The Colorado Catholic hospital chain claiming fetuses are not human as part of its defense in a wrongful death lawsuit has issued an apology Monday, Feb.4, according to “Reuters”.
Headlines sensationalized the law group’s fetus defense calling the Catholic hospital hypocritical last week, prompting three Catholic Bishops from Colorado to swiftly review the lawsuit, which contradicts Catholic teachings on the beginning of life.
…The term ‘person,’ as is used in the Wrongful Death Act, encompasses only individuals born alive. Colorado state courts define ‘person’ under the Act to include only those born alive.
The three Catholic leaders from Colorado, Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver, Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs and Pueblo Bishop Fernando Isern issued a statement regarding the wrongful death suit of Lori Stodghill who died in the Catholic hospital along with her twin boys’ in utero.
Catholic institutions have a duty to protect and foster human life, which begins at conception. No Catholic institution may legitimately work to undermine fundamental human dignity.
St. Thomas More Hospital and Medical Center in Canon City Colorado, which is part of the Catholic Health Initiatives, won the lawsuit using Colorado’s Wrongful Death Act as its defense, however the group said on Monday its lawyers were “morally wrong” even though the argument was “legally correct”.
Jeremy Stodghill, husband and father to the three deceased has appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court and the Catholic Health Initiatives has stated when and if Lori Stodghill and her twin boys’ case is heard, the hospital will focus its defense on “causation” or whether the staff was negligent in the immediate treatment of her and her fetuses.
The three Catholic Bishops who reviewed the wrongful death suit were convinced that the evidence clearly showed the hospital made every effort to save Lori Stodghill declaring the twin fetuses died before medical treatment was initiated.
However, Jeremy Stodghill’s attorney, Beth Krulewitch, believes the Bishops’ conclusion is inaccurate, and not based on a thorough investigation of the facts.
If you are looking for a Catholic hospital on Long Island, Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Center is a member of the Catholic Health Services on Long Island.
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Deirdre Haggerty, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this article may be reproduced without prior written permission and consent from the author or Clarity Digital Group LLC, DBA Examiner.com.
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