Archbishop Cordileone speaking with Catholic medical professionals at Mater Dolorosa. (Photo by Dennis Callahan/Archdiocese of San Francisco)

Archbishop: St. Luke models the kindness and courage of the Christian medical professional

‘You probably feel a lot of solidarity with those early Christians’

By Valerie Schmalz

The night was just a tad cool, but the warmth of the Archbishop’s words made up for any autumn chill at the annual White Mass for Catholic Medical Professionals at Mater Dolorosa Church in South San Francisco.

In his homily on the Oct. 18 feast day of St. Luke the Evangelist and Physician, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone noted St. Luke was not just St. Paul’s companion on his evangelizing journeys, which ended with St. Paul’s martyrdom in Rome. St. Luke tended to St. Paul’s ailments, which as the Archbishop noted in the passages he quoted from the Letters of St. Paul and the Acts of Apostle, were not a few.

“The point is, Paul suffered physical ailments, and Luke was there at his side to give him aid, comfort in suffering, and healing. Luke, then, is a man who used his talents generously and with kindness, all for the sake of the proclamation of the Gospel,” Archbishop Cordileone said in his homily.

Archbishop Cordileone

“In a very real way, albeit not within a church sanctuary, you participate in the work of Christ for his people, bringing about healing of body and soul.  You understand that your calling in life is to contribute to the healing of the whole person, not simply alleviating physical suffering in the quickest, easiest and most efficient way possible. Let alone in a way that will maximize profit!” he told those gathered. That path can be a rocky one, although it brings peace he said, thanking the health care professionals, and offering a blessing over them at the conclusion of the Mass.

At the reception in the Mater Dolorosa church hall, Archbishop Cordileone said: “I just want to repeat my words of thanks to you for what you do to bring Catholic values to an increasingly hostile environment. You probably feel a lot of solidarity with those early Christians when they were going out to a hostile world under Roman authorities.”

 “Your witness is so very, very important to keep the human loving face on healthcare, to be truly human and where we affirm the dignity of every person, and not just see people as a problem to be solved or a means to an end. Catholic healthcare is so important, now ever more so in today’s world,” said the Archbishop.

Listening to the Archbishop after the White Mass.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Archbishop Cordileone also urged opposition to Proposition O, a San Francisco ballot proposition that targets the city’s two life-affirming state licensed health clinics. He noted that “abortion kills.”

“We see that there is something very deep and dark and evil underlying all of this…. the devil has his ways of getting us to do his business without us realizing it. Please educate yourself. Let us continue to witness to the sanctity of human life,” Archbishop Cordileone said.

“More than ever, we need Christ-centered health care,” said Bella Primary Care’s Dr. Tammy Mahaney, who spoke as well. Bella, a cosponsor of the White Mass, offers prenatal care up to 24 weeks and cares for patients of all ages. The Archbishop serves on its board. Mahaney noted Bella is in the process of adopting Butterfly IQ, which allows a woman to see her baby on an ultrasound machine in her own home.

Tammy Mahaney

Two other Catholic health organizations co-sponsored the event, Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California and the San Francisco Guild of the Catholic Medical Association. The Malta clinic, located in the Oakland Cathedral of Light, does not charge anyone for its medical care, said clinic manager Anne Brussok who asked for volunteers. CMA’s Dr. Stehen McCurdy issued “a joyous invitation to join our guild” to spend time with like-minded Catholic healthcare professionals.

Music for the White Mass was by the Archbishop’s Schola, led by Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka, associate professor and director of Sacred Music at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University where she holds William P. Mahrt Chair in Sacred Music. She is founding director of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music. 

Valerie Schmalz is director of the Office of Human Life & Dignity. All photos by Dennis Callahan.