by Mandy Cox
The last decade has brought about tremendous changes that affect employers. Secular companies provide a growing list of benefits that are cannot be provided by Catholic employers. Employees joining our organizations are excited to join our good work, but they may be caught off guard when they find that they don’t have access to benefits that have been normalized by our secular society.
“What do you mean I can’t get my birth control pills paid for?”
“If the Church is pro-life, why does our plan not cover IVF?”
“My child’s pediatrician is recommending puberty blockers. Why does our plan exclude this?”
These are tough questions because there is strong emotional and personal experience behind each of these. During the interview process employees were likely sincere when they said they were Catholics in good standing or that they understand that this organization is Catholic. However, they may not have truly considered the personal impact that the organization’s policies would have on them. Fear, confusion and a sense of abandonment can increase the feelings of hostility for an employee.
ANTICIPATING THE CHALLENGES
It’s difficult to avoid a defensive response when we are caught off guard by a challenging question. We are better prepared to provide a complete and pastoral response if we can anticipate the types of questions that may come our way. When we provide employees with life-affirming alternatives, we can alleviate these feelings of fear, confusion and abandonment.
As a member of Catholic Benefits Association, your organization has permanent injunctive relief from having to comply with mandates to pay for immoral benefits. Your health plan should clearly exclude immoral benefits that are common in secular plans. These exclusions are a good place to start when preparing a pastoral response.
- Contraceptives drugs and devices
- Abortion-inducing drugs
- Sterilization
- Gender-transition related hormones and surgeries
- All counseling related to the items above
This list is a good starting place to prepare a thoughtful response.
The Church’s teachings in each of these areas uphold the dignity of the person as created in the image and likeness of God. The good work your organization provides is motivated by these same teachings. Your employees chose to work for your organization because they wanted to be co-workers in this good work, even if they don’t share our Catholic faith.
Employees who bring questions to you deserve to be presented with the teaching regarding their dignity. They also should be provided alternatives that can assist them to live out their dignity.
BUILDING A GOOD OFFENSE
In most cases, people do not want to do what is evil. There is a perceived good that we are reaching for, but we may be deceived and choose the wrong means to reach it. Our secular world confuses things further by calling evil good and good evil.
As you respond to challenging conversations, it is helpful to find the good that we all agree on. Every person at your organization plays an important role in advancing the mission. Our employees may not be Catholic, but we have an opportunity to share that these teachings are based in common principles.
- Each person is a precious gift.
- Healthy marriages and families are good for each person and for society.
- The love between a husband and wife should be supported.
- Individuals who are struggling deserve care and compassion.
By first establishing agreement on these basic principles, we can help deescalate tense emotions. From here we can go a bit further:
- Each person is a precious gift, made in the image and likeness of God. We are called to respect each person. We also must respect ourselves as a gift. Catholic teachings regarding the altering the body through hormones or surgery, sexual morality, and the gift of children are all based on the dignity of each person created in the image of God.
- Healthy marriages and families are good for the person and for society. The family is an image of the family of God: the Church. Families create the foundation from which each member can flourish. Things that promote the destruction of the family go against this dignity.
- The love between a husband and wife should be supported. Marriage is a sacrament: a means to receive grace. Scripture uses the analogy of marriage more than any other description of God’s love for us. We place a special emphasis on the dignity of sexual intimacy because this is where the spoken vows are expressed physically. Therefore, things that would violate the dignity of the sexual relationship go against our faith.
PROVIDING A PASTORAL RESPONSE
I recently taught an RCIA class on sexuality, family planning and marriage. These topics always bring up strong emotion because they are deeply personal. As we discussed the fullness of Church teaching in these areas, several women expressed frustration that they had never heard this information before.
I’m never surprised that people are frustrated when they learn of the teachings. Individuals who are struggling with these teachings deserve care and compassion. Jesus Christ Himself exemplified compassion in His interactions with the marginalized, the sick, and the suffering. Christians are called to follow His example by showing empathy, kindness, and practical assistance to those in need. This principle extends not only to individuals facing external challenges but also to those experiencing internal struggles, such as emotional distress or marital difficulties.
One action you can take is to prepare a list of resources for each area that you may anticipate getting questions:
- Natural Family Planning resources
- NaProTechnology, FEMM, and other moral approaches to infertility and gynecological health issues
- Marital counseling and family resources for those with struggling children
- National Catholic Bioethics Center (ncbcenter.org) provides free ethics consultation for people facing challenging situations like ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy emergencies, and end of life issues
- Resources for parents receiving difficult pre-natal diagnosis.
Reaching out for help is often the first step in preparing for challenging questions, and it is a role that the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA) embraces wholeheartedly. With a wealth of experience in navigating the intersection of Catholic values and modern workplace realities, the CBA stands ready to assist its members in addressing complex ethical dilemmas with confidence and clarity. Through personalized consultations, educational resources, and ongoing support, the CBA has helped numerous organizations uphold their Catholic identity while fostering a culture of respect and understanding among employees. By leveraging the collective expertise and guidance offered by the CBA, organizations can navigate tough questions with grace and integrity, ultimately strengthening their commitment to promoting a positive Catholic culture within the workplace.
Photo by Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash