The ERDs: Part One - The Social Mission of Catholic Health Care Services.

The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) exist to guide administrators, providers, and patients regarding the Church's principles for maintaining human dignity while providing ethical patient care. A brief history of the document itself is presented followed by a discussion of selected portions of Part One of the ERDs, which relate directly to the mission of Catholic healthcare and why this is important as the secular culture becomes increasingly hostile to religious beliefs. © Catholic Medical Association 2021.