Catholic sisters in New York sue state over ‘preferred pronouns’ mandate

[IwantToRetire]

The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have filed a lawsuit against the State of New York, claiming that new gender identity requirements for nursing homes violate their constitutional rights and would force them to act against their Catholic faith.

In a statement, Mother Marie Edward, the congregation’s superior general, said: “We Sisters have taken care of patients from all walks of life, ideologies and faiths. We treat each patient with dignity and Christian charity. We have never had complaints. We cannot implement New York’s mandate without violating our Catholic faith.”

The lawsuit argues that the law compels the sisters to “act against central, unchangeable and architectural teachings of the Catholic faith”. It adds, “The implications are so much greater than whether to utter the words ‘he’ or ‘she’. Indeed, to demand that a Catholic deny another’s sex is to require him or her to affirm another religious worldview.”

The sisters also argue that the law is applied unevenly. The complaint notes that facilities operated by the Church of Christ, Congregationalist, Scientist are exempt, as the statute does not apply to those “whose teachings include reliance on spiritual means through prayer alone for healing”. This, the sisters contend, amounts to unconstitutional discrimination between religious groups.

Full article at https://thecatholicherald.com/article/new-york-sisters-sue-state-over-preferred-pronouns-mandate (behind paywall and not on archive.ph)

Good for the nuns. New York is a Dem State so who knows what the outcome will be. Interesting to follow it. Thanks for the heads up OP.

This part if quite frightening:

The legal action follows a series of letters sent to the sisters by the state’s public health authorities warning of potential violations. These included “refusing to assign a room to a resident other than in accordance with the resident’s gender identity” and “wilfully and repeatedly failing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns after being clearly informed”.

Under the legislation, nursing homes must also post notices affirming non-discrimination on grounds including sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status, and ensure staff undergo regular training. The complaint states that facilities are required to “create communities” that affirm residents’ sexual preferences and “accommodate patients’ desire for extramarital relations”, unless such conduct is uniformly restricted.

Penalties for non-compliance include fines of up to $2,000 for a first violation and $5,000 for subsequent breaches. “Wilful violations” may attract fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to one year. “A wilful violation is a knowing one; there is no element of evil motive required,” the lawsuit states.

I wonder if the Church will support the sisters? Different but similar in Scotland: Catholic hospices will be legally obliged to offer 'euthanasia' if Kim Leadbeater's bill is passed and this is against their doctrine.

It's interesting seeing the powerful meeting this stuff head on (the sisters aren't powerful but the Church is).

Thanks the info, I can't believe that I'm on the same side of the Catholic Church, this is how bonkers this batshittery is, talk about turning the world upside down.
I wish them luck with their action though, the fact that there are laws forcing this on people is both sinister and appalling, and highlights how totalitarian this ideology is.

On a lighter note -
“Wilful violations” may attract fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to one year..."

I love to see what sort of fall out there would be if the state tried to imprison all the Nuns in New York. 😂

“The complaint states that facilities are required to “create communities” that affirm residents’ sexual preferences and “accommodate patients’ desire for extramarital relations”, unless such conduct is uniformly restricted.”

WTAF??

It sounds like a TW is trying to have sex with the other residents. I really hope there’s another TW in there otherwise those poor women. It seems like the sisters are no-nonsense though.

Is it common for people in end of life hospice care to fancy a shag?
I hope the Vatican funds them. This is outrageous

Well as someone who has taken minutes at Adult Protection meetings, I can say sometimes when elderly people get dementia they lose the ability to regulate their behaviours and that can lead to some undesirable behaviours toward staff and residents.
There didn't seem to be any professional guidance for homes on how to deal with this sort of problem, perhaps there should be, although this law is way over the top, it doesn't aim to help facility's just criminalise them.
All the genderwang crap is unnecessary and only serves to make it impossible to provide dignified care, just more posturing from the self-righteous.

Well, whatever their or my views they should not be wasting money on law suits but should be getting on with caring for the sick or whatever their calling dictates.

I'm surprised to see Dominican nuns [as we call them] involved in the medical field, as they are primarily and historically a teaching order - and a damn good one too, Dominican schools have produced many distinguished women in public life in Ireland. They'll be strong opponents of unfair state regulations.
edited because posted unfinished

Did you forget to finish that. 😂

Gosh you're quick😂

The preoccupation with ‘affirming’ or even ‘accepting’ is troubling.

High quality, dignified and respectful care can be given to patients in hospitals and hospices without responding in any way to people’s preferences, identities and orientations. It is ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

It is not difficult to extend dignity, respect and compassion to people without affirming or challenging their beliefs or disclosing one’s own.

No they won't.
The Scottish euthanasia bill failed and the Westminster bill doesn't apply in Scotland

Well its a choice to abandon their faith or face massive fines and jail.
That is not a valid choice nobody should be crimilised for their faith or forced by the state to renounce it.
If I as an atheist can see this so should the NY legislators, especially as its against the constitution (ie freedom of religion and separation of state and church)

Where in the bible does it say all this? How is it part of their faith?

How can you care for the sick while lying about their bodies?

Ironic that one faith community does not require their patients to mutter the faith mumbo-jumbo while receiving scientific medical care and human compassion from them, yet it is required to declaim a state-mandated mumbo jumbo that contradicts both their personal faith and material fact. Meanwhile, another faith community that treats patients purely with mumbo-jumbo is not required to adapt its mumbo jumbo at all.

The only thing wrong with religion IMO is extremism. “My mumbojumbo is right and yours is wrong! Recite my mumbo-jumbo or be punished!” What about, “My mumbo-jumbo is right for me, and I see the human in you”?

Homosexualality is a sin in the bible, so is extra martial relationships.
Gender ideology is also outwith their Catholic faith.
Its also a breach of the 1st amendment ie freedom of speach and religion Ergo the law is unconstitutional and cannot stand

Fixed the title typo there, @IwantToRetire

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Two of the Ten Commandments:
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery
9 Thou shalt not bear false witness

Gosh this is interesting. I wonder how much this is costing. Can you imagine being the person who decides it is a worthwhile use of public funds to send these letters to nuns?

I am a pedant. The OP mentions penalties for non compliance. Don’t nuns take a vow of poverty? If the penalties are levied on individual nuns then they would have no way of paying.

But they’re Christians. The commandments of Christ were simply to love God and to love they neighbour as thyself. Genesis has two, incompatible, creation stories and neither is a contemporaneous document of record.

Given the state has granted some exemptions, even stronger case than if they had not.

Just because god is supposed to have created men and women it does not follow that some who feel more comfortable in a different role should not have our respect.
The old testament belongs to a pre scientific judgemental era and can.safely be ignored.
These nuns have removed themselves from normal life and look after people in a care situation. Their task is to be kind to everyone and respect their preferences, not to waste shed loads of money on law suits.

I'm a New Yorker and live about 20 minutes from Hawthorne, so this is all happening in my backyard. This story is being ignored by the national media as far as I can tell, with the notable exception of the Wall Street Journal, which published this editorial last night:

Democrats vs. Nuns, Again - Pronouns, bathrooms, and HR training—at a Catholic cancer home in New York.

That link should bypass the paywall. The piece notes that a related case dealing with a mandate for the Catholic Church to provide health insurance coverage for contraceptives has been decided twice in the church's favor by the Supreme Court.

I despair for the lack of common sense by my state legislature and governor, who is a woman and should have a more sensible perspective on these issues. The legal bullying has got to stop.

God help us.