Comprehensive health care in Santa Fe is in jeopardy.

In its merger with Catholic-based Christus Health, St. Vincent Regional Medical Center has refused to include language in their legal agreements that would not only ensure compliance with state laws, but would also ensure that patients will continue to have seamless access to comprehensive family-planning services and the ability to control their own end-of-life decisions.

St. Vincent Regional should honor its patients, employees and the community of Santa Fe by creating an environment in which diversity is respected by ensuring that patients will have the highest standard of care and the best medical practices — without institutional restrictions — while still respecting each individual's spiritual needs and personal convictions.

Patients seeking care at a community hospital must be free to exercise their religious freedom when receiving health care and must not be compelled to act against their own consciences.

Our constitutional guarantee of both freedom of religion and freedom from religion must be maintained.

This separation of religion and state makes possible the promise that the ethical provision of health care can coexist with authentic religious pluralism.

We strongly urge the board of directors of St. Vincent Regional Medical Center to reconsider their decision and be transparent with the community of Santa Fe in their negotiations with Christus Health.

In the absence of written assurance and the transparency it would provide, we would have to counsel the members of our congregations to oppose any merger between St. Vincent Regional Medical Center and Christus Health.

The Rev. Benjamin Larzelere III, is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church. Ten additional religious leaders of Santa Fe (visit SVHmerger.org for list) signed this My View.