The Denver Catholic Register

By Roxanne King

As the Denver chapter of the Catholic Medical Association approaches its one-year anniversary it is offering a variety of ways to help Catholic health care professionals apply their faith to their professional practice.

Denver Auxiliary Bishop James Conley will deliver a talk on “Virtue and Bioethics” at the CMA’s next monthly meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19. The meeting will begin with Mass in Christ the King Chapel of the John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St. Bishop Conley’s talk will follow the Mass in Bonfils Hall. Light refreshments will be served. A donation of $6 is suggested.

President of the Denver CMA chapter Dr. Robert Domaleski said Bishop Conley’s talk continues a series that explores foundational Catholic moral principles as they apply to medical science and practice.

“(The topic) ‘Virtue and Bioethics’ as opposed to ‘secular bioethics’ includes Catholic virtues such as faith, charity, prudence and justice that secular ethics often don’t include,” Dr. Domaleski said. “As an example, in the application of the virtue of faith, secular society tends to see suffering as pointless, meaningless and absurd. It also tends to view life as under the imperial control of the individual in every respect, especially in matters affecting birth and death.

“But in the Catholic vision,” he explained, “one must exercise dominion over nature in a more respectful, cooperative and harmonious way as a form of stewardship; so suffering is seen by the Catholic Christian as a part of life that is mysterious, redemptive and formative in the veil of soul making.”

In addition to offering the monthly meetings, which are held on the third Wednesday of every month at the John Paul II Center, the organization is launching a Web site, www.DenverCMA.org, which is expected to go live by month’s end. The Web site will offer information about the organization and its activities. All CMA activities are open to health care providers, clergy, religious and seminarians.

In October, which marks the one-year anniversary of the local CMA chapter, the organization is sponsoring  two special events. On Oct. 2-3 at the John Paul II Center, the organization will play host to the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s seminar on bioethics, which will feature nationally known speakers, including Father Tad Pacholczyk. On Oct. 18, the Denver CMA will host the second annual White Mass for Health Care Professionals at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, located at Colfax Boulevard and Logan Street. Bishop Conley, episcopal liaison to the Denver CMA, will be the Mass celebrant.

Catholic Medical Association

What: Mass and talk, “Virtue and Bioethics”

When: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19

Where: John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St.

Contact: Sister Esther Mary Nickel, R.S.M., 303-715-3144 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it