The Catholic bishops of Pennsylvania want health care reform but say they can't endorse the current proposal because it fails to protect unborn babies, immigrants, the poor and health care workers who oppose abortion.

"If a final health care reform bill does not have respect for life at all stages of development, respect for consciences, affordability and inclusion of all society, the bishops will be forced to oppose it. Therefore we pray that critical shortcomings in the current proposals will be remedied," said the statement from the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.

The text was based on discussions that bishops of the 10 Pennsylvania dioceses had on Oct. 6. It parallels statements from leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and remarks from Pope Benedict XVI to the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Consensus was easy to reach, said Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh.

"The church considers health care to be a basic human right. But it has to exclude abortion and euthanasia … and it must be available to all," he said. The church's view is that abortion and euthanasia aren't health care because the intent is to kill, not to cure.

The statement says that the proposed reforms "must not impose excessive burdens on low- and moderate-income individuals and families" and that they must protect the poor, the elderly and immigrants.

"Legal immigrants and their family members must be allowed timely access to comprehensive and affordable health care coverage and an adequate safety net must be maintained for those who remain uncovered," it said.

Bishop Zubik said that a safety net must include illegal immigrants. "That's consistent with respecting life. If someone comes to the hospital in need of care, you can't turn them away," he said.

The bishops said that Pennsylvania Catholics "can be a strong and reliable partner in advancing health care reform" if the proposal is amended. They pledged to "work tirelessly to improve the legislation to reflect these essential priorities."

During the Clinton administration, the U.S. bishops held a similar line, saying they had long advocated universal health coverage, but could not support any bill that included abortion as health care. They spurred a campaign in which Catholics sent more than 5 million postcards to their legislators, calling for abortion to be excluded from health care.

No such organized campaign is under way in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Bishop Zubik said.

"But we continue to ask people to contact their legislators," he said.

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