Pharmacist Supported

In this world we are all called to be witnesses to Christ (Acts 1:8) - regardless of our vocation to the religious-life, lay or secular life. Below is an article showing a perfect example of one such person, putting morals and Church teaching above all else - moral above money? I like it!

This is taken from the "Together" newspaper, December 2009 issue - the free newspaper for the Wagga Wagga Diocese.

Pharmacist Supported
Church community admires courageous chemist
Griffith Pharmacist, Mr. Trevor Dal Broi, gained international media attention recently when the secular media beat up a story that he did not dispense the contraceptive pill from his pharmacy.
Several months prior to the sensationalised story hitting the headlines, Mr. Dal Broi had removed condoms and the 'morning after pill' from sale at his pharmacy. Also, when Mr. Dal Broi dispenses the oral contraceptive pill, he discreetly and politely gives the customer a leaflet explaining that the pill can be used to treat a range of medical conditions, but that if it is being used as a contraceptive then the customer is kindly asked to respect his conscientious objection to the sale and support of artificial contraception, and requests that in future the customer has their prescription filled elsewhere.
"I haven't stopped selling the pill", Mr. Dal Broi said. "I don't enquire why the customer is using the pill. That's their business unless they want to talk about it with me or ask my advice as a health professional."

"I simply advise the customer that I have a conscientious objection to selling the pill when it is used as a contraceptive." Mr Dal Broi said, "and humbly request the customers respect my views."
Mr. Dal Broi's objection is based on his acceptance of Jesus' moral teaching as faithfully transmitted through the Catholic Church, founded and preserved by Christ Himself.
Two of the major problems with the contraceptive pill are that on one hand it breaks the inseparable connection between fertility and sexual intercourse, and on the other hand, when the pill fails to supress ovulation, it acts as an abortifacient - killing new human life resulting from intercourse.
Mr. Dal Broi received the power to take his stance when he and his wife, Catherine, attended World Youth Day 2008, where they were inspired to draw closer to Jesus and live by His teachings.
"I used to be quite blinkered and only saw what I wanted to see. I didn't have much of an idea about my faith" Mr. Dal Broi admitted. "World Youth Day, our local youth group and my parish priests - Fr. Andrew Grace and Fr. Anthony Dunne - broadened my mind and opened my eyes to the truth. I have come to realise that when it comes to ethics there are some things that are right and some things that are wrong."
Mr. Dal Broi has joined a growing number of pharmacists who do not dispense the pill when it is used as a contraceptive/abortifacient.
Many people would not be aware that the pill is an abortifaceant when used as a contraceptive. Many people would also be unaware of the manifold increase in the incidence of cancer, particularly cervical and breast cancer among long term users of the pill, especially amongst younger users.
"There was a bit of a backlash when the news broke - people told me various things like 'keep your faith separate from your work and just do the religion thing on Sunday' and things like that," Mr. Dal Broi said. "But most of the feedback has been really positive. I am grateful for the love and support I have received from people in Griffith and all over - I even got a phone call of support from New York after it has hit the news in the USA!"
"Selling condoms and the 'morning after pill' was troubling me for a while, but when I decided to stop selling them I felt an enormous weight lift off my shoulders and I felt an amazing sense of peace. I knew straight away that I had done the right thing."
Mr. Dal Broi is not the only pharmacist in the diocese to take this stance. Mr. Simon Horsfall, owner of the Thurgoona Family Pharmacy found himself in the headlines a few years ago for the same reasons. There are also other pharmacists in the diocese who do not sell condoms or the 'morning after pill'.
Mr. Dal Broi and Mr. Horsfall's leadership is commended by informed pharmacists and authentic Catholics. Mr. John Wilks, consultant pharmacist, researcher, lecturer, author and faithful Catholic, said "Mr. Dal Broi is to be applauded for his stance", and quoted Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI in support of Mr. Dal Broi's actions. Mr. Wilks said that these popes have affirmed that pharmacists act in accordance with their professed belief.
Mr. Wilks also affirmed that "Mr. Dal Broi is not required to act against his conscience or to dispense products which are known to have deleterious effects on customers."
Courageous pharmacists like Trevor Dal Broi in Griffith and Simon Horsfall in Thurgoona deserve support from all people of goodwill in the community.
Moreover, Mr. Wilks said that all pharmacists who claim to be Catholic should follow suit, given the proven abortifacient nature of the pill. "Furthermore", Mr. Wilks said, "the Head of the Faith they claim to belong to has repeatedly said that a Catholic pharmacist cannot dispense or sell these products. So the question becomes this: to whom does a Catholic pharmacist give his/her loyalty - to arbitrary public opinion or to Jesus Christ?"