-guy" for the rest of the ethics team members.
I do hope she appeals this bishop's action. I also hope her own religious community/order will assist her during this turmoil of a process.

[Perish1]

She may have been the church's representation on the board of a Catholic run, publicly funded hospital. thus, she would have been the only one under such restriction.

[ianlou]

Penguin Pride.

[Perish1]

In grade school, we called them Crows.

[ianlou]

by Perish1 May 21, 2010 3:42 PM EDT
In grade school, we called them Crows.
***********************
Did you ever refer to a group of them as a murder of crows?

[displeased]

jankebenzone, it must get you off telling everybody they're going to burn in helll because they don't strictly follow your god's rules. You don't have many friends, do you.

[LetoDiggory]

There seems to be a misunderstanding as to what excommunication means. It does not mean this Sister is no longer a member of the church it means she can't receive communion because she is not in communion with church teachings. She is still considered Catholic unless she renounces the faith entirely. The Church teaches that to receive communion when one is in the state of mortal sin is a grave offense. So an excommunication is not simply a way to censure a Catholic that is guilty of grave sin but also an attempt to help them from doing more harm to themselves. Also the Bishop said she was automatically excommunicated. He himself did not actually excommunicate her - she excommunicated herself by facilitating the abortion. The church teaches that abortion is intrinsically evil. Though you may not agree with this it should make the Church's stance clearer.

[displeased]

The church teaches that abortion is intrinsically evil.
by LetoDiggory

Even if the mother's life is in danger? What if the pregnancy were a result of rape and her life was in danger due to complications?

[Perish1]

To LetoDiggory... Thank you for that explanation.
To Displeased.... Is it the childs guilt of their conception that they should forfeit their life?

[jankebenzone]

by Perish1 May 21, 2010 1:42 PM EDT
Apparently he somehow found out. Whether he has any association with the hospital or not, the nun is under his purview. Are you on a witch hunt? The Catholic church is against abortion in any form at any stage of pregnancy. If you want a church with another view, there are plenty of others.
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Just about all religions are against abortion, and most have enough sense to consider the life of the mother when in danger because of prenancy. I can see you are a devout catholic and respect your dedication to the church, however, scripture warns against false teachings of self proclaimed messiahs, (pope) Idol worship (saint worship) Prayer to others than God/Jesus, and human power to forgive sin, or that money can forgive sins. Only those who adhere to and cbey biblical truths and follow the teachings of Jesus will inherit the kingdom of God.

[Perish1]

I haven't been to church in over 30years. I disagree with them on birth control and I believe that life should be measured the same way that we decide death, by brain activity. I do however defend their right to have their rules of theitr organization. I also understand that Catholic charities is probably the number one charity that the funds recieved go to those for whom it is intended. they have arguably done more to fight poverty and starvation and homelessness than any other organization. The nuns and brothers and priests do some of the most selfless work in the worst hell holes on earth, and, have been doing so for some time. I only wish that they would promote birth control. I don't think that "Go forth and multiply" is any longer viable and is irresponsible.

[Perish1]

What is this "idol worship" and "self proclaimed messiahs"? Getting a little out there aren't you? The bishop is just doing his duty in following the laws of the organization that he and the nun are a part of. I only wish that our government had as much dedication to duty when it comes to the immigration laws.

[Pazmo]

Just out of curiosity, how did Bishop Olmsted know about the abortion in the first place? Isn't HIPAA supposed to protect the health records of all individuals? Did the Bishop violate federal law by going through confidential hospital records?? How else would he know - the Bishop is in no way affiliated with the hospital where the abortion took place. Should he be prosecuted under those federal laws? He certainly can't hide behind any church law in that case. Also, should the people of Phoenix be wary of Bishop Olmsted's actions? Is he on a witch hunt?

[Perish1]

Apparently he somehow found out. Whether he has any association with the hospital or not, the nun is under his purview. Are you on a witch hunt? The Catholic church is against abortion in any form at any stage of pregnancy. If you want a church with another view, there are plenty of others.

[displeased]

The Catholic church is against abortion in any form at any stage of pregnancy.
by Perish1

I bet these men wouldn't be so strict if THEY were the ones carrying the baby and their life was in danger.