Phil Lawler's Amish Culture | National Catholic Reporter

Phil Lawler's Amish Culture | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I remember this issue - it involved services to immigrants under federal contract including referral to abortion services when human trafficking is an issue.  The Hyde Amendment does not apply here, becauce trafficked women who are pregnant are assumed to be raped.  This provision was not part of the old contract and the Church sued (and lost) when they did not get that particular human trafficking services contract, even though Catholic Charities was the best performer on all other measures. I've also hear of the Virginia Beach Catholic Charities office - probably on this contract - have an employee actually drive a refugee to an abortion clinic - which shows that the workforce and the hierarchy are not always on the same page and this is one area where ambiguity is not allowed. The answer, however, is not to get out of contracting in pursuit of social service (indeed, it should be expanded to include Catholic Charter Schools and Catholic Vo-tech Charter High Schools), but to instead be active during the comment period in stating that the abortion piece must be part of a separate effort.  Of course, the Church would still have to cooperate with that contractor or that contractor would have to devise some way of interacting with immigrant clients in another venue, say a medical exam (provided it is not at a Catholic hospital).  Its a serious issue, but it does not require disengagement - but active engagement on this issue.