Florida Catholic | Bioethics conference draws experts to Fort Myers

Bioethics conference draws experts to Fort Myers

Doctors, nurses and other health care providers learn about Catholic stance on high-profile issues.

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 04.11.08

www.ncbcenter.org

FORT MYERS | There is a prevailing belief that the Code of Ethics for Catholic physicians is diametrical opposed with the code for the American Medical Association.

Not true, said John Haas, president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, during a special conference designed for doctors, nurses, other health care workers and priests March 29 at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish.

“We will not kill you or your unborn baby and we will not mutilate you. Apart from that, we have all range of things we can do to help you,” Haas said of the Catholic tradition in health care.

The “Faith-Based Bioethics: Catholic Tradition in Health Care” conference brought more than 45 doctors, 70 nurses, 30 priests and a variety of other health care professionals to hear Haas and others speak.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated Mass for the seminar attendees. He said that just because science can do certain things, it is not always OK to do them. Morals and ethics must be operative.

“I am excited about this seminal event that might resonate what we do bring in our faith and to our daily life,” Bishop Dewane. “We must be sensitive and be open to the Spirit. Continue with the joy of the Resurrection being a catalyst to the Spirit for everyone.”

The conference was the idea of Dr. Stephen Hannan, who had attended a conference where he heard Haas and Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s director of education. He believed bringing them to southwest Florida would be a good idea for Catholic and non-Catholic doctors alike.

“This is a day for you,” Hannan said. “These are issues that touch our hearts and emotions, to life and to each of us.”

Haas said all health care professionals have a commitment to defend human dignity from conception to death.

“If it is not good, it violates human dignity,” he said. “There is a cultural clash because cultural attitudes have changed. Sometimes there aren’t clear answers.”

Father Pacholczyk, a neuroscientist and molecular biologist, first spoke about embryonic stem-cell research, saying some of the hype is generated by the media and captures the imagination by overpromising with no results.

“Let me just tell you there is not one thing embryo research has done for research,” he said. He also spoke about brain death and the moral and ethical considerations revolving around this issue.

Other guest speakers included Dr. Mary Stegman, end-of-life chairwoman for the diocesan Respect Life Department, and Dr. Daniel Pepin, who has traveled throughout the diocese giving presentations on embryonic and adult stem-cell research.

The event was sponsored by Lee Memorial Health Systems.

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