White Mass for medical professionals is Oct. 1

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By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic MessengerDAVENPORT — All medical professionals, from physicians and nurses to physical therapists and physicians’ assistants, are invited to attend a White Mass at 9 a.m. Oct. 1 at St. Paul the Apostle Parish. Following the Mass, all are invited to a light breakfast and talk by Dr. Wes Ely on “Protecting Human Dignity and Preservation of Self-Worth: A Practical and Compassionate Approach to End-of-Life Care.”

Dr. Timothy Millea, president of the St. Thomas Aquinas Medical Guild and member of St. Paul the Apostle Parish, said end-of-life issues are a hot topic.

Dr. Ely has experience with this topic because of his work as a critical care physician. “He will share his experiences and theology behind this issue,” Dr. Millea said. The talk will cover issues related to end-of-life care in the real-world clinical setting, incorporating secular and faith-based concerns, modern controversies related to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, and how to focus on prioritizing human dignity and self-worth through the dying process.

Dr. Millea believes this topic is an important one as physician-assisted suicide was debated in the Iowa Legislature in 2016 and likely will continue to be addressed in the 2017 next session.

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He said he first heard Dr. Ely speak at a Catholic Medical Association meeting in 2013. Dr. Ely had just come back from Japan for a critical care meeting. Dr. Millea said he was interested in the fact that the Japanese are Shinto-based in their faith, not Judeo-Christian. “There is such a respect for the elderly in many Asian cultures. I was very enthralled by his talk.”


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