The University of San Diego (USD), a Catholic university in California, is continuing to cover abortion in their campus health plan, claiming state laws make it mandatory for them to do so. Yet courts ruled that California cannot force churches to fund abortions — raising questions as to why USD is still keeping abortion in their health plan.
The College Fix reported that the health plan not only pays for abortion, but also for “gender affirming treatment,” neither of which are supported by the Catholic Church.
“USD’s employee and student benefit plans are required to align with state and federal regulations,” Senior Director of Media Relations Lissette Martinez told The College Fix. “The services mentioned [abortion and transgender drugs and surgeries] are typically those that are required to be covered, and individuals are encouraged to consult with their medical provider regarding the best course of treatment for any medical concern.”
Yet in May, two federal courts ruled that California’s abortion-coverage mandate violated the first amendment rights of two churches who sued to challenge the rule, and that churches do not have to pay for abortions. The College Fix said Martinez did not acknowledge or address those court rulings. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) represented the churches in the lawsuits, and in a press release, made it clear that the rulings apply to all religious organizations.
“The government can’t force a church or any other religious employer to violate their faith and conscience by participating in funding abortion,” ADF Senior Counsel Jeremiah Galus said (emphasis added). “For years, California officials, in collaboration with Planned Parenthood, have unconstitutionally targeted faith-based organizations. This is a significant victory for the churches we represent, the conscience rights of their members, and other religious organizations that shouldn’t be ordered by the government to violate some of their deepest faith convictions.”
READ: Catholic university offers student health care plan covering abortion
Though some Catholic politicians and institutions have claimed otherwise, the Catholic Church is strongly pro-life, and does not support abortion under any circumstances. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.”
It continues, “Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.”
Cardinal Robert McElroy, who oversees the diocese in which USD is located, has not commented on the issue.
