Faith-Based Healthcare is Needed More Than Ever in US Hospitals!

Solidarity President and Co-Founder, Chris Faddis, spoke with radio show host Brenda Aiken on Mater Dei Radio to discuss the importance of faith-based healthcare and why it is so important for doctors, nurses, and patients to have access to this. Listen to the interview below, or read the transcript below that.

Interview Audio

Brenda Aiken (00:00):

Over the years, I’ve had conversations with Solidarity Healthshare and really beginning to understand how closely tied our faith and how important it is with regards to our healthcare, the two go hand in hand. So that way the whole person, MIND, BODY and Spirit are addressed. Joining me today to talk about how some of our Catholic hospitals across the country are really coming under fire. It is our good friend, Chris Faddis. Chris, thank you so much for joining us today.

Chris Faddis (00:33):

Thank you for having me, Brenda. It’s always great to talk to you.

Brenda Aiken (00:35):

We hear the stories and in fact right here in the Vancouver and Portland area, we know of the Sisters of St. Joseph who came in and started to set up hospitals, and that’s been the case in healthcare systems across the country, some of the top 10 largest hospitals in the US run by Catholics. So tell us what’s happening with those hospitals.

Chris Faddis (00:59):

Yeah, I mean, I think the big rub here, of course, is that there’s a lot of pressure right now in these Catholic hospitals to start complying with the teachings of let’s just say the world, the secular teachings around abortion and contraceptive sterilizations and the like. And I think that what’s happening is ever since Dobbs, I think a big goal of those on the left who want to push for unrestricted access to abortion has been to make healthcare the center of the abortion world. So it’s no longer going to be Planned Parenthood, but the ER and the reality is that this fight’s been going on in healthcare for a long time before people even knew that. But it’s really at the forefront now. And so there are powerful organizations out there that are putting out numerous stories and articles and things claiming that people’s healthcare rights and their care is being restricted by Catholic hospitals.

(02:00):

And the reality is, look, we have some Catholic hospitals that we have some concerns about, and you and I have talked about that before that are maybe not fully following the teachings of the church. But the reality is there’s no limitation, especially when it comes to lifesaving healthcare, that there’s no limitation that a Catholic hospital has that is going to cause the death of someone that’s going to cause somebody to not be able to survive something traumatic. Right. And what we know is actually that Catholic hospitals and hospitals that fight for the viability of the child in these preterm births actually have a higher success rate of those children being viable. So the reality is that the Catholic hospital is doing more to serve the life of the patient than someone who isn’t. So it is a real issue because it’s pushing this public pressure campaign on Catholic hospitals to make them look like they’re harming patients. Well, the reality is they’re just choosing to not participate in elective procedures, which is not a heart. Right.

Brenda Aiken (03:01):

Chris, we’ve talked before too about the partnership that you have with Holy Family Catholic Clinic here in West Linn, and it’s a wonderful partnership that both Solidarity and Holy Family Catholic Clinic can be Catholic doctors and nurses to help treat their patients. And that’s important for so many Catholic physicians and nurses that their faith be upheld. Is it becoming more and more difficult for healthcare workers just across the country to keep from being prosecuted or being fired because they can’t live their faith in the workplace?

Chris Faddis (03:41):

Yeah, it is becoming more and more of an issue. And I think as with these kind of pressure campaigns, it’s causing concern. The other side of it is that a lot of our Catholic hospitals have a lot of outside influence. Now they have boards of directors who maybe are not Catholic. Some of them take funding from private equity. They have a lot of other people involved. And so it’s putting pressure on the hospitals to say, maybe we should walk away from the Bishop’s ethical religious directives for Catholic faith-based healthcare. Maybe we should limit that. Maybe we should have carve outs. And so that’s causing that issue. And then on top of it, you have doctors and nurses and all different sets of people in the healthcare space that are being pressured to participate in these things. And that’s also causing an issue because you can’t practice your faith and be a physician, right?

(04:32):

You’re being forced to violate your conscience. So those are all things that we are seeing, and it is a real concern. That’s why we love groups like Holy Family because I think they’re standing in the gap there to provide great care, to give doctors a place to work, the doctors that are there as well as the nurses and all of that, but also for us as patients to give us a place where we know we can go and we’re not going to be led astray. And I think it’s very important that we continue to support those efforts and of course, support those Catholic hospitals that are being faithful and challenge them when they’re not and really fight for this because the reality is, Brenda, one thing to note is while these people are trying to say all these issues about faith-based healthcare, at the same time, remember that Catholic hospitals are also the number one provider of Medicare and Medicaid services in the country, much higher rates. Many of these private and secular hospitals do not participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, the Catholic hospitals do, right? So to say that somehow they’re hurting people when the reality is they’re actually very focused on serving the poor. Do we have some concerns about how they bill and their billing practices? Of course, but they are still serving a great need and we need to support that.

Brenda Aiken (05:46):

Oh, for sure. Chris and those who listened to the Morning Blend recently heard from one of the doctors at Holy Family Catholic Clinic. They are expanding. They are not shrinking, and they are serving people no matter their faith base. They have doctors and nurses that are ready to serve just as you are there at Solidarity. Just kind of remind our listeners how you see a person’s faith being upheld as well as getting sound and top healthcare services.

Chris Faddis (06:19):

Yeah, I think that the big thing is for us is obviously we’re going to support you in that desire. We are also going to protect you in that desire by looking out for you and making sure that doctors are not leading you astray. We’ve had multiple situations where we’ve caught in the pre-notification process, ethical issues in the treatment and been able to intercede for the patient and help them understand what’s going on and ask the doctor for a different course. And by doing so, these members get to share each other’s medical bills together and know that they’re doing so in good conscience, in good faith, and that their family’s going to get the care they need. And at the same time, we’re supporting incredible endeavors like Holy Family in that clinic and those physicians and that work. And that’s why that expansion is possible because more and more people are choosing that kind of care. And we at Solidarity want to help enable that for you.

Brenda Aiken (07:13):

Chris, we really appreciate your time today. Thank you for all that you do and we wish for you and all of your Member Team there a very, very blessed Easter season.

Chris Faddis (07:24):

Thank you. God bless Brenda. God bless all your listeners.

Brenda Aiken (07:27):

And again, that is Chris Faddis is the co-founder of Solidarity HealthShare. I will be sure to add information that’ll get you right to their webpage. You can talk to one of their great member service team at one of their great team members there. I’ll add that link on the podcast of this interview day radio.com and the Hail Mary Media app.

Join The Movement

Solidarity HealthShare is a non-profit healthcare sharing ministry rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Established in 2016, we operate on the Catholic principles of solidarity and subsidiarity, in accordance with the Church’s commitment to promoting life-affirming, faith-based healthcare.

We strive to provide an ethical, community-driven alternative to traditional health insurance. Through direct Member-to-Member sharing, Members are able to access quality healthcare services while preserving their family’s financial, physical, and spiritual health, all at once. Members never need to worry about their healthcare dollars funding immoral medical procedures. We promote a holistic approach to healthcare, emphasizing the importance of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

At the heart of our ministry’s mission to restore and rebuild an authentically faith-based healthcare culture in America is the recognition that every single person has inherent human dignity. We seek to promote healthcare that honors the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.

To learn more about our community and how to join our fight against abortion on demand, click the banner below!