Australian bishop defends covering crucifixes in Catholic hospital

Published: 2007-01-10

PERTH, Australia (CNS) -- An Australian bishop has defended a Catholic hospital's decision to cover hospital room crucifixes if patients request it. Bishop Justin Bianchini of Geraldton said the move by the town's St. John of God Hospital did not reflect a drift toward secularism or political correctness. "The fact that we are Catholic means we do respect people now, we are more open, not narrow-minded," Bishop Bianchini said. "It's not denying our beliefs. "It's not political correctness, it's accommodating a need occasionally on request in a room; even if it's someone that believes nothing and they see this tortured body on the cross, the visual image can be distressing if they don't understand it," the bishop said. "If they're in a room and they were stressed, are you helping or hindering them? That's part of good health care -- you tend to them," said the bishop. The hospital is part of the St. John of God Health Care System, Australia's third-largest private hospital operator with 11 hospitals in two states.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .