humanae vitae

Tanner, Henry Ossawa
The Annunciation
1898
Oil on canvas
57 x 71 1/2 in. (144.78 x 181.61 cm)
Philadelphia Museum of Art

. . . . .

when i went to my patient care assistant classes in the beginning of january, i was told that if i had any issues with procedures or anything i am asked to do (i.e., it is against my religious beliefs to participate in an abortion in any way, which it is, but i am digressing) that i need to inform my team leader of my feelings and i will be excused from participating and no harm will befall me.

as you know, in my new position as an OB tech, i am scrubbed in for c-sections and at times after the baby is delivered, the mother has signed consent forms to have the doctor perform a tubal ligation, explanation contained in the link, short form version: permanent birth control at the opting of the woman.

the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

2399 The regulation of births represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood. Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception). (emphasis added)

oh, there is so much more that the Catholic Church states about it (more thoroughly in Humanae Vitae, Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI on the Regulation of Birth (July 25, 1968) ), that to present you with so many links would make it nearly impossible for my page to load in a timely manner. suffice it to say, it is the belief of the Church that artificial means of contraception are in direct conflict with her teachings.

i know this. i am 100% aware of this. i have no problem with her teachings.

here is the problem i present with and please do not take this, for one moment, that i have an issue with the mother who decides she wants her "tubes tied." i do not. i take care of them just as well after as i did before. it is this: i do not agree with this procedure, but i am the assistant handing the instruments to the doctor and therefore, am a participant in said procedure.

on the surface, it would not seem like a big deal my being present or even handing off the appropriate clamps, sutures, et cetera, because it is not me who is being sterilized; but i am there. i know what is being done. i may not know it prior to scrubbing in, but when they begin the procedure, i am 1000% aware of what is being done and am an active participant in this procedure and i am having a bit of an issue with it.

simple enough to tell my team leader, right? out of the five sections i scrubbed in for, two of them had their tubes tied. asking to opt out of these surgeries would mean they were scrambling around for a tech last-minute and that is not going to roll so well. chances are i could be transferred to a different floor in the hospital entirely. there is a chance that just about anything could happen.

my other options are to be quiet and suck it up and say nothing. well, save for the confessional but why go and say you are repenting if you truly are not?

again, i am not casting judgment on mom or the surgeons for performing this task, however, i am not comfortable helping them perform it.

speak up or suck it up?

tread nicely.