Catholic Hospital Distortion in Press Release from Diocese of Springfield
The recent news about the scandal of abortionist Yogendra Shah being chief of OB/GYN at a Catholic hospital while operating an abortuary across the street was first reported by Missionaries to the Unborn (Not to be confused with Missionaries to the Preborn). It was later confirmed by WorldNetDaily and covered by LifeSite and other news services. However, once the story broke, the Catholic hospital, St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Granite City Illinois, claimed in a press release sent out by the Diocese of Springfield that Shah was “terminated” from his “temporary appointment as chief of the OB/GYN department.” But it claimed that the hospital was legally bound to retain Shah in its employ.
Human Life International, however sent out a press release seeming to indicate that Shah was no longer employed at the hospital. LifeSite called the hospital and discovered that he was still employed there. The following LifeSite interview with the mother of the main pro-life family that pickets the abortuary across from the hospital suggests the scandal is much more troublesome than first reported.
The Michael Family’s 7 Year Witness
For seven years now the Michael family has picketed 3-4 times per week outside the Hope Clinic for Women - the abortuary across the street from St. Elizabeth’s. Angela and Daniel Michael and their Catholic family of 11 children, call their life-saving operation “Small Victories” and are pleased that the news on the Hope abortuary has finally received coverage. The Michael’s use their family van as a roving crisis pregnancy centre offering counselling, comfort and resources to women considering abortion. In an interview with LifeSite, Angela Michael reveals some disturbing facts about the case.
Angela notes that the history of the Hope abortuary is tied to the hospital since the abortuary sits on former hospital grounds. She reveals that the hospital (likely unknowingly) sold the land across the street around 1974 to notorious abortionist Hector Zevallos, who currently operates a host of abortuaries in the US. Angela recalls that in 1981 Zevallos brought Shah - then working at St. Elizabeth’s - on staff at the abortuary. The following year the Army of God, a radical anti-abortion group in the US, kidnapped Zevallos and, recalls Angela, it was just after that incident that Shah purchased the abortuary from Zevallos.
Shah has been working as an abortionist across the street since 1981 and took over ownership and the position as chief abortionist at the clinic in 1982. It is therefore surprising that the diocesan press release states that it was only, “In 1995, St. Elizabeth Medical Center discovered that Dr. Shah was performing abortion procedures at the Hope Clinic”. Angela says plainly that the statement “is a lie.” In fact she provided LifeSite with court documents on lawsuits over botched abortions from 1989, 1990 and 1992 which named Shah, the Hope Clinic and St. Elizabeth’s, proving that the hospital was in fact aware of Shah’s baby killing business long before 1995.
Nothing has Changed at the Hospital
While the hospital suggests in the press release that Shah’s appointment as chief of OB/GYNs was “temporary,” Angela notes that friends at the hospital have confirmed he has held that position for some 8 years. Moreover, while the hospital says that Shah’s elevated position is terminated, Angela’s contacts on the inside suggest that the announcement was merely a ruse and that nothing has changed at the hospital. However, LifeSite contacted St. Elizabeth’s spokesperson Karen Lanter who said that the new hospital Chief of OB/GYN is Dr. Dennis Hurford. Angela recalls that four years ago there was also pressure on the hospital to end the scandal of having an abortionist on staff. At that time, the hospital suggested that Shah’s position at the hospital was terminated.
The diocesan release says “St. Elizabeth Medical Center remains Catholic in every respect and in fact, generously supports pro-life activities in the Granite City area.” Kathie Sass, spokeswoman for the diocese told LifeSite that the hospital is largely responsible for a pregnancy care trailer situated behind the Hope abortuary. However, Angela notes that the trailer is hardly ever open -even though times are posted to the contrary. A recent news clip from Life Dynamic’s LifeTalk notes that the hospital claims it does not have the manpower to staff the pregnancy care center. However, Angela, who is a registered nurse specializing in obstetrics, told LifeSite that she has often volunteered to staff the hospital’s center but has been regularly refused. She also questions the “generous support” the diocese claims the hospital provides the pro-life community since her family van (that is used as a make-shift pregnancy care center to assist women who find the hospital’s care centre locked) is not even allowed parking in the lot of the hospital. She noted further that while pro-lifers’ cars are ordered out of the hospital’s parking lot, the cars of those seeking abortions at the Hope abortuary are left alone.
Father and Young Daughter Assaulted by Abortuary Guard
In perhaps the best and worst episode in the battle for life around the Hope Clinic, a baby’s life was saved while one of the Michael children, and the father paid the price by being assaulted by an abortuary guard. On November 18, the Michael’s had convinced a 6-months pregnant mother to reconsider her decision to abort her baby. As the mother returned to her car escorted by abortuary staff, one of the Michael children, a 10-year old girl named Arielle, tried to catch up to her to give her a pamphlet on adoption.
She was shoved to the ground by the Hope abortuary escorts. When she returned to her parents in tears and told them of the incident, her father Daniel approached the escorts demanding to know who pushed his daughter. An abortuary guard approached and after a verbal exchange began repeatedly beating Mr. Michael over the head with a baton while Angela screamed for help and two of her young children cried in the background. The assault continued until hospital guards from St. Elizabeth’s intervened and warned that they had captured the assault on video. Police arrested the abortion mill guard Selma Owens Jr., 65, after the incident and charged him with battery. Owens’ bail was posted by the clinic’s executive director Sally Burgess. Burgess told the media Owens would remain a guard at the abortuary.
The good news was that the woman who was followed by Arielle in an attempt to give her the adoption pamphlet has decided to allow her child life. Angela told LifeSite that the woman is putting her baby up for adoption through the Michael’s own group - Small Victories. Angela added that since January 2000 they have helped 63 women at the Hope abortion mill. She noted her thanks to the many other families who join them by praying outside the Hope Clinic.
Current and Past Bishops Have Not Acted
The Michael’s still hope to raise awareness of the goings-on at the hospital and the abortuary. Angela noted that the family has been writing the current bishop, George Lucas, since his appointment last year and had written former Bishop Daniel Ryan for 4 years. Bishop Ryan, who was retired early from his position in the diocese after a widely circulated scandal over homosexuality, had received letters from pro-lifers concerned about Shah’s practices since the 1980s. According to Angela, “he did nothing” about it. Angela hopes Bishop Lucas will step in, and if nothing can be done to remove Shah from the hospital, perhaps the Bishop could request more generous help from St. Elizabeth’s for Small Victories.
To express your concerns contact:
Bishop George Lucas
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
1615 West Washington St.
Springfield, IL 62702
Ph: (217) 698-8500
FAX: (217) 698-0802
glucas@dio.org
The hospital is:
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
2100 Madison Ave
Granite City, IL 62040
(800) 559-9992 or (618) 798-3000
See the abortion centre’s website:
http://www.hopeclinic.com/
To Support the Michael’s:
Small Victories
813 Broadway
P.O. Box 143
Highlands, Illinois
62249