Health care professionals renew Catholic work ethics at Diocese of Salt Lake City's inaugural White Mass

Intermountain Catholic

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Dr. John Brehany, National Catholic Medical Association executive director, speaks at a reception following the White Mass. IC photo/Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — More than 100 health care professionals from throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City gathered under the patronage of Saint Luke to ask for God’s blessing and rededicate themselves to their healing professions during the inaugural White Mass celebrated by the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, Oct. 29. 

Bishop Wester blessed the health care professionals; they often have to deal with difficult human suffering, but also have the joy of bringing healing to people, he said.

The White Mass was concelebrated by Cathedral of the Madeleine priests Father Martin Diaz, pastor; Father Jose Barrera, parochial vicar; diocesan priests who also serve as hospital chaplains: Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory, Saint Patrick Parish pastor; Father Rowland Nwokocha, Saint Ambrose Parish associate pastor; and Father Bruce Clapham, Veterans Administration Medical Center chaplain.

The traditional White Mass began in the United States when the National Catholic Medical Association was formed in the 1930s. It is celebrated on a day close to the Feast of Saint Luke, which is Oct. 18. Saint Luke is the patron saint of physicians. The Mass was so named for the white coat worn by those in the healing professions of medicine.

"I’m so thankful to have the White Mass celebrated in Salt Lake City; it was truly a beautiful Mass with Bishop Wester and so many hospital chaplains and health care workers from the diocese present," said Dr. Natalie Rodden, who organized the local White Mass.

In his homily, Bishop Wester referred to his hospital ministry as a young priest, and described two particular patients he met. The first was a cynical elderly man and the second was a middle-aged woman who had had a series of serious health problems, Bishop Wester said. At first the woman was extremely angry with God, but she changed, he said.

"Through her suffering and her disease, she found God and realized she wasn’t in charge of her destiny," Bishop Wester said. "You who are health care providers in a variety of ways touch the human soul and the human heart in a unique way, and encounter this mystery of life, this mystery of God … how healing can come about in such a variety of levels through God’s grace."

A reception followed the Mass, with a talk by Dr. John Brehany, National Catholic Medical Association executive director, who spoke about conscience rights and religious liberty in health care and also about starting a Catholic Medical Association guild in Salt Lake City.

The Catholic Medical Association is a physician-led community of health care professionals "who strive to live their Catholic faith and to take that out into their practices so they can offer true healing; offer the love of Christ and the healing power of God," Brehany said. "The CMA exists to bring people together to help form and connect them, is a leading national voice, supports and educates medical students, builds local guilds and offers conferences centered around faith formation and fellowship, and I look forward to Salt Lake City having a guild."

"I think the Catholic Medical Association is such a wonderful organization; it rejuvenates the spirit of health care professionals and reminds us why we went into medicine in the first place, and that is to serve God through serving his people," said Rodden. "I know the organization has helped me in my professional life in providing balance for me as I care for patients and I truly feel it [the CMA] could only benefit the diocese in providing further formation for the physicians in reaching out to medical students, or residents in providing an arena of fellowship and spiritual growth for the members."

For information, contact Dr. Natalie Rodden, nrodden@gmail.com.