The largest Catholic health network in the United States, CommonSpirit, has sparked outrage by partnering with Ask Tia, a company openly committed to expanding abortion services.
The Controversial Partnership
On March 31, 2021, CommonSpirit announced1 its controversial partnership with pro-abortion healthcare provider Ask Tia.
Carolyn Witte, the co-founder and Chairwoman of Ask Tia highlighted the significance of their new partnership, stating, “CommonSpirit was the ideal partner to help us scale our proven model nationally with geographic reach across 21 states from coast to coast, recognized clinical excellence, and an industry-leading commitment to health equity.”
“Tia’s approach to care is designed to make it easier for women to access health care and is directly aligned to our values to provide compassionate, unified care that is centered on excellence,” said Rich Roth, CommonSpirit’s Chief Strategic Innovation Officer of the new partnership.
What Rich Roth failed to mention is Ask Tia’s obvious agenda to make abortion more accessible. So, we have to ask—how does that align with the Catholic values they claim to stand for?
What is Ask Tia?
Founded in 2017, Ask Tia began as an online platform where women could seek answers to their health questions. Over time, it has evolved into a comprehensive resource designed to address women’s diverse healthcare needs in one place—including abortion services.
Ask Tia’s Chairwoman, Carolyn Witte, has made it clear where the company stands:
“We definitely want to be in the business of abortion,” said Carolyn Witte in Axios in November of 2022.
Ask Tia recently raised $24 million in funding, enabling its partnership with CommonSpirit to grow its physical footprint.
Move over Planned Parenthood… there’s a new abortion provider in town.
With 137 hospitals and over 1,000 clinics, CommonSpirit’s expansive network dwarfs Planned Parenthood’s 600 clinics, providing AskTia with a far greater platform to extend its reach.
Contradictions in CommonSpirit’s Mission
CommonSpirit’s mission statement2 pledges to “make the healing presence of God known in our world” and “improve the health of the people we serve, especially the most vulnerable.” Yet, by partnering with Ask Tia, CommonSpirit contradicts its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable—the unborn.
While CommonSpirit claims not to perform abortions directly, representatives have acknowledged3 that its doctors may refer patients to external abortion providers. This admission adds to the ethical concerns surrounding its partnership with Ask Tia.
4Especially since Ask Tia committed to expanding its abortion services in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by offering telehealth abortions in New York and California, as seen on their website.
Conclusion
CommonSpirit has now enabled Ask Tia to expand nationally, positioning itself to become the next Planned Parenthood in abortion services.
We are deeply disappointed to see CommonSpirit, which has verbally committed to upholding ethical standards, now selling out to the abortion industry.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy way to support women and protect the sanctity of life, consider donating to Save the Storks. Your contributions will help provide life-affirming care through partners who NEVER refer women to abortion providers. Together, we can ensure that women receive compassionate care that upholds the sanctity of life.
Ensure the sanctity of life is upheld!
- https://www.commonspirit.org/news-articles/tia-and-commonspirit-deliver-integrated-care-for-women ↩︎
- https://www.commonspirit.org/about-us#at-a-glance ↩︎
- https://www.lepantoin.org/wp/largest-catholic-health-network-is-partnered-with-abortion-provider/ ↩︎
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/letter-from-tias-ceo-post-roe-america-carolyn-witte/ ↩︎
