The Biden administration announced on May 5 that it is stepping back from a previous decision demanding that a Catholic hospital in Oklahoma remove a lit candle from its chapel—a practice and observance sacred to Catholics—or lose its ability to accept Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health (CHIP) patients.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), had ruled in April that the candle, which has burned continuously for 15 years at Saint Francis Hospital South in Tulsa, was a safety hazard—even though a local fire marshal cleared the candle and CMS permitted other flames, including pilot lights, in the hospital.
CMS said its decision was based on the findings of an independent group, The Joint Commission, which reviews hospitals to determine if they meet the standards necessary to be accredited to receive Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP patients.
The 12th largest U.S. health care network, Saint Francis Health System is the Catholic owner and operator of Saint Francis Hospital South, eight other hospitals, and 110 clinics in Oklahoma. Saint Francis appealed the CMS decree and sought a reasonable accommodation.
CMS denied Saint Francis’ request in a letter dated April 20.
Yet, following widespread protest, media attention, and a pre-litigation letter a leading religious liberty legal group, Becket Law, along with Yetter Coleman LLP, sent to CMS on behalf of Saint Francis, alleging that prohibiting the candle was a violation of the First Amendment free exercise of religion clause, the agency said it is now open to working with Saint Francis to find an arrangement that permits the burning candle to stay.
Lori Windham, vice president and senior counsel for Becket Law, said that CMS’ adjusting its position is a win for religious freedom.
“The decision of CMS shows that religious liberty protections extend to practicing your faith, and that includes providing health care and worship in a chapel,” Windham told The Epoch Times. “These protections apply to everyone. Today it’s a candle. Tomorrow it could be something else.
“And so, a good decision today for Saint Francis is a good decision for religious believers across the country.”
In a statement that CMS shared with The Epoch Times, the agency said: “CMS is aware of a safety finding involving a fire risk, made by an independent accrediting organization, issued to a hospital in Oklahoma. CMS met with the hospital and accreditation organization, and issued a waiver to allow the hospital to mitigate the potential fire risk and correct the safety finding. The hospital will work with the accrediting organization on next steps.”
Windham said Saint Francis has put up a sign to let people know there is a flame in the chapel and plans to put a rail or other barrier in place to prevent people from getting too close.
Saint Francis Health System, with its stated mission to “extend the presence and healing ministry of Christ to all who seek its services,” treats approximately 400,000 people annually and has delivered more than $650 million in free care to people in need over the past five years.
The organization employs more than 10,000 and has a volunteer force of 700.
Infringing on Religious Freedom
A lit candle in a chapel is a fundamental component of the Catholic canon law, of the rules and ways the church governs itself.
As was the case before the CMS judgment, the candle is set within two layers of glass, on a metal base with a metal top, and affixed to the wall.
When CMS said the candle had to go, it struck at the spiritual and cultural heart and foundation of the purpose of the Saint Francis Health System.
“We’re being asked to choose between serving those in need and worshiping God in the chapel, but they go hand in hand,” said Barry Steichen, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Saint Francis Health System, in a May 3 statement.
“Our work depends upon our faith in the living God, and the sanctuary candle represents this to us.”
The 13-page pre-litigation letter sent to CMS asserted that prohibiting the candle was an example of consistently applying rules and regulations and violating religious freedom.
“You have threatened to deny accreditation because Saint Francis keeps a candle—an eternal flame—in its hospital sanctuary,” wrote Windham. “For 15 years, that flame has burned without problem or concern in Saint Francis Hospital South in Tulsa; and for 63 years, the eternal flame has burned at Saint Francis Hospital Yale Campus, the largest hospital in the state of Oklahoma, without problem or concern.”
“From the moment Saint Francis opened its doors in 1960, this flame has been maintained without interruption. In requiring Saint Francis to extinguish its flame, you are trying to extinguish not just a candle, but the First Amendment rights of Saint Francis Health System, as well as vital healthcare for the elderly, poor, and disabled in Oklahoma.”
Hey Joe Biden and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), when your liberal buddies from antifa and blm burn down buildings, is that a “safety hazard”????? Pro abortion Joe, a good Catholic trying to destroy a Christian Church. Good is evil and evil is good, right Joe Biden?
IF ITS anti christian, JOE and co are all for it.
BUT YOU COULD BET your last dime, had this been a MOSQUE that had teh same thing, he’d have NOT SAID ONE PEEP about it.
Notice that almost everything God has declared a sin or an abomination in the Holy Bible, this demonic Democrat Party encourages, supports and protects.
Every 10 Commandments of God, these demonic Democrats either ignore or do what God says not to do.
True and False Disciples
Matthew 7:15-16 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
The Catholic church should tell them they will extinguish the candle the same day the Democrat party votes to extinguish the eternal candle at JFK’s Arlington National Cemetery Grave site, which Providence, for good reasons, has blown out on many occasions faster than a Biden Crime family caught in a sex scandal, who like JFK had he lived to serve out his term, would have been outed as a Democrat Crime family leader himself. Both so called good Catholic families, who crossed the lines of acceptable social sanctity who find no sanctuary in people who present themselves a someone different than their media present them to be, but always get exposed in the end. Not Angels in the Outfield, but outed democrat devils in disguise. How any Catholic these days can vote democrat and still feel comfortable with his conscience is beyond human or godly understanding.
I had an early test scheduled at a Catholic hospital, and was pleasantly surprised to hear a 7am morning prayer over the public address system. I thought to myself , “how long before someone complains?” I appreciate God’s providence over those giving me my health care.
What fools. I don’t think they realize how many 10s of thousands of those “eternal flame” candles are burning in all church denominations across the country