By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — An expert in hospice and palliative care will speak on “Sustaining the Joy of Medicine: Living Your Professional Vocation,” following the White Mass for medical professionals on Oct. 19.
Bishop Thomas Zinkula will preside at the White Mass, which begins at 9 a.m. in Christ the King Chapel on the St. Ambrose University campus. Dr. Natalie Rodden will speak afterwards at the Rogalski Center.
The St. Thomas Aquinas Guild of the Quad-Cities sponsors the annual Mass and the talk. All are welcome to attend both.
Rodden is a member of the Catholic Medical Association and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and her MD from Tulane University. She completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Utah and palliative medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic Arizona.
During medical school, she founded the Catholic Medical Association Student section, a national organization with the goal of preparing students to uphold the principles of the Catholic faith in the science and practice of medicine. She was active in advancing support for Catholic healthcare workers in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
Her fellowship research on “improving spiritual competency at the Mayo Clinic” focused on encouraging a culture of awareness and comfort as health providers address spiritual issues, notably at the end of a patient’s life. She currently leads an inpatient palliative care consultation service, serves as co-chair of her hospital’s ethics committee, and is developing a parish-based ministry on Catholic end-of-life issues.
Guild president Dr. Tim Millea describes Rodden as “a remarkable young and dynamic physician who works extensively in the palliative and end-of-life care arena.” She is a regular speaker for the Catholic Medical Association’s nation meetings.
The White Mass is traditionally celebrated near the Feast of St. Luke, patron saint of physicians, to honor those who work in health care, such as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, lab workers and more.
Membership in the guild or Catholic Medical Association is not required to attend the Mass or talk, which is free.
For more information, visit https://stthomasaquinasguildqc.com.
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