Fall events planned
Southern Nebraska Register
The Nebraska Catholic Nurses and the Lincoln Catholic Medical Association hosted a retreat for healthcare providers April 27 in Lincoln.
The “Physician Heal Thyself” retreat was held at St. Patrick Church. It was open to all healthcare providers – physicians, dentists, nurses, physical therapists, psychiatrists, optometrists, and medical students.
The day included Mass, breakfast, a talk, and Eucharistic adoration. Prayer teams were available to join people in prayer, and confessions were available. Father Matthew Rolling, academic dean and a teacher at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, was the speaker.
Father Rolling pointed out that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in paragraph 1503: “Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that ‘God has visited his people’ (Lk 7:16; cf. Mt 4:24) and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus has the power not only to heal, but also to forgive sins; (Cf. Mk 2:5-12) he has come to heal the whole man, soul and body; he is the physician the sick have need of. (Cf. Mk 2:17)”
During the morning of recollection, Father Rolling said, “We considered what it looks like for God to heal not just our bodies, but more importantly, to heal our souls. In practice, it requires us to slow our lives down, pay attention to those emotional and spiritual aches and pains, and bring them to the Divine Physician.”
The Catholic Medical Association (CMA) is the largest association of Catholic individuals in health care. The organization helps members grow in faith, maintain ethical integrity, and provide excellent health care in accordance with the teachings of the Church. The CMA helps to start and support independent guilds (chapters) throughout the country. Guilds provide fellowship, education, and service to the local Church, the community, and peers in health care.
There are two CMA guilds in Nebraska, in Omaha and Lincoln. Dr. Arthur Grinstead is the Lincoln Guild president.
The Nebraska Catholic Nurses group, a member of the Catholic Medical Association, was started last year.
More events for healthcare workers and students will be held this fall.
A group from Nebraska will travel on a “supportive care” pilgrimage to Lourdes in France Oct. 6-13. The trip is designed for those who would like to go to Lourdes to pray for healing, but would not be able to go unless accompanied by a health care professional. Those in healthcare who can assist pilgrims are encouraged to prayerfully consider attending in that capacity. The application deadline is June 21, and more information is available at lourdesvolunteers.org.
The Lincoln Guild CMA will host the “White Mass” for all healthcare workers and students at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Lincoln Oct. 18.
The Omaha and Lincoln guilds of the CMA will host an ethics conference – with continuing education credits available – Oct. 19 at Creighton University in Omaha.
