BOSTON (CNS) — Just days before a joint partnership between Caritas Christi Health Care and St. Louis-based insurance company Centene Corp. was scheduled to begin, the Archdiocese of Boston announced June 26 that its Caritas Christi Health Care System was relinquishing its membership and equity interests in the venture.

The decision to withdraw from the partnership follows several months of controversy over the proposed joint venture with Centene to create CeltiCare Health Plan. The planned deal had been contentious since February when pro-life activists questioned Caritas’ partnership in a health plan that would be obliged to cover state-mandated procedures including abortion and sterilization.

On June 26, following a review by the National Catholic Bioethics Center, Caritas Christi announced that it would withdraw from ownership in CeltiCare but would continue to be a provider for the plan and receive payment for its services, as it would from any other health insurer. Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley supported the new arrangement.