Hi Linda,

Thanks for the question.

You said:
I work at a radiology center and we do ultrasounds for a doctor who does abortions and is also a gynecologist. We only do the ultrasounds for him and I do the billing.

• Is this remote cooperation with evil or is it a graver sin, and
• Is this a sin for me?

Yes, it is most definitely a remote, if not more grave, cooperation with evil.

If possible, try to move to a different area in radiology or health care where you are not associated with doing any work for doctors who perform abortions.

When abortion doctors recognize a difficulty in hiring people to do billing for them, they may conclude that abortions are not worth doing — not the best reason to stop — but a financial reason may be enough.

Mike

Hi, Linda —

I would agree, that it is remote but very remote.

If the center specializes in obstetric ultra-sounds, it becomes less remote, because the probability of having such doctors use the center's services is greater.

Mike's solution is very impractical, if not impossible. Radiology centers perform ultra-sounds referred by a myriad of doctors for a plethora of services and medical reasons so if they do utero ultra-sounds then they cannot legally refuse to perform one for an abortionist. Beyond that, if he's also a regular OB/GYN then it's even more confusing.

The fact is, if you're involved in medical billing, then you are bound to somehow be connected to abortion at some remote level. You could be billing for an eye doctor who works in a hospital where abortions are performed or billing an insurance company that covers abortions so in this field there will sadly always be some remote and distant connection to this crime.

Of course the further away you are from directly cooperating with abortions the better, so I suggest you keep your eyes open for something else that won't cause you or your family undue significant hardship.

That is not to say you might not need to make a financial sacrifice or have longer commute but your first responsibility is to your family. What you are doing for work now is not sinful but if you can change your career environment, you should consider it and of course pray about the situation.

Hope this helps,

John

Linda —

My two cents is that this would be remote material cooperation with evil.

In trying to come up with a similar analogy I ask myself if I could work for Hitler doing legitimate work like being a cook for German government workers, knowing my boss is currently exterminating Jews. I suppose I could, but would be trying to change my job as soon as possible so that I could contribute to someone else's practice instead. The same principle would apply for working for those that kill preborn children.

Having said all that, if you believe by staying you could influence him in some way that could bring to him a change of mind and heart on what he is doing, that should be factored in.

Peace,

Paul