Updates from our Guild’s Board of Directors
Our Board members met in late March to approve revisions to our Bylaws and to participate in a strategic planning retreat. The Bylaws updates included: refining the roles of the Guild’s Officers and Board members, expanding the number of “at large” Board member slots available in order to allow additional representatives from the five counties of the Greater Philadelphia area, and giving the Guild chaplain, resident and medical student representatives voting privileges.
The Board retreat focused on improving communication with our members, growing our membership through person-to-person invitation, and establishing a process to get input from our members on their preferences for continuing medical education sessions offered by our guild. We plan to recruit members for a Continuing Education workgroup in the coming month to help with this priority. Stay tuned!
Joyful Events
April and May are packed with celebrations: Easter, blooming flowers, Mother’s Day, Nurses’ Day, First Communions, weddings, graduations, Ascension Thursday and Pentecost. We wish everyone who is celebrating in a special way the very best.
From a health care perspective, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Older Americans month, National Women’s Health Week (the week following Mother’s Day). Each of these reminds me of the importance of “community, connection, and caring.” Being attuned to those around us—family members, patients, neighbors– offering a greeting, encouraging someone who is lonely or discouraged—these all make a difference.
The Annual Mass Honoring the Gifts of Persons with Disabilities, the Deaf Community, Family, Friends and Caregivers was held on April 19 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. Our area Catholic students helped as volunteers at this event.
Lector Michael DiAntonio, wearing a tie, stands with his family and Auxiliary Bishop Efren V. Esmilla (Photo by Jay Sorgi, courtesy of CatholicPhilly.com)
Catholic med students Nate Cieplik and Jocelyn Chau and friends AnnaSophia and Alex Arroyo un
Annual St. John Neumann Guild Picnic and Hippocratic Oath Celebration for our Graduating Students
It was a joy to host this event at our home on May 3rd and to welcome members old and new, along with a nice cross section of med students. Jocelyn Chau, who is graduating from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, was accompanied by fellow med students and guests in reciting the traditional Hippocratic Oath led by our Guild Chaplain Fr. Joseph Ryan, OSA. In June, Jocelyn will begin her residency in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Deacon Bruno Schettini, the PA state and Regional Director for the national CMA joined us this year. Enjoy this montage of photos from the picnic.
Deacon Bruno Schettini & Bob Motley
Reciting the Hippocratic Oath together
Updates from the national Catholic Medical Association
Did you know there is a connection from our Guild website to the national CMA website? Check out articles on Care for patients with gender dysphoria, the upcoming Student Bootcamp, and an Easter Message from Bishop Conley, the national CMA’s Episcopal Advisor: Neumannguild link to CMA updates.
Did you know? FREE Access to National Catholic Bioethics Center publications
As a benefit of membership, St. John Neumann CMA Guild members have access to the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s publication library and to their biweekly newsletter, Ethics & Medics? Find our more here: ncbcenter.org/my-account. If you would like the password to access Ethics & Medics and other resources, simply email President@NeumannGuild.org, and we’ll provide the confidential log in information to you.
