Ember’s March Newsletter

As we proceed through our Lenten observances, we offer the theme, Recognizing the Image of God in Suffering for this month’s EMBERS.

Hopefully, we are keeping our Lenten sacrifices as they are so much needed in these troubled times. The unimaginable agony and death experienced by the Son of God as expiation for our sins are made very real in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ movie. The FIRE committee suggests you watch it during Holy Week, particularly on Good Friday (March 29). Reversing the sin of Adam, who wanted to be like God, Our Lord humbled Himself by entering into our humanity. Through His Death and Resurrection, he opened the gates of Heaven for all those who take up their cross and follow Him.

A thorough discourse on Holy Week can be found in Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection, which we strongly recommend. We also recommend CMA member Dr. Thomas McGovern’s What Christ Suffered: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion.

CMA is asking that you set aside a Day of Prayer and Fasting on March 26th when the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine case involving the dangerous regulations for the use of mifepristone, the chemical abortion pill. Read more here.

Would you like to become a better physician, a better husband, a better father? The annual CMA Catholic Men Physicians’ Retreat will be held May 16-19, at Bethany Retreat Center in Dickson, TN. To register, contact Dr. Steve White at rswmd52@gmail.com. The theme is Personal Holiness in the Life of a Physician with the retreat being directed by Father Juan Velez, a former physician. Please watch Father Velez video invitation below.

This month, we recommend the book, The Way of Medicine: Ethics and the Healing Profession by Farr Curlin and Christopher Tollefsen.

The next Aquinas 101 short video from the Thomistic Institute is Universals and Particulars, Genus and Species.

We are coming up on the second anniversary of the CMA Virtual Prayer Group. Our next meeting is on Saturday, March 9 at 2:00 PM EST. Come pray with us!

Saints for this month include SS. Perpetua and Felicity (March 7), who were third century Cathaginian Christian martyrs, from whom an accurate account remains of their suffering. St. Perpetua had a baby at the breast and St. Felicity gave birth while in prison. When crying in labor, she was asked how she would be able to suffer being thrown to the wild animals. She replied, “Now I’m the one who is suffering, but in the arena, another will be in me suffering for me because I will be suffering for Him.” They are the patrons of mothers and expectant mothers.

St. Patrick is honored on March 17. He endured a great deal of suffering while bringing the people of Ireland to Jesus Christ. Enslaved by Irish pirates as a young teen, God led him out and back to Britain at age 20 only to send him back as a priest and bishop to evangelize the Druids and pagans with incredible success. We suggest the movie, St. Patrick: The Irish Legend on Formed.

St. Joseph is honored as the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary on March 19 and if you have not done so, we strongly recommend Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC. Further reading on this saint, who is silent in Sacred Scripture, is The Mystery of St. Joseph by Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, OP.

Lastly, we need to storm Heaven for the suffering Christian communities in the Middle East, caught in the crosshairs of the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel. In many countries in the world, minority Christians are experiencing unprecedented persecution such as in Nigeria and India. Prayers and sacrifices are needed.

May you and your family have a blessed Holy Week!

Chair: Kathleen M. Raviele, MD

Vice-Chair: Lynne Bissonnette-Pitre, MD, PhD

Chaplain: Fr. Christopher Kubat, MD

Donna C. Dobrowolsky, MD

Richard Florentine, MD

Jennifer Johnson, MD

Christina Chan, MD

Marie-Alberte Boursiquot, MD

Kevin Murrell, MD

Deacon Bruno Schettini, MD

Robin Pierucci, MD

Maria Martinez Ramos, MD

Sister Edith Mary Hart, RSM, DO

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