The Catholic Medical Association held its first national conference last week in Baulkham Hills in Sydney, Deacon Michael Tan reports. Source: Catholic Outlook.
While there has been a previous national gathering of Catholic doctors, this was the first national conference since the Catholic Medical Association was approved by the Australian bishops as a national peak body for Catholic healthcare professionals, replacing the former state-based Guild of St Luke.
The primary objective of the conference was to act as a forum for Catholic Healthcare professionals to gather for prayer, input and mutual support. We have a common goal of integrating our professional practice in the care of the sick and the dying with our call to minister the Good News of the compassion of Jesus for our patients. In other words, our professional practice in the care of the sick and the dying represents our faith in action as missionary disciples of Jesus. This is what it means to have a vocation in our professional care of our patients.
The November 10-12 conference had more than 80 participants from all states except Western Australia, as well as delegates from New Zealand and Portugal.
At the Conference White Mass (the Red Mass is for lawyers, the White Mass is for healthcare professionals), the healthcare professionals received a blessing of hands for their ministry to the sick and the dying.
Deacon Michael Tan is Deacon Assisting at St John the Evangelist Parish, Riverstone.
FULL STORY
Diocese plays host to first national Catholic Medical Association conference (By Deacon Michael Tan, Catholic Outlook)
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