White Mass unites health care
and theological issues
By Kate Reilly Lund
Correspondent
While often seen as conflicting institutions,
the Church and the health care
profession are far more similar than they
are different. Both priests and caregivers
use their talents; their hands, their voices
and their words to encourage and make
those they meet well. The only difference,
priests focus on spiritual healing through
the Sacraments and Christ’s presence in
all lives while those in the medical profession
focus on physical healing through
their knowledge of the human body.
To bring attention to these similarities,
Bishop Bootkoski presided over the
annual diocesan White Mass Nov. 21 in
the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi,
Metuchen. Father Sean G. Winters, chaplain
for Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth
Amboy, served as homilist.
A White Mass honors physicians,
nurses, and health care personnel, bringing
them together for a message of hope
and a continued witness
to prayer in their
lives.
Bishop
Bootkoski offered a
blessing for all those in
attendance who care
for the sick on a daily
basis, asking God to
fill them with his love
and wisdom and sustain
them in their work.
He also offered thanks
for those outside the
medical field who
came to the Mass to
honor healthcare
professionals.
Two diocesan
deacons are also physicians
and participated. in the Mass: Dr. Belardino Lupini of St.
Cecelia Parish, Iselin, who served as Deacon
of the Eucharist, and Dr. Pablo Bencosme
of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Perth Amboy,
who served as Deacon of the Scriptural Word.
Both specialize in internal medicine.
Three first-year students in the diocesan
diaconate program are also physicians. Dr.
Eduardo Olegario, an anesthesiologist, and
Dr. Stanley Choi, a surgeon, were readers during
the Mass. The third student, Dr. Francis
D’Mello, is a gastroenterologist.
In his homily, Father Winters spoke
about his experiences as a hospital chaplain,
seeing how physicians and staff act
as a bright light for those overwhelmed
with emotion and grief.
He referred to Dr. Scott Peck, and his
book The Road Less Traveled as a reminder
to look for the new path, the better road when
caring for others and for yourself.
Again demonstrating the similarities
between the Church and the medical profession,
Father Winters said the work of
both is about compassion, and being the
presence of Christ to those in need. “We
are called as Catholic Christians, we are
called to be present to the ill and the suffering,”
he said. “We renew our trust in the
Lord by reaching out to the sick, the elderly
and the dying.”
Stem cells focus
of White Mass talk
By Kate Reilly Lund
Correspondent
In conjunction with the White Mass in
the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi Nov.
21, the Diocese of Metuchen Physicians
Guild accepted nominations for its first president,
and Father John N. Fell, pastor, Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Bernardsville,
and Scripture Study columnist for The
Catholic Spirit, gave a presentation titled,
The Moral Considerations of Stem Cell
Research.
Father Fell, who attended the North
American College, Rome, was ordained in
1988. He later received a doctorate from
Alphonsian University, Rome. His presentation
explained misunderstandings regarding
the Catholic Church’s position on stem cell
research. He assured his audience that the
Church does, in fact, support adult stem cell
research, which has demonstrated wonderful
results, while opposing embryonic stem
cell research, which has not shown any significant
progress to justify its continuation,
despite the large amount of public attention
it draws. The Church opposes embryonic
stem cell research because it requires the destruction
of a living embryo.
He explained that the Church cannot
enter into a paradox of seeking to improve
the human lives of some by actively destroying
the lives of others. Scientists
agree that every embryo has a “personal
presence” he said, adding that scientific factors such as
DNA evidence support
the continuity of membership in the
human race for every individual from
zygote through old age.
The only argument in the medical
community is over the time when life
begins, he said. The Church believes the
embryo from the moment
of conception is an actual
human being, and that those
wishing to explore embryonic
stem cells for their
potential medical value
would deny that it is the
existence of life.
Father Fell also quoted
scientific textbooks and
scripture to confirm the
position that life begins at
conception. He explained
how those who promote the
use of the embryonic stem
cells first have to cast a
doubt on the living presence
of the embryo. He
then spoke of the phrase,“pre-embyro stage” which
was coined in 1986 and has
been broadly criticized by
science as well as theology
as a term that is used for
political, not scientific
argument.
The National Council of Bioethics,
founded by President Bill Clinton,
has stated that it would open the door
to embryonic stem sell research if it
was the only way. That isn’t the case,
however, because all current gains
from stem-cell research have come
from adult stem cells, not embryonic,
Father Fell said.
While many argue that embryonic
research should be performed as an act
of compassion for those suffering from
diseases that might be eliminated,
Father Fell explained the Church
position that compassion must also give
way to reason. He stated there have
been excellent results in adult tissue
used from cells elsewhere in the body
and success using blood from the
umbilical cord and brain and isolated
adult neural stem cells which have
saved lives.
The Diocese of Metuchen
Physicians Guild then announced its
first officers. Dr. Anthony Passanante
Sr., a member of the committee, read
the nominations. Dr. Frederic F.
Primich, was nominated as president,
Dr. Leticia DeCastro was nominated
as vice president and Dr. John J Nevins was nominated to be secretary/
treasurer.
The guild will be affiliated with the
Catholic Medical Association, under the
auspices of the International Federation
of Catholic Medical Associations,
headquartered in the Vatican.
The recently-organized Physicians
Guild will meet the needs of Catholic
physicians who want to take an active
part in their faith as well as their
medical careers. The group addresses
many of the current issues that face the
Church today as challenges and meets
them directly.
Dr. Richard Watson of
Mountainside, a former president of
the Catholic Medical Association
spoke, to the group about his affiliation,
his representation to the United
Nations and association with FIAME
at the Vatican.
One of the purposes designated for
the organization is to make important
and interesting information available to
the Catholic community regarding
health care and critical life issues.
Several of the physicians also
have experience in medical missionary
work. |
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*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law
