Grattan T Brown
Abstract
Despite serious challenges to the identity of Catholic health institutions in the United States, both Church and society should continue to see them as privileged places of moral discernment. This discernment occurs in “institutional conscience,” namely, a dialogue among all those authorized to act on the institution’s behalf about institutional actions, for example, medical interventions. The institutional conscience of Catholic health institutions should be respected by society at large, leaving them free to practice Christian healing and to show the problems with certain practices that they reject, such as abortion, and to seek alternatives.
Brown GT. Institutional Conscience and Catholic Health Care. In: Koterski JW editors. Proceedings of the 16th University Faculty for Life Conference at Villanova University. 2006;413-422.