Prayer vigil is held at Manchester medical center

Catholics and other antiabortion activists held a prayer vigil outside Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire today, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Catholic hospital is in talks with Dartmouth Hitchcock Health to strengthen ties, and members of the group SAVE CMC are concerned that the merged hospital system will undermine the church’s ethical guidelines for healthcare.

Last month, Manchester Bishop John McCormack wrote a letter to priests of the diocese assuring them that he would not approve a deal that would jeopardize the Catholic identity of the hospital. The New Hampshire attorney general is reviewing the deal to ensure it protects the mission of each hospital.