Though the panelists at Tuesday night's "A Catholic Perspective on Health Care in America" discussion agreed that health care is an important issue in society, each approached the topic with widely varying viewpoints.

Much of the panel discussion, which was sponsored by Marquette's chapter of College Democrats, focused on the fate of people in the United States who are not insured or underinsured.

According to Sister Shawnee Daniels-Sykes, a graduate student in the College of Arts & Sciences, 57 million Americans lacked health care in 1998, the most recent data available.

"Universal access to health care must be a right for all people because all life is sacred and deserves respect and reverence," she said.

Professor of Theology Daniel Maguire agreed and said he wanted "Catholic energy to be put toward making a universal, national health care plan."

Karen Ivantic-Doucette, a clinical assistant professor of nursing, took a similar viewpoint, drawing from her experience with AIDS and HIV patients. Of the 5,000 to 8,000 people in Wisconsin with AIDS or HIV, she said, only 2,000 are financially able to pay for the health care.

On the other hand, Associate Professor of Political Science John McAdams said he believed that instead of creating universal health care, those who do not have insurance should be forced to obtain it. He said health care is available to many of the Americans who are not insured, either through being eligible for Medicaid or by earning enough money to buy insurance if it is not provided by their employer.

Panelists also discussed abortion and its role in health care from a Catholic perspective.

"Patients deserve the right to go to a pro-life physician who speaks the same faith language," said Christine Zainer, a physician and president of the Milwaukee Guild of the Catholic Medical Association.

Maguire took a different view.

"Contraception is good and can be mandatory, and abortion can be justified," he said.

Mike O'Dea, executive director of the Christus Medicus Foundation, said he thinks the Catholic Church should create its own health care policy.

"People deserve the ability to choose a health care plan," he said. "It would provide a conscientious choice in health care."

Eugene Diamond, chief executive officer of the Northern Indiana Region of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., agreed with O'Dea.

"Without Catholic Hospitals, health care in America would be in a far sorrier state," Diamond said.

The forum drew a large crowd of students, many who disagreed with the panelists.

"Maguire falsely believes that contraception and abortion can be ethical," said Alexandria Ahrens, a senior in the College of Nursing.

College of Arts & Sciences sophomore Ben Weiland, said he thought the panelists "had stellar resumes" and "provided necessary perspectives for understanding health care and Catholic faith."