Last Sunday, I spent all morning and afternoon at St Dominic’s Hall where the Catholic Medical Association organizes its monthly meetings. The New York Metropolitan Chapter meets every month for a morning of Catholic fellowship. It’s open to all members of the medical fraternity, doctors, nurses, researchers, allied health professionals of all kinds.
What is the Catholic Medical Association?
The Catholic Medical Association is a national, physician-led community of over 2,200 healthcare professionals. It consists of 104 local guilds. CMA’s mission is to inform, organize, and inspire its members, in steadfast fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church, to uphold the principles of the Catholic faith in the science and practice of medicine.
New York Chapter
The New York Chapter is closely associated with the Dominican ministry. I’ve attended mass at St. Catherine of Siena Church several times and even try to attend their OLPS novenas on Wednesdays. The priests here dedicate themselves to the healing ministry serving MSK and all the hospitals in the area. The mission of the Order of Preachers or the Dominican Order is to share with others the truth about the God whom we contemplate in our hearts. They have confessions here daily at 4:45 pm and if you’re looking for simple spiritual direction, this is a good place. Sunday Mass is at 10 am followed by the meeting at St. Dominic’s Hall on the 2nd Floor. Last week’s mass had the beautiful message of my favorite Latin verse, Duc in altum- which means Put out into the Deep. It’s from Luke 5:1-11, where Jesus calls Peter. The phrase was a favorite of Pope St. John Paul 2. Check out our podcast on John Paul 2.
Agenda of the CMA
Last week we discussed the new Reproductive Act that came out in NYC and we had a lecture on Physician Burnout. Dr. Nolte (OB) and Dr. Greg( IM), our President and VP took the time to listen to questions and share their feedback with all of us. We were able to share ideas and what we wanted to see the CMA do in the future over coffee and doughnuts! 🍩🍩🍩
Myra’s mother was kind enough to take pictures even though so many people had left and everyone was in a hurry to go home. So a big thank you to her. PS: I’m not that fat! The camera does add 10 lbs and in my case all below my neck!!! 🙄
Why should you join the CMA?
Fellowship: I think it’s great that you can simply meet with other Catholic health professionals especially when you’re struggling with certain areas. Coming from Ignatian direction, it can tough to be a medical professional altogether. Especially if you follow Church doctrine. In fact, during the lecture, Dr McGovern said that Humana Vitae was one of the main reasons for the large dropout rate of Catholic members.
Mentoring: If you’re seeking direction, you can easily find someone to mentor you here. Many members shared their personal moments of spirituality and it was quite uplifting. One such moment of grace was when a member said, “God waits for you to accept His mercy when you need it!” It’s in keeping with the waiting, chasing, sheep finding God who’s always looking for us. Alternatively, if you’re at a later stage in your career, you can always mentor someone else. There are medical students at the meeting too. It was amazing to see how many people offered to share their expertise with me.
Leadership: There’s room to grow. CMA organizes leadership training for those who want to be leaders. Medical professionals are naturally influential members of their own local parishes and dioceses. In time, they will be called to leadership roles in their parishes and pastoral ministries, so if you’re looking to equip yourself then this is the place. This year CMA is organizing a Leadership Conference in Indiana.
Prayer: Dr. Greg led us into prayer and I think even a simple “Our Father” is so powerful when a group prays it with conviction. Imagine what it would be like if catholic medical professionals prayed one decade of the rosary before a shift, or dedicated a holy hour once a week for their workplaces. If you’re at a Catholic institution, you’re blessed to have daily Eucharist and the Angelus. That’s not possible everywhere. The CMA encourages doctors to pray together.
I could go on about the networking, the friendships, the spirituality etc. Jim Rohn says, “You’re The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With.” Why not choose one Catholic Medical Professional to help you with your spiritual walk?
I hope I’ve convinced you to join the CMA. If you don’t have a guild in your area, find out how you can start one.
JOIN THE CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AT THEIR WEBSITE: https://www.cathmed.org!