Thank you to everyone who has signed our petition or reached out to Mt. Carmel to ask that the hospital remove the address and phone number of a local abortion clinic from its physician referral.
We are disappointed to share that the hospital has indicated it will not be removing the physician listings and abortion clinic address from the listing.* A letter from the hospital shares that the hospital's policy is that physicians affiliated with the hospital have an opportunity to have their practice listed on the hospital's website, and because they do not discriminate against physicians, Mt. Carmel will continue to provide that listing as primary practice location of Dr. Schaeffer. The President of the hospital also indicated that to clear up any misconceptions, they will be adding a disclaimer to the directory website. That disclaimer reads:
"The Right Physician for Your Needs
We know the right care begins with the right physician. For many people, that means working closely with a trusted primary care physician, someone who can offer basic care, focusing on wellness and prevention. For others, it means consulting a specialist for a specific problem or concern. Mount Carmel has more than 1,500 physicians located throughout Central Ohio. We want to help you make the choice that's right for you. So we not only make it easy to find a provider with the right experience, location and hours -- we help you begin a partnership with an expert health care guide.
To find the right physician for you, use the online search below or call 614-234-LIFE.
All Mount Carmel facilities are operated in a manner consistent with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services (the "Directives"). Since most of the physicians in this directory are independent members of our medical staffs with their own private offices, Mount Carmel does not have control over the services provided in these locations."
We do not discount the wonderful work that Mt. Carmel is doing to serve the community. Caring for the sick, especially those who do not have the means to pay for their own care is a work of mercy and love. However, we think it is fair to hold a Catholic hospital to at least the same standard that we hold Planned Parenthood. Some supporters of Planned Parenthood have argued that only 3% of the services provided at Planned Parenthood are direct abortions. The pro-life community has rightly responded that the figures are misleading but that it does not matter what percentage of the procedures are abortion-related, the 3% figure represents more than 300,000 abortions each year - 1/3 of the total number of unborn children killed by abortion every year. There is no amount of good that can justify the intentional taking of innocent human life.
If we apply that same math to Mount Carmel's OBGYN department, of the 94 physicians listed in the Mt. Carmel OBGYN directory, "only" two of those listings will send women to an abortion clinic. That's just a little over 2%. If you look at only the 36 physicians who are listed as having an affiliation with Mount Carmel East, it jumps to almost 6%. Either way you do the math, those listings are responsible for about half the abortions performed in Central Ohio each year and about ten percent of the abortions performed in Ohio each year. **
We've heard from so many in Central Ohio who are thanking us, sending tips our way, indicating that no one has seen either Blank or Schaeffer at Mount Carmel East in years. Women who have been hurt by Drs. Blank and Schaeffer are coming forward and seeking healing and help. It has led me to believe that while I do not know what will ultimately happen, when we place our faith in God, He gives us more than we could ever expect.
224 years ago, the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne (an order of Catholic nuns) were put to death because they refused to abandon their vows as ordered during the French Revolution. We cringe at the thought that the last year of the French Revolution was marked by more than 16,000 deaths by torture and dismemberment, although that is a fraction of the number of babies who die by abortion each year in Ohio.
Their story has captured the attention of many not only for their individual courage in living their vocation, but the larger role that they played in bringing about the end of the Reign of Terror. Most agree that the story of these 16 obedient Carmelites, dressed in their habits, renewing their vows, and singing Veni Creator Spiritus, turned the hearts of the people. Within days, the Reign of Terror was ended. The story has inspired many artistic renditions, including this scene from the Diálogo das Carmelitas (note: oblique references to death by guillotine).
To be clear, we are not calling on Mt. Carmel to become martyrs to the culture of death; we are just asking that they remove the address and phone number to an abortion clinic from their physician directory. It does not seem to be mere coincidence that this weekend many of our friends and readers will celebrate Pentecost, and in Churches throughout central Ohio - especially Catholic - pro-life voices will sing Veni Creator Spiritus.
We will continue to work on this issue, making the case to Mt. Carmel that there is no room for an abortion clinic listing in life-affirming healthcare. If you've not yet signed the petition, it is not too late. Join us, in prayer and action, that Mt. Carmel live up to its name as a Catholic hospital with the same virtuous courage shown by the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne. Then pray that we each start to live with that virtuous courage and that we as a nation turn away from the senseless violence and bloodshed that starts not just in the womb, but in our own hearts.
We are disappointed to share that the hospital has indicated it will not be removing the physician listings and abortion clinic address from the listing.* A letter from the hospital shares that the hospital's policy is that physicians affiliated with the hospital have an opportunity to have their practice listed on the hospital's website, and because they do not discriminate against physicians, Mt. Carmel will continue to provide that listing as primary practice location of Dr. Schaeffer. The President of the hospital also indicated that to clear up any misconceptions, they will be adding a disclaimer to the directory website. That disclaimer reads:
"The Right Physician for Your Needs
We know the right care begins with the right physician. For many people, that means working closely with a trusted primary care physician, someone who can offer basic care, focusing on wellness and prevention. For others, it means consulting a specialist for a specific problem or concern. Mount Carmel has more than 1,500 physicians located throughout Central Ohio. We want to help you make the choice that's right for you. So we not only make it easy to find a provider with the right experience, location and hours -- we help you begin a partnership with an expert health care guide.
To find the right physician for you, use the online search below or call 614-234-LIFE.
All Mount Carmel facilities are operated in a manner consistent with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services (the "Directives"). Since most of the physicians in this directory are independent members of our medical staffs with their own private offices, Mount Carmel does not have control over the services provided in these locations."
We do not discount the wonderful work that Mt. Carmel is doing to serve the community. Caring for the sick, especially those who do not have the means to pay for their own care is a work of mercy and love. However, we think it is fair to hold a Catholic hospital to at least the same standard that we hold Planned Parenthood. Some supporters of Planned Parenthood have argued that only 3% of the services provided at Planned Parenthood are direct abortions. The pro-life community has rightly responded that the figures are misleading but that it does not matter what percentage of the procedures are abortion-related, the 3% figure represents more than 300,000 abortions each year - 1/3 of the total number of unborn children killed by abortion every year. There is no amount of good that can justify the intentional taking of innocent human life.
If we apply that same math to Mount Carmel's OBGYN department, of the 94 physicians listed in the Mt. Carmel OBGYN directory, "only" two of those listings will send women to an abortion clinic. That's just a little over 2%. If you look at only the 36 physicians who are listed as having an affiliation with Mount Carmel East, it jumps to almost 6%. Either way you do the math, those listings are responsible for about half the abortions performed in Central Ohio each year and about ten percent of the abortions performed in Ohio each year. **
We've heard from so many in Central Ohio who are thanking us, sending tips our way, indicating that no one has seen either Blank or Schaeffer at Mount Carmel East in years. Women who have been hurt by Drs. Blank and Schaeffer are coming forward and seeking healing and help. It has led me to believe that while I do not know what will ultimately happen, when we place our faith in God, He gives us more than we could ever expect.
224 years ago, the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne (an order of Catholic nuns) were put to death because they refused to abandon their vows as ordered during the French Revolution. We cringe at the thought that the last year of the French Revolution was marked by more than 16,000 deaths by torture and dismemberment, although that is a fraction of the number of babies who die by abortion each year in Ohio.
Their story has captured the attention of many not only for their individual courage in living their vocation, but the larger role that they played in bringing about the end of the Reign of Terror. Most agree that the story of these 16 obedient Carmelites, dressed in their habits, renewing their vows, and singing Veni Creator Spiritus, turned the hearts of the people. Within days, the Reign of Terror was ended. The story has inspired many artistic renditions, including this scene from the Diálogo das Carmelitas (note: oblique references to death by guillotine).
To be clear, we are not calling on Mt. Carmel to become martyrs to the culture of death; we are just asking that they remove the address and phone number to an abortion clinic from their physician directory. It does not seem to be mere coincidence that this weekend many of our friends and readers will celebrate Pentecost, and in Churches throughout central Ohio - especially Catholic - pro-life voices will sing Veni Creator Spiritus.
We will continue to work on this issue, making the case to Mt. Carmel that there is no room for an abortion clinic listing in life-affirming healthcare. If you've not yet signed the petition, it is not too late. Join us, in prayer and action, that Mt. Carmel live up to its name as a Catholic hospital with the same virtuous courage shown by the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne. Then pray that we each start to live with that virtuous courage and that we as a nation turn away from the senseless violence and bloodshed that starts not just in the womb, but in our own hearts.
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