Abortion and the Catholics Church, Whose Life Are We Valuing

They Can Have Only ONE Position

Roe v. Wade, republicans v. democrats, abortion v. the Catholic Church, and as casualties mount on both sides, ever wonder why no one has asked the question, whose life are we valuing?

It was New Year’s Day, 2006 when Lori Stodghill went to St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, Colorado.  She was vomiting and short of breath, and she was 28 weeks pregnant.  She went into cardiac arrest in the lobby.  She died at age 31, and so did the twin boys she was carrying.

Her husband, Jeremy Stodghill was left alone to raise their 2 year old daughter.  He filed a lawsuit against the hospital and its owner Catholic Health Initiatives for the wrongful death of all three.

After about two years of litigation, defense attorneys released a statement that shocked Stodghill.  They declared that state law decreed that an embryo is not a person until it is born alive.  Both boys were dead when removed from Lori’s uterus.  The courts agreed, and the loss of the two boys was removed from the case.  He subsequently lost Lori’s as well.

The Catholic Church is adamant about its stand on when a fetus becomes life.  Their position has always been that “life begins at conception”.

The hospital then sued Stodghill for 118,000 dollars in legal fees.  He was forced to declare bankruptcy to be able to continue to care for his daughter, Libby, who is now 9 years old.

Representatives of the hospital told him they would drop their lawsuit if he rescinded his.  He declined and is asking the Colorado Supreme Court to hear his case.  He would also like to hear from the Catholic Church.  Catholic Bishops have declined to comment, but said they would look in the policies and practices of Catholic Health Initiatives to ensure they are complying with the Church’s doctrine.

James Turnage

Columnist-The Guardian Express