Catholic Health workers find conscience problems more frequent

(February 08, 2011) Catholic Health workers are facing a worldwide erosion of spiritual and moral standards in their profession, according to a leader of a Vatican-affiliated organisation for Catholic nurses. Marylee Meehan, president of the International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medical-Social Assistants, CICIAMS, told a Catholic News Agency, that Catholic nurses are encountering more frequent challenges to their consciences, in their efforts to care for the sick. She said that in the United States, the biggest problem that Catholic nurses are facing is the ability to use their conscience. The same problems are visible around the world, she added. Meehan reported that the most difficult common problems involve abortion. She said that somebody made abortion legal, but that didn't make it moral. Yet, many nurses find that doors are closed to them, if they will not assist at abortions. It takes extreme courage to be a Catholic living the Catholic life in their professional environment, said Meehan.
The CICIAMS is a Dublin- based umbrella organisation in Ireland that unites national associations of Catholic nurses, midwives and health assistants from 26 nations on five continents.