Caritas Buys Landmark and Admits Distancing Itself from Operating as Catholic

UPDATED

Sometimes when I check my stats, I can see TTBO readers refreshing their browsers quite a bit when there's some ghastly development in the Archdiocese and I haven't posted substantively on it yet.    


Its like I know exactly that you're thinking.   "Whhhoah, look at this story.   I'll bet McKinley is steamed up. Let me mosey on over to TTBO to catch the locomotive!  "


:O)

So sorry about the post with no links and the radio silence.  It's been a crazy few days.   


I hope you found you way to the lively post at Bryan Hehir Exposed post HERE that contrasts what Caritas says:

"the deal does not require Landmark to become a Catholic hospital or to accept the limitations of Catholic doctrine.  Landmark spokesman Bill Fischer said the hospital intended to remain secular, and Caritas spokesman Chris Murphy confirmed that, saying, “Our intent is to preserve Landmark in its current form, which includes no religious affiliation.”

..with what Cardinal O'Malley says:

"Caritas Christi will never do anything …in any way to participate in actions that are contrary to Catholic moral teaching.”

Good Heavens no, Caritas Christi will never do anything contrary to Catholic moral teaching.  Why that would be preposterous.


Boston Catholics following the turmoil in the Archdiocese will tell you that the Landmark acquisition was preceded by the announcement from the "Pastoral Center" that the Caritas and the Cardinal had entered into a "Stewardship Agreement" with Cerebus that reportedly preserved the Catholic identity of Caritas.


The Pilot story about the agreement is here.


Given the news this week, I'm repeating the story in its entirety (emphasis mine)

The Archdiocese of Boston and Caritas Christi Health Care announced today that they have executed a Stewardship Agreement that ensures the Catholic identity of the Caritas Christi hospitals, pending the approval of the transaction transferring the system to Steward Healthcare System LLC (“Steward”), a newly formed affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. 

“We are pleased to announce the completion of a Stewardship Agreement that memorializes Steward’s commitment to maintain the Catholic identity of the Caritas Christi Health Care system and its fidelity to the mission of the Church’s healthcare ministry,” said Cardinal Seán O’Malley. “The transaction with Steward will provide the system much needed capital for its infrastructure, programs, and pension funds while continuing to provide high quality healthcare in accord with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (the “Ethical and Religious Directives”).”

“In our search for capital, we were committed to finding a partner that valued our Catholic tradition. Cerberus Capital Management has committed to preserving the Catholic tradition of Caritas Christi Health Care and this agreement solidifies that commitment. We are grateful that the RCAB and Caritas will continue to work together to fulfill our mission,” said Ralph de la Torre, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Caritas Christi Health Care.

“I wish to express my appreciation to Dr. Ralph de la Torre and his leadership team for their commitment to working with the Archdiocese to achieve a Stewardship Agreement for these hospitals,” said Cardinal Seán. “I am grateful that we have reached a meaningful agreement that allows us to continue to serve those in need while never losing sight of the moral and religious teachings handed down to us by Christ.”

They will never lose sight of it, I tell you.


Here are some other quotes about the Stewardship Agreement gathered up from another BHE post:

We announced yesterday that an agreement has been reached with Cerberus that ensures the Catholic identity of the Caritas Christi hospitals. The sale is still pending as the Attorney General has to review it, but this stewardship agreement was a key component for us because it will preserve the Catholic identity of Caritas. (Cardinal Sean’s May 7, 2010 blog) 

The Stewardship Agreement memorializes Steward’s commitment to maintain the Catholic identity of the Caritas Christi Healthcare system and its fidelity to the mission of the Church’s healthcare ministry.” (Fr. Richard Erikson, Vicar General, quoted in The Pilot, May 14, 2010) 

This is a substantive and structural commitment by the archdiocese and Steward to operate this hospital system by the religious and moral directives of the Catholic Church.” (Fr. Bryan Hehir, Secretary for Healthcare and Social Services, quoted in The Pilot, May 14, 2010) 

The Coalition to Save Catholic Healthcare has been all over this, asking the Nuncio to step into the donnybrook, among other things.   Their communications are worthy of its own post - which I hope to get to over the weekend.  


Deal Hudson picked up the story today, publishing CJ Doyle's spectacular press release.  




I'd say my sentiments could be accurately summarized by the comment named Enrichment from Abortions.

This is sadly not the first time the archdiocese has positioned itself to be enriched from abortions and other moral evils performed on sick and distraught patients. 

This does seem to be the most transparent arrangement. 

I f they follow their usual modus operandi, the archdiocese will make prominent an agreement signed by Cardinal O'Malley that purportedly binds Caritas to Catholic ethics and moral teaching keeping their fingers crossed that the Holy See will not scratch the surface. 

The agreement of course is set up to be nullified at any given time the new owners find Catholic moral teaching is in conflict with civil law, at which point they will give the Cardinal 25 million dollars and the Cardinal will release them from the Agreement. 

I am not making this up. 

The Cardinal has put the wolves in charge to ravage the souls of the sheep.  He has repeatedly made clear that he wants us to surrender, without resistance, our children to be destroyed.   But what a happy day it will be when we can all be unified with the game plan of the wolves.


Good luck with that.