submitting to surgery QUESTION from teresa on June 11, 2002 I need to have surgery for a growing pelvic mass. The OBGYN surgeon assigned by our insurance has an office that is full of pamplets promoting the latest in contraception and i think she does abortions. I have only had 2 appts with her and she is professional, but cool toward me. She probably doesn't like the catholic t-shirts I wear, but it would be wrong to dress differently to score points.
She will be making money off my surgery and visits and is it wrong for me to allow this?
Should I demand our insurance company provide a pro life surgeon, let my health deteriorate, my family, and ministries suffer while all this is worked out? Are there any OBGYN's who don't promote artificial contraception?
My husband, a non catholic, demands I leave religion out of it, and be as professional as the doctor. God wants me to obey my husband in matters that don't compromise faith, but this is a faith issue. My spiritual director has been away for a month recuperating from an illness, so i really appreciate your guidance and prayers. Thanks and God bless, Teresa
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on July 6, 2002 Dear Teresa:
Sorry for the long delay. I hope things went well for you. By now, my answer may be moot, but here goes....
It is not possible to boycott all businesses and professionals who may support immoral things. Whenever we do boycott businesses and professionals it is mostly symbolic (although it certainly sends a message to the businessman or professional).
The surgery you need does not violate any Catholic teaching, thus to get the surgery is not a problem.
If you have a choice in doctors you might see about finding a doctor who is pro-life. But if that is not possible, then, to my knowledge, having this doctor do the surgery is not immoral; you can go ahead with it.
The surgery is a moral good. Having this doctor perform the surgery that is a moral good outweighs the unintentional side-effect of the doctor receiving payment for the services. You payments to this doctor, of the insurance payments, are NOT going toward immoral activities, but are paying for YOUR surgery that is a moral good.
I see no problem here.
I do find a problem with your husband's point-of-view to keep religion out of this and be professional. Being professional cannot be professional unless ethics and morality are part of the picture. Of course, I don't expect him to understand this since he is not Catholic.
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