CMA and the Divine Physician

By Lester Ruppersberger, DO, FACOOG (Dist.)

CMA Past President, 2016

I was invited to join the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) by Past President Dr. Jack Lane Sr., at a medical staff meeting for a hospital where we both were worked. I had never heard of CMA, but I was in a transitional time in my life and career (having recently given up a 20-year contraceptive practice to become an NFP-only Ob/Gyn) so I reluctantly said ‘yes.’ Within a year, I was invited again to join the Board as a regional director, and, again somewhat reluctantly said ‘yes.’ Seven years later, I was invited to ‘go through the chairs’ eventually leading to my presidency in 2016. I served another two years as immediate past president. So, why do I mention this?  Because it’s all about the invitation!

CMA is the largest organization of authentically Catholic physicians in the U.S, which accepts, supports, and aspires to follow the Magisterial teachings of the Catholic Church in science and medicine. We have a Bishop as an Episcopal Advisor and a national chaplain, who also happens to be an M.D.! We have over 120 guilds comprising 2,700 members with a vision of medicine as a healing ministry. There are over 225 students in the Novus Medicus section of CMA, over 200 resident members and associate members consisting of nurses and other allied health professionals as well as priests, religious, and other supporters. All these members reflect Christ, the Divine Physician, and, it is that aspect which has significantly impacted my professional life, my personal life, and my previous practice (I am now retired).

During His earthly life, Jesus was very active in His ministry of healing. He cured the blind, opened the ears of the deaf, cured lepers, cured the bleeding woman, gave sight to the blind, raised the crippled to new physical ability, and even brought the dead back to life. However, He did not cure all disease and sickness once and for all, but He did love every person in need of healing. He did comfort them, invite them and show them His love. We physicians and associates in the healing ministry are gifted with this same ‘call’ to heal others with and through Christ as His disciples. We physicians have Christ within us (through our Baptism, the Sacraments and prayer) and we are to bring that Christ to our patients along with whatever healing that Jesus will provide for them. It was this realization that led to the creation of a new (and current) vision statement for CMA –– ‘Inspiring physicians to imitate Christ’ ––a truly collaborative effort of the entire Board of Directors at the time, who in prayer and reception of the Sacraments at a retreat, and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, created this vision. We are to pass this on to those who follow.

The Holy Spirit, the inspiration of our Patron, St. Luke, the Sacraments, prayer and the grace-filled fraternity and personal witnesses of members led me to make changes in my life, my marriage, and my practice. I no longer say ‘yes’ reluctantly; I confidently say ‘yes’ to CMA!

As Christ called each one of His disciples, one at a time, with an invitation to not only change their personal lives but also the lives of those with whom they came into contact, and eventually the world through His Church, we at CMA are likewise called and need to call, one-by-one, our colleagues to join us so that they too may imitate Christ. That is the inspiration and motivation for sharing my story. ‘Come, follow Me’ is the echo of this call to all.

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