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‘I Prayed for Him’: Faith, Mystery, and Meaning in Medicine
In this article, Harold Koenig, MD recounts a case in which he chose to pray for a patient enduring chronic pain, severe depression and thoughts of suicide. After back surgery left the patient in lasting agony, Koenig engaged not only in medical treatment but also daily prayer and discussion of the patient’s spiritual struggles. The article uses this story to explore how many physicians hold beliefs in a higher power and how this shapes their work even in a system that mostly views medicine as a secular, scientific endeavour. It discusses how spiritual history–taking and recognizing “sacred moments” can enhance care, lower physician burnout and address human suffering that clinical protocols cannot fully explain.
By: Eric Spitznagel
Catholic hospital system sued for not providing ’emergency abortion’ as ‘standard of care’
California-based Catholic health system, Dignity Health (operating 41 hospitals), is being sued by a patient who alleges that after suffering pre-viable preterm rupture of membranes (PPROM) twice, she was not offered an abortion by two of the system’s hospitals. The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court on September 25 2025, accuses Dignity Health of violating state law governing emergency care, civil rights protection, and other statutes by not providing what the plaintiff claims is the “standard of care” in her condition.
By: Gina Christian
Growing Market Power Among Catholic Hospitals Restrains Access to Reproductive Health Care
The article describes how the growing consolidation of Catholic health systems in the U.S. is affecting access to reproductive health services. It reports that Catholic hospitals now comprise a significant share of hospital beds and systems, and because they follow the Ethical and Religious Directives (which limit or forbid services like abortion, many contraceptive methods, fertility treatments, and certain miscarriage management options), their market power means fewer alternative providers are available in many communities. The piece argues that this creates access barriers for patients, especially in states where Catholic hospitals are the primary or only option.
By: Bailey Sanders, Barak Richman, Kierra B. Jones, Andrea Ducas, Samuel Doernberg
Ascension Health investments appear to reject Vatican guidance
A report by National Nurses United (NNU) claims that Ascension Health’s investments—in its Master Pension Trust—include hundreds of millions of dollars in industries that conflict with the Vatican’s 2022 guidance Mensuram Bonam: Faith-Based Measures for Catholic Investors. These holdings cover weapons manufacturers, alcohol, gambling, tobacco, mining, fossil fuels, environmental-harmful banks, and exploitative labor sectors. NNU urges Ascension to increase transparency, publish its investment criteria, divest from problematic sectors, and release lists of holdings and divestments.
By: National Nurses Organizing Committee
Ascension Saint Agnes nurses to protest Catholic hospital chain’s unfaithful financial investments
Bishop Pius Moon Chang-woo and representatives of several Catholic organizations in South Korea formally opposed proposed revisions to the Maternal and Child Health Act. The amendments would allow broader access to abortion pills, revise language to neutralize abortion, and include abortion services under national health insurance. The Catholic leaders argued the changes would devalue fetal life and marginalize the balance between a woman’s rights and the fetus’s right to life; they pledged to revitalize a national pro-life movement to uphold ethical standards and support pregnant women through Catholic health networks
By: National Nurses Organizing Committee
Catholic doctor describes her journey to practicing faith and medicine in harmony
Dr. Carolyn Manhart, an internal medicine physician in Omaha, reflects on how her Catholic faith deeply shapes her medical vocation. Her early experiences caring for the ill and a transformative encounter during her formation, reading Humanae Vitae and training at the Pope Paul VI Institute, helped her embrace the Church’s ethical teachings. As a practicing physician, she integrates faith into her care by fostering dignity and spiritual reflection among elderly patients.
By: Charlie Camosy
Ministry systems find CHA’s online platform to be vital tool for gauging fidelity to Catholic health mission
The Catholic Health Association (CHA) has introduced an online Ministry Identity Assessment platform that assists Catholic health systems in evaluating their adherence to the seven core commitments of Catholic health care. This tool enables facilities to assess their policies, practices, and community partnerships, guiding them through a comprehensive self-assessment process.
By: Julie Mind
Catholic health care providers brace for impact of federal budget bill
The Catholic Health Association (CHA) has introduced an online Ministry Identity Assessment platform that assists Catholic health systems in evaluating their adherence to the seven core commitments of Catholic health care. This tool enables facilities to assess their policies, practices, and community partnerships, guiding them through a comprehensive self-assessment process.
By: Lisa Eisenhauer
New Jersey hospital receives largest-ever gift to a U.S. - based Catholic Health Center
Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey, the state’s only independent Catholic health system, received a $75 million gift from the Douglas M. Noble Family Foundation. The largest donation ever to a U.S. Catholic health institution, the funds will support expansion in specialized care, workforce development, medical education, and mission-based innovation.
By: Madalaine Elhabbal
Through Faithfully Forward initiative, CHA works to build student awareness of roles in ethics and mission
CHA has relaunched its Faithfully Forward initiative to address workforce shortages in ethics, mission, and pastoral care by partnering with Catholic universities to promote these roles among students. The effort builds on earlier research identifying barriers like limited internships and low pay, aiming to influence curricula and expand formation opportunities.
By: Julie Minda
Feds Investigate Hospitals Over Religious Exemptions From Gender-Affirming Care
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has launched investigations under the Church Amendments into healthcare providers who claim religious exemptions for refusing to provide gender-affirming care. The investigations mark the first time HHS has explicitly stated that the Church Amendments cover refusal of gender-affirming services and that misgendering patients may be included under these protections.
By: Kate Wells
Impicciche: Even amid adversity, mission of Catholic health care is as vital as ever
In his reflection as outgoing CHA Board Chair, Impicciche emphasizes Catholic health care’s enduring mission amid systemic challenges like workforce shortages and policy shifts. He highlights the sector’s unity, its moral voice in public policy, and the need for innovative, community-rooted care grounded in dignity and compassion.
By: Joe Impicche
Atlanta hospital ensures Catholic identity through new sponsorship agreement
Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, founded by the Sisters of Mercy, has entered a formal sponsorship agreement with the Archdiocese of Atlanta and Emory Healthcare to preserve its Catholic identity. The agreement ensures the hospital follows the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, maintains strong chaplaincy and community outreach, and remains committed to compassionate care. Hospital leaders emphasized that the new structure will uphold the legacy of integrating faith, science, and mercy, continuing the mission established over 145 years ago.
By: Amira Abuzeid
Catholic health leaders object to House-passed Medicaid reforms in ‘big, beautiful bill’
Key Catholic health leaders—including the Catholic Health Association, Ascension, Providence, Trinity Health, and SSM Health—publicly opposed the House’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that its Medicaid reforms could strip over 10 million people of coverage. The reforms introduced work mandates, stricter documentation requirements, caps on provider tax funding, and limits on immigrant access. CHA President Sister Mary Haddad cautioned that these changes threaten vital safety-net services and would weaken hospitals and communities. Executives stressed how dependent their patient base is on Medicaid for access to care.
By: Taylor Arnold
Her miscarriage showed the limits of California’s abortion protections. Where you live matters
The article reports on a legal battle between California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Providence, a major Catholic health system, over the hospital’s refusal to provide an emergency abortion for Anna Nusslock . The state alleges that Providence violated California's health and civil rights laws by denying stabilizing care to a patient facing pregnancy complications. Providence has attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that its Catholic directives are constitutionally protected, but a judge has allowed the case to proceed. The outcome could have significant implications for how religious hospitals operate in California, particularly as they control a large portion of maternity care in rural areas.
By: Kristen Hwang
Catholic health care leaders sound alarm on proposed Medicaid cuts
The article discusses how proposed Medicaid cuts in the United States could significantly impact Catholic healthcare providers. It explains that Catholic hospitals and clinics rely heavily on Medicaid funding to serve low-income and vulnerable populations. The cuts threaten to reduce access to essential healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas where Catholic institutions often play a crucial role. The piece also highlights concerns from healthcare leaders about the potential consequences for patient care and the sustainability of faith-based health services.
By: Kevin Clarke
Hospital keeps brain-dead woman alive to save unborn baby, citing Georgia law
A hospital in Georgia kept a brain-dead pregnant woman, Adriana Smith, on life support to preserve the life of her unborn baby, citing the state’s LIFE Act, which restricts abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Smith was declared brain dead after suffering brain clots while nine weeks pregnant. The hospital maintained life support for over 90 days until the baby was delivered prematurely via emergency C-section. The woman was then removed from life support.
By: Amira Abuzeid
Virginia Mason Franciscan invests in nonprofit that educates, empowers minority youth
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has partnered with Build 2 Lead, a nonprofit in northwest Washington state, to support minority youth through education and empowerment initiatives. The collaboration aims to expose young people to various career paths, including those in health care, fostering diversity and inclusion within the industry. By investing in community-based programs, the health system demonstrates a commitment to addressing social determinants of health and promoting equity.
By: Julie Minda
Religious directives at Catholic hospitals complicate emergency care for pregnant women
This PBS NewsHour segment investigates how Catholic hospitals' adherence to religious directives can impede emergency care for pregnant women. It features the case of Anna Nusslock, who, at 15 weeks pregnant, experienced a premature rupture of membranes. Despite the life-threatening nature of her condition, Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, California, declined to perform an abortion due to Catholic ethical guidelines. Nusslock was eventually transferred to another facility for care. The report highlights the tension between religious healthcare policies and medical standards, especially in rural areas where alternative options are limited.
By: Sarah Varney and Rachel Wellford
Aiming to limit damages, Catholic hospital argues a fetus isn’t the same as a ‘person’
Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa (CHI) is defending itself in a medical malpractice lawsuit by arguing that the loss of an unborn child does not constitute the death of a "person" under Iowa law, thereby limiting potential noneconomic damages. The lawsuit stems from the stillbirth of a 35-week-old fetus, Eloise, after CHI allegedly failed to diagnose and treat preeclampsia in the mother, Miranda Anderson. CHI contends that the state's malpractice cap on noneconomic damages applies, as the loss of a fetus is not recognized as "loss or impairment of mind or body." This position contrasts with Catholic ethical guidelines, which affirm the sanctity of life from conception. CHI has since withdrawn this argument, reaffirming its commitment to the belief that life begins at conception.
By: Clark Kauffman