Ronald Aldrich, president of Catholic Health Services, was quoted in Newsday as promising that a rape victim who could benefit from a "morning after pill" and who is taken to one of the community hospitals that will have to operate under Catholic church rules, will not go without being advised about the pill. He said, "We will not interrupt an existing pregnancy but there is absolutely no problem with our describing to her what her options are- and at least identifying emergency contraception as an option she would need to consider." Yet he was quoted in the Massapequan Observer and the Levittown Tribune as saying "We are not comfortable with finding clever ways around our moral positions." However, the directives the hospitals will work under specifically say that any contraception other than "natural" methods can never be advised, let alone prescribed. Also, it is not clear yet whether Aldrich considers the morning-after pill an abortion pill and Catholic directive 45 states, "Catholic health care institutions are not to provide abortion services, even based upon the principle of material cooperation."

"Identifying" emergency contraception sounds like one of the "clever ways around" he is not comfortable with. Which Aldrich do we believe" Will he give us a guarantee in writing? Will he spell out his entire policy clearly?