A religious leader in the Diocese of Gaylord says he has no opposition the sale of two Catholic northern Michigan hospitals.
Earlier this week, Munson Healthcare in Traverse City announced it’s exploring the purchase of Mercy Cadillac and Mercy Grayling. The hospitals are currently owned by the hospital system CHE Trinity Health.
Monsignor Francis Murphy, of Cadillac, says he hopes Munson would continue the local mission to serve the poor.
“From what I hear is that Munson is interested in continuing the same tradition that has been established here since 1908 when the Mercy Sisters established the hospital,” he says.
Were a sale to go through, the hospitals would no longer be governed by Catholic healthcare directives on issues such as birth control and abortion. Father Murphy says abortion runs counter to the missions of the hospitals. But he says he still does not see a reason to oppose a sale. He says he is confident in the quality of healthcare at Munson.