The Guild of Catholic Doctors

I hope that I will begin linking to more than just one Catholic medical student, since support from peers is so important in the medical profession. Last year, as I was becoming more exclusively Catholic in my outlook, I found something lacking in my medical school Christian Union. Affiliated to the CMF, it is a thriving and helpful 'fellowship' of young Christian medical students, and my time with them will always be remembered fondly. However, they are basically 'evangelical' in persuasion, and I felt more and more at odds with the overall ethos there.

I would love, therefore, to commend this organisation to any medical students. Go to The Guild of Catholic Doctors Website! It really needs some youth to inject some life into it, and the membership is very cheap. Their publication, Catholic Medical Quarterly, has some excellent articles and advice, lately so for medical students as well. I wrote a letter to them which has been recently published. Here is a copy of it (written January 2006):

I am very pleased to have recently joined the Guild of Catholic Doctors. I am a 4th year Medical Student who has recently returned to the Faith after a significant period of being lapsed, and am overjoyed to be part of an organisation which extends the brotherhood of Christ into my future profession.

I felt compelled to write to you after reading an anonymous letter published in your recent Quarterly November 2005 Vol LV No.4 (309) page 41. This was a letter explaining the reasons for a member and his wife resigning from the guild.

Subsequently I felt I would write to explain my reasons for joining, which actually seem to refute some of the criticisms the aforementioned member brought to your attention. The first issue of the CMQ I received was February 2005, and I immediately read with great interest the article by Hugh Henry: Can Condoms Kill? I was delighted to read such an overtly Catholic critique on a modern medical issue such as this, which would never have graced the pages of Triple Helix (the evangelical "Christian Medical Fellowship" publication). Once I'd read this article, I knew I had made the right choice on leaving an evangelical organisation (CMF) for a Catholic one. Contrary to what Dr. Anon writes, I feel the editorial need not encourage debate around these issues, since we are faced constantly with that in the secular world. Indeed, I think he will find publications like The Tablet provide more than enough "debate on Church teaching". I encourage education and elaboration of orthodox teaching. To quote St. Paul; "I beseech you, brethren... that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you; but that you be perfect in the same mind, and in the same judgement" (1 Cor 1:10).

Personally speaking, I welcome a publication which embraces Church teaching on controversial ethical issues, and helps Catholics in the medical profession apply these to their careers and make sense of what is going on. As a medical student I often feel pressured into adopting a particular way of thinking by doctors who are my superiors. Never was this more tangible than when I sat in on a consultation with a gynaecologist and a mother requesting an abortion. I appreciate the articles in CMQ because most of all I feel it represents that part of the communion of Christians, the Body of Christ, where "if one member glory, all the members rejoice" (1 Cor 12:26) and indeed I rejoice at the help and support I feel by being a member.

I look forward to participating further in the Guild, and encourage a true and orthodox Catholic understanding of the profession, one which extends beyond just looking to the Bible (I refer to my experience of CMF) and embraces apostolic tradition and the true light of Christ "which enlighteneth every man" (John 1:9), active in the One Church he so lovingly established here on earth.

Yours Sincerely

An interesting complement to this is the letter of resignation I wrote to the CMF (Christian Medical Fellowship) around the same time. Not renewing membership is unfortunately not sufficient to stop them sending their material, and I didn't want to be an expense to them. I also wanted to clear my conscience after signing their preposterous 'agreement' declaration when I was still a naive lapsed Catholic finding my way back to the faith. Here is a copy:

Re: Termination of membership

Please understand that this is a very difficult letter for me to write, mainly because it makes me acutely aware of the disunity that is present among Christians1, often for reasons alien to individuals themselves.

I have a background of being brought up in a nominal Catholic household, and as a result I gained an excellent grounding in the tenets of the Christian faith (especially through a Catholic focused Religious Studies GCSE). However, due to various crises in my life, I lapsed in my faith and became cynical towards religion altogether.

I thank my local CMF branch hugely for its part during my return to faith. After having married a Christian I wanted to get involved in CMF because it fostered stimulating ethical discussion which was relevant to my career. At the same time many other situations in my life were being used by God to bring me back to a fully practising faith.

Independent of my own persuasions, my wife decided to convert to Catholicism. I was extremely hurt to read an article on "Roman Catholicism" on the CMF website, contained in the section: Other Religions and Cults. Reading the article, I could see its many flaws because I had a personal and biblical understanding of the Catholic faith itself. I was pleased once the website was restructured to see the previous classification had been removed. The article itself, still present, made me aware of the fundamental flaws in evangelical theology; the author was using the Bible to disprove the very Church that wrote and compiled the Bible as we know it (give or take some alterations by Martin Luther in the 16th Century)!

Once my wife and I had discovered the fullness of faith that was present in the Catholic Church, our relationship reached a new level of intimacy and love, which I am grateful to God for. In short, my life feels fulfilled in a way I never dreamed of, and this consists of my honour and love of God as father, and the Church as mother2.

But none of this explains why I feel the need to resign from the Christian Medical Fellowship. Well, being an organisation which clearly displays evangelical tendencies, I note with regard to your membership declaration a required set of core beliefs; "Faith in God the Father and in God the Son the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, and in God the Holy Spirit; and who accept the Bible as supreme authority in matters of faith and conduct". I don't intend this letter to be a theological exegesis, but just wanted to explain why I can no longer subscribe to the last of these statements: "accept the Bible as supreme authority in matters of faith and conduct". In doing so, I affirm my utmost veneration of the Bible, and do not wish my failure to abide by this statement to appear indicative of a disregard for Sacred Scripture.

I see in the declaration statement definite shades of the 16th century reformers principle "sola scriptura" (by scripture alone). Ironically this principle is to be found nowhere in the bible. Instead, scripture affirms its own importance and authority alongside sacred Tradition and the magisterium of the Church. Of particular note, St. Paul describes the Church as the "pillar and support of the truth"3 and encourages the Corinthians to "maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you"4. For although Jesus condemned "human tradition" which made "void the word of God"5, he certainly didn't condemn Sacred Tradition; the handing down of the faith through apostolic succession, seen when St. Paul encourages Timothy in the teachings he had passed on6.

The reason why I accept the Church as authoritative in matters of faith and conduct, is because Christ established it upon the "rock" of St. Peter7 and assured his disciples that anyone rejecting them would be rejecting Jesus, and God8. He gave the Church authority to forgive sins9, to discipline its members10, and this whole structure helps to safeguard against heresy, disunity and sin; from the theological vagaries arising from private interpretation of the Bible and tradition dissociated from Church teaching. This unity was unchallenged for a thousand years, after which time the eastern orthodox religions continued separately, but still preserved the same doctrines which were rejected during the protestant reformation in the 16th century. I believe and uphold Christ's promise to St. Peter; that the gates of hell would never prevail against his Church11 (despite what the reformers claimed). The mission of the Church is only as powerful as God's grace, with the help and unity of the Holy Spirit12.

I hope I have helped to show that Catholics love scripture and that it affirms the wonderful basis of God's Church. As a faithful Catholic, I am following my own conscience by withdrawing my membership with CMF, based on the declaration statement. I am very grateful for all the support CMF has given me, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time with you. I pray that all your future endeavours may be fruitful and showered with God's grace, even if it excludes faithful Catholics such as myself.

Yours sincerely,

References
1) I unite my prayer with that of Christ, the high priest: John
17:20-21
2) the bride of Christ: Eph 5:25, Rev 19:7-8
3) 1 Tim 3:15
4) 1 Cor 11:2
5) Mark 7:1-13
6) Eg 2 Tim 1:13, 2:2
7) Matt 16:18
8) Luke 10:16
9) John 20:22-23
10) Matt 18:17-18, 16:19
11) Matt 16:18
12) Luke 24:46-49

I hope those CMF members who refute any incompatibility between the two organisations will take note. I agree with my spiritual director that apologetics isn't an effective way to convert souls (it takes more than just intellectual persuasion for the grace of God to change hearts and minds!) but I like to think that it is a good way of protecting ourselves against threats to the Faith.

I had to recently write a reply to the CMQ after a CMF member wrote to complain that I was creating 'unnecessary divisions' between the two organisations (based on my first letter, above. I doubt the second letter would ever be published by the CMF, or widely shown to anyone!). Before I reproduce that letter in full (and likely bore you!) I will wait and see if the editor prints it. It is going 'off subject' quite a bit, when compared with some other wonderful letters.

As many know, I am highly sceptical of the ecumenical movement because it creates such misconceptions as "we're all the same really" or that "we share the essentials" (as if the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or her glorious assumption, or immaculate conception, is somehow dispensable!). Well, the way we can work together on pro-life issues, like combating the recent 'assisted suicide' bill (more on that later) is fantastic. But that doesn't mean we have to be part of each other's clubs, does it?