So, as we all try to get used to the new normal, I thought I would pass on some information.
Welcome New Member
Please welcome Mateo Nicholson to our guild. He is second year resident in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MCW just moved to Milwaukee.
White Mass
Unfortunately, we have had to make some changes to the White Mass this year. Marquette is not allowing any Masses to be scheduled on its campus, so we have moved it to Immaculate Conception Church which is our chaplain Fr. Schumaker’s parish. Address below:
Immaculate Conception
1023 E. Russell Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53207
It will still be on Thursday October 15th at 7PM. I am still waiting to hear if Bishop Schuerman with celebrate it.
Also, due to COVID restrictions, we have decided not to have a speaker. I know that is disappointing but hopefully next year, we’ll be able to do it. Dr. Van Meeter was going to speak on the topic of pediatric gender dysphoria, and I think that waiting until we can do the topic justice is best.
Catholic Medical Association Virtual 2020 Conference
Like most things, the conference this year is virtual. The advantage is that you don’t have to decide which talk you want to go to since all of them are available whenever you are. Price is $495 for physicians and $75 for students and residents (with a scholarship). Please go to the website http://www.cvent.com/events/2020-annual-educational-conference.
Membership Drive
The national CMA is trying to increase its numbers. They provide not only support for medical professionals like ourselves and sponsor a great annual convention, but also go to bat for us in Congress and the Supreme Court. Finally, you get their award-winning journal Linacre.
Sign up now and get a 25% discount off next year’s dues. New members only. Please click on link below.
2021 New Member Discount Form.
Gianna Molla Gala
The Gianna Molla Clinic, a member of our state’s Green Bay guild, is holding a gala in October. If interested, see below. You can attend virtually.
(Virtual) Journal Club and Meditation on Suffering. If Interested, contact me!
I know at this time it is difficult for us to get together. What I thought we could do as a way to connect, if people were interested, would be to start a virtual journal club and/or group that could continue our Lenten meditation on the purpose of suffering. The Florida Guild did a virtual journal club meeting and it seems to have gone well, but their timing (6 PM our time) was difficult to make. So, Richard Fehring suggested that perhaps we try to do it. If there is enough interest, I will invite the other guilds in our time zone as well.
We could do it once a month, every two months or quarterly. We could alternate between the two possibilities. And once COVID dies down, we could do a blend of in person and virtual. It will also be recorded, so any of the members of our guild can access it if they can’t make the meeting itself.
I would like to have at least 4 from our guild tell me that they would like to do this to justify the cost (Zoom is around $15/month and looking into other options that may cost less). And the leader could rotate.
Possible topics for the journal club: Dr. Fehring’s various NFP research papers, recent articles in Linacre by Drs. Laabs and Linn on genetic testing in Catholic hospitals, and articles on recent research exploiting Mexican women for fertility technology research or how stay at home orders fulfill Church teaching on the common good and care for the poor and vulnerable (and yes, people will be free to disagree), both authored by yours truly. Or any other research topic someone else might have, looking at it from a scientific and Catholic ethical perspective.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, please contact me at [email protected] sometime over the next 2 weeks. Based on interest, how quickly people get back to me, and my amount of free time(!), I would like to get it started up by the end of September.
Vote! Vote! Vote!
Do your duty as a citizen and be sure to vote this November. Look not just at the candidates, but also at the issues and platforms they represent.
A Final Thought
I know these have been difficult times. We seem to lurch from one disaster to another. Being chronically stressed does not always bring out the best in us. But whenever we disagree with someone, we must try to understand why we disagree. And we disagree with the issue, not the person. We are all made in God’s image, Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives. So, we should treat the other as we would treat Christ (not that we would necessarily disagree with Him, but you know what I mean). Don’t belittle yourself with ad hominem attacks even if the other side does so. Let your anger only be a righteous one. Finally, don’t always think the worst of those with whom you disagree.
A Final Blessing
(Supposedly from someone who works in NIH, also found on https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/irish-blessings-for-the-coronavirus-crisis with some editorial changes from me)
☘️ IRISH BLESSINGS FOR THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
May the road rise up to meet you,
But please do not meet up with anyone else closer than six feet.
May the winds be at your back,
And your coughs be in your elbow.
May the sun shine upon your face,
The rain fall upon your fields,
And until we meet again, whenever that it,
And whenever we can remove our masks,
May God hold you in the palm of his thoroughly washed hand.