Catholic Bishops Promise to Investigate Hospital’s Legal Argument That Fetuses Are Not Human

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In Colorado, a Catholic hospital chain is being sued by John Stodghill who claims that the Catholic hospital failed to save the life of his seven-month pregnant wife’s twin fetuses when she died. The hospital’s lawyers, in turn, argued that fetuses were not people, and even if they were, they would not have survived the required C-section surgery.

Although the hospital’s argument may be technically correct in Colorado, and two lower courts have found for the hospital, the Catholic Church is concurrently engaged in litigation against the contraceptive mandate, arguing that the contraception mandate is morally wrong because human life begins at conception.

Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila, Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan, and Pueblo Bishop Fernando Isern have proactively issued a letter stating that “no Catholic institution may legitimately work to undermine fundamental human dignity.”

The bishops state they intend to carry out a full review of the litigation in order to “ensure fidelity and faithful witness to the teachings of the Catholic Church.”

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