To the extent that the church functions as a lobbyist, rather than itself clothing the naked, feeding the hungry and performing the other traditional acts of charity, the church loses a rich source of its own spiritual nourishment. This has, in turn, led to a secularizing of the social assistance systems (schools, hospitals, orphanages, health clinics). This development minimizes the moral influence of religious mediating institutions which are so critical in helping to stabilize troubled families.”
I recently interviewed a parish nurse who had been featured in the Oakland Diocese Newspaper. She had attended a parish nurse training program in her former state of Wisconsin but could not find a position there. She later moved to her current location and recently found acceptance as a Parish Nurse in her own parish in Antioch, California.
She shared her enthusiasm for her work in a community consisting in large part of recent immigrant parishioners of low income and somewhat poor health and nutrition. Her parish and Pastor are well recognized for partnership activities with a community organizing group entitled Contra Costa Interfaith supporting Community Organization - CCISCO which is itself a partner with a statewide community organizing lobby group called PICO - Pacific Institute for Community Organizing. These groups along with SEIU and the California Nurses as well as Planned Parenthood, have spearheaded lobby days in Sacramento to advance the cause of universal health care.
I asked this Parish Nurse if she refers parishioners to the Healthy Families program? She said yes. She, further, affirmed that referrals to Planned Parenthood were also included in those references. I then asked her why a Catholic Church would be referring its parishioners to an organization that promoted abortion and family planning which are in opposition to the Catholic Faith teaching? At that point her whole demeanor changed. She stated that she merely made referrals to those agencies most appropriate for type of service needed by the parishioner. It was not her responsibility as to what services the parishioner actually accepted.
Several years ago a parish in Concord, California, also within the Oakland Diocese provided assistance to the county health department in the refurbishing of an old van to be used as a mobile medical services van for residents of the Monument Corridor. This area is heavily populated with legal and illegal residents. Members of the Concord Parish saw this van as a way to obtain needed health services unobtainable any other way. This Van parked at a local shopping center and at various neighborhood grade schools to deliver health care and referrals. People volunteered to drive patients to referral sites if necessary. Planned Parenthood was one of the referral organizations.
When I inquired about the morality of a Catholic Parish facilitating its parishioners attendance at abortion and family planning programs I was told that providing services to needy people was the first and foremost concern. Abortion was not their problem.
