Grattan T Brown Archives - Protection of Conscience Project Library

Grattan T Brown

Abstract
Health care begins as an act of conscience, which urges a response to the sick and holds caregivers accountable to moral standards that public authorities ultimately do not define. Conscience nonetheless expresses itself as a type of dialogue within oneself that is influenced by dialogue with others, especially with society in the form of civil law and professional standards. A well-formed conscience for health care relates the foundations of morality to health care practices and contributes sound moral judgment about them to the common good. Some current health care policies and medical education presume a distorted view of conscience as personal sentiment. These policies circumvent serious discussion and possible resolution of society’s most vexing bioethics controversies.

Brown GT. Discovery and revelation: The consciences of Christians, public policy, and bioethics debate. Christ Bioet. 2012;18(1):41-58.

Grattan T Brown

Proceedings of the Sixteenth University Faculty for Life Conference — Proceedings of the University Faculty for Life

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.