Sterilization Ban at Catholic Hospitals

Re “Bishops Ban Sterilization Services at All Catholic-Affiliated Hospitals,” June 16: It is remarkable that the Catholic Church is still considered to represent some sort of moral authority. By ending voluntary surgical sterilization (a popular and effective form of preventing unwanted births) in its affiliated hospitals, the church positions itself as promoting over-population, the largest threat to humanity’s continued existence.

Human overpopulation either directly causes or seriously exacerbates most of today’s major problems, including poverty, resource depletion, the spread of disease, pollution, famine, extinction, climate change, rain forest destruction, desertification and others. Our population profligacy means we are using up resources that should belong to future generations.

How ironic and stupid that the bishops would condemn global warming at the same time that they voted to increase its cause.

The church says that sterilization is “intrinsically evil.” On the contrary, it is the medievally ignorant and Earth-destructive policies of the Vatican that are truly evil.

Dana Garcia

Berkeley

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In the bad old days before the pill, I lived in a little town in Michigan where the only hospital was Catholic. My neighbor entered to bear her sixth child. She asked the nun if she could be sterilized this time. The nun replied, “That would be like cutting off your right arm.” My neighbor said, “Sister, if that would do it, go ahead and cut it off.” She had to make a special trip down to a South Bend, Ind., hospital to have it done.

How can the church go on accepting government money as it does for these hospitals and denying women care they desire, when it’s legal?

Mary C. Thomas

Garden Grove