Ethical and Religious Directives - Part One

I’m sure you’ve had the experience of talking to someone new to your facility who happens to comment, "Boy, this is such a better place to work! You should know what it was like where I used to work. Here there’s …" and the person goes on to tell the wonderful advantages of your facility and people.

At such times, if several long-timers are present, one will often respond, "Gee, I guess sometimes we’re so close to our small problems, we don’t realize how good we have it."

I imagine you’d agree with that—that sometimes we don’t realize how good we have it, how blest we are. Let me offer an imaginary scenario to underscore that point:

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Suppose you went to work for an organization, and in the course of your first days were handed a document and told, "Be sure you get this down!" The document reads as follows:

• Our organization exists for one purpose: to make money. The more money we make, the happier you will be.

• Customers are our avenue to this goal. We do whatever we have to to succeed. Remember: "Do whatever it takes—but keep it cheap!"

• When you work for this organization, know that you are a means to an end. That end—acquiring other people’s wealth—has just been explained for you. Your needs, concerns, moral struggles, etc. are of no interest to us; keep them to yourself. Do what you’re told and you will stay happy, healthy and employed.

• Giving succor to poor people won’t get you happiness. Poor people are a drain, of no value to our organization. Discourage them from darkening our doorways. Poor people bring pain and misfortune on themselves and deserve neither your concern nor our care.

• Recognize competitors for what they are … sharks in search of blood. Friendly contact with the enemy is step one to being eaten alive.

• The larger community in which we operate exists to support us and our enterprise. Work the community for what we need.

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Far-fetched? Well, you will probably never see such sentiments in writing. But are there organizations where such principles operate? Probably more than a few.

Contrast those principles with the following and decide which environment promises greater "health and happiness." Also, where do you think you can find these statements in writing?

• Catholic health care should be marked by a spirit of mutual respect among caregivers….

• A Catholic health care institution must treat its employees respectfully and justly.

• Catholic health care should distinguish itself by service to and advocacy for those people whose social condition puts them at the margins of our society and makes them particularly vulnerable to discrimination: the poor,... those with incurable diseases and chemical dependencies, and racial minorities, immigrants and refugees.

• Collaboration with other health care providers in ways that do not compromise Catholic social and moral teaching can be an effective means of stewardship.

• A just health care system will be concerned both with promoting equity of care and with promoting the good health of all in the community.

• Catholic health care ministry seeks to contribute to the common good. The common good is realized when economic, political and social conditions ensure protection for the fundamental rights of all individuals and enable all to fulfill their common purpose and reach their common goals.

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Undoubtedly you know the document these statements are taken from.Tthe first chapter of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. But isn’t the real issue ensuring that these words impact our work environment? When they do, new people say, "Boy, this is such a better place to work!" And we say, "Gee, I guess we forget how good we have it, how blest we are!"