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Reflections on Ethics, Faith, & Health Care: Now Featuring Discussion Posts on THE LOST ART of DYING, by L. S. Dugdale, MD

CHRIST the HEALER, PART IV: JESUS’ HEALING MINISTRY CONTINUES in HIS CHURCH

April 29, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Jesus Christ, in his earthly lifetime, showed himself to be the divine physician, healing bodies and spirits by his power…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Scripture

CHRIST the HEALER, PART III: JESUS SENDS HIS DISCIPLES to HEAL in HIS NAME

April 22, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Jesus performed innumerable healing miracles during his brief public ministry. Jesus’ healings demonstrated the power and tender love of God…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Scripture

CHRIST the HEALER, PART II: JESUS as the PHYSICIAN of SOULS

April 15, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The health care ministry of the Church’s ordained and commissioned ministers, as well as that of the Christian faithful who…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Scripture

CHRIST the HEALER, PART I: JESUS’ SAVING MINISTRY in the GOSPELS

April 8, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The health care ministry of the Catholic Church is – or at least ought to be – an extension of…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Scripture

REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING: JESUS’ PASSION and OUR PASSOIN

April 1, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Every year we celebrate Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. We hear the account of the Lord’s Passion from one…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Catholic liturgy, Scripture, Spirituality, Suffering

HEALTH CARE MINISTRY as CHRISTIAN WITNESS

March 25, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

In the gospels, there are dozens of stories in which people personally encounter Jesus and are transformed by the experience.…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Scripture

THE CONSOLING LOVE of CHRIST: a REFLECTION on JOHN 11

March 18, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

According to the Gospel of John, Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary, was ill, and his sisters…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Scripture, Trust in God

THE ETHICS of END-OF-LIFE HEALTH CARE, PART V: THREE QUESTIONS

March 11, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

When illness or injury threaten to end our lives or the lives of our loved ones, we may well find…

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Posted in: Ethics, Healthcare Filed under: Church teaching, End of life health care

THE ETHICS of END-OF-LIFE HEALTH CARE, PART IV: MEDICAL and NON-MEDICAL CARE

March 4, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

In our consideration of end-of-life health care, we seek to understand how we can determine which potentially life-sustaining measures are…

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Posted in: Ethics, Healthcare Filed under: Church teaching, End of life health care

THE ETHICS of END-OF-LIFE HEALTH CARE, PART III: IDENTIFYING EXTRAORDINARY MEANS

February 25, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

When someone is experiencing life-threatening illness or injury, ethical questions about the preservation of life often arise. What kinds of…

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Posted in: Ethics, Healthcare Filed under: Church teaching, End of life health care

THE ETHICS of END-OF-LIFE HEALTH CARE, PART II: CHOOSING LIFE and ACCEPTING DEATH

February 18, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

I have set before you life and death . . . Choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). With these words, Moses exhorts God’s…

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Posted in: Ethics, Healthcare Filed under: End of life health care, Human agency, Human dignity

THE ETHICS of END-OF-LIFE HEALTH CARE, PART I: ORDINARY MEANS of PRESERVING LIFE

February 11, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Human life is a precious gift from god. In its very first chapter, the Bible tells us, “God created mankind…

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Posted in: Ethics, Healthcare Filed under: Church teaching, End of life health care, Human dignity

SPIRITUAL CARE of the SICK: COMMUNION and CONFESSION

February 4, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York is blessed with a great number of faithful and dedicated people who…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Church teaching, Ministry, Sacraments

THE EUCHARIST as a SACRAMENT of HEALING

January 28, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The Eucharist, the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, is “the source and summit of the…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Church teaching, Ministry, Sacraments

LIFE is WORTH LIVING: REJECTING ASSISTED SUICIDE

January 21, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

“For me, it has always been clear: life is worth it only if you want it.” Thus states Carlos Framb…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: End of life health care, Human dignity

THE HUMANIZATION of HEALTH CARE

January 14, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Most, if not all, of the ethical problems in the world of health care come from a failure to grasp…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Human dignity, Scripture

FEEDING the SICK: NUTRITION and HYDRATION in HEALTH CARE

January 7, 2018 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Preservation of bodily life is among the most basic goals of health care. The means that are used to accomplish…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Church teaching, End of life health care, Human dignity

JESUS FEEDS the MULTITUDE: a REFLECTION for Ministers of Communion

December 31, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Bringing Holy Communion to the sick is an important part of Catholic health care ministry. In this reflection, we will…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Sacraments, Scripture

HOME for CHRISTMAS in the FAMILY of GOD

December 24, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Everybody wants to be home for Christmas. Everybody wants to spend Christmas with family. But some people can’t be home…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Catholic liturgy, Christmas, Human dignity, Scripture, Trust in God

THE DIGNITY of the HUMAN PERSON in HEALTH CARE: THE PATIENT as CHRIST

December 17, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Like all human beings, patients receiving medical care can be identified with Jesus Christ by virtue of the Incarnation, the…

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Posted in: Healthcare Filed under: Human dignity, Scripture, Spirituality, Suffering

CRIPPLED by ILLNESS; RUNNING to MEET the LORD

December 3, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The patients I encounter in my health care ministry are not, for the most part, runners. Many of them can…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Advent, Catholic liturgy, Human dignity, Prayer, Scripture, Suffering

THE DIGNITY of the HUMAN PERSON in HEALTH CARE: the PATIENT as AGENT

November 19, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

We often use the word “patient” when speaking of men and women who are receiving medical care without giving much…

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Posted in: Healthcare Filed under: Human agency, Human dignity, Spirituality

THE SAINTS of HEALTH CARE

November 12, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Every year on the first of November, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, the great commemoration of all…

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Posted in: Faith, Healthcare Filed under: Catholic liturgy

SADNESS, HOPE, and REVERSAL of FORTUNE

November 5, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

There are great joys that people in health care get to experience. Patients get well, receive favorable diagnoses, overcome difficult…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Hope, Prayer, Scripture, Suffering

The ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE

October 22, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

We are accustomed to evaluating people according to professional standards. “She’s a good doctor.” “He’s a good accountant.” “Their second…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Human dignity

VIATICUM: the LAST SACRAMENT of the CHRISTIAN

October 12, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, when administered to the dying, is called by the Catechism of the Catholic…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Church teaching, Death and dying, Ministry, Sacraments

“GOD’S REMEDY”: the STORY of RAPHAEL the ARCHANGEL

October 5, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. 10 Comments

I am writing this on September 29, the feast day of the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. They are the…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Prayer, Scripture, Suffering

ANOINTING of the SICK: a SACRAMENT for the SICK and the DYING

September 28, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament that is frequently misunderstood. When I receive emergency calls asking me to…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Church teaching, Death and dying, Ministry, Sacraments

CONTEMPORARY HEALTH CARE and the CHOICE for LIFE

September 25, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

I have set before you life and death . . . choose life! The choice that Moses set before the…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Church teaching, Death and dying, End of life health care, Scripture

REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES and the RIGHTS of PARENTS and CHILDREN

July 9, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Our society generally uses the term “reproductive rights” to refer to the options that should be made available to a…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Beginning of life health care, Church teaching

TOWARD a SPIRITUALITY of HEALTH CARE

July 2, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Christian revelation tells us that seeking what is truly good — and seeking the one who is Truth and Goodness…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Spirituality, St. Thomas Aquinas

The EUCHARIST, the CHURCH, and the HOSPITAL

June 25, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

“The Church draws her life from the Eucharist.” With these words, Pope Saint John Paul II began his 2003 encyclical…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Church teaching, Ministry, Sacraments

The RIGHT to LIFE: the RIGHT of a CHILD; not the RIGHT to a CHILD

June 18, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

That illnesses can now be diagnosed and treated when a child is still in the womb represents a significant advance…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Beginning of life health care, Church teaching, Human dignity

HEALTH CARE and the HOLY SPIRIT

June 4, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Every year at Pentecost the Church commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Catholic liturgy, Church teaching, Scripture

HUMAN CONSCIENCE and PATIENT AUTONOMY

April 30, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Conscience, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, is the act of the human intellect by which “we judge that something should…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Church teaching, Human agency, Human dignity, St. Thomas Aquinas

The ROAD to EMMAUS: ACCOMPANYING the SICK on their JOURNEY

April 23, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

In recounting the events of Easter Sunday, The Gospel of Luke presents us with the beautiful narrative in which Jesus…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Ministry, Prayer, Scripture, Suffering

O HAPPY FAULT!

April 16, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

On Easter Sunday the Church is full of rejoicing! That rejoicing is expressed in many ways, but never more beautifully…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Catholic liturgy, Scripture

SUFFERING with JESUS who SUFFERED for US

April 9, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Throughout our lives, and most especially in the season of Lent, the Church invites us to reflect upon and more…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Catholic liturgy, Scripture, Suffering

ASSISTED SUICIDE: the WRONG ANSWER to REAL PROBLEMS

April 2, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

In a recent Reflection (Feb 19, 2017), I characterized four common attitudes about death as those of “the secular, the scientist,…

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Posted in: Healthcare Filed under: Death and dying

JESUS’ KIND of HEALING: the MAN BORN BLIND

March 26, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

The ninth chapter of the Gospel of John relates a healing encounter between Jesus and a man born blind. Let…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Scripture

DEATH with DIGNITY

March 19, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Proponents of physician-assisted suicide have used the term “death with dignity” to present their cause in a positive way. The…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Church teaching, Death and dying, Scripture

GOSPEL ETHICS: COMMANDMENTS FOR US and PROMISES FROM GOD

March 12, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

We have already considered how the ethics of the Christian gospel embrace both rigorous moral standards and extravagant forgiveness of…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Scripture, St. Thomas Aquinas

LENTEN PENANCE: SUFFERING in UNION with CHRIST

March 5, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Throughout the forty days of Lent, the Church invites us to practice penance by praying, fasting, and giving alms. As…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Catholic liturgy, Church teaching, Ministry, Prayer, Scripture

GOSPEL ETHICS: RADICAL DEMANDS and RADICAL MERCY

February 26, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

G. K. Chesterton, the early 20th century Christian apologist, wrote that, while “paganism declared that virtue was in a balance;…

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Posted in: Ethics Filed under: Church teaching, Scripture

HUMANS and DEATH: the SECULAR, the SCIENTIST, the SUICIDE, and the SAINT

February 19, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. 1 Comment

In the eyes of God, death is the negation of the life He created. God permits death as a consequence…

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Posted in: Healthcare Filed under: Death and dying

GOD and DEATH: the VICTORY of JESUS

February 12, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

“I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” These are the first words of the Apostles…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Church teaching, Death and dying, Scripture

EARTHEN VESSELS and the TREASURES THEY HOLD

February 5, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

“We hold these treasures in earthen vessels,” Saint Paul says (2 Cor 4:7). These “earthen vessels” are human bodies, which…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Death and dying, Scripture

WHAT it MEANS to HOPE

January 29, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

“Hope” is a word that can mean different things. It can mean looking forward to something good that might happen…

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Posted in: Faith Filed under: Hope, Scripture, Spirituality

ADVANCED DIRECTIVES in HEALTH CARE, PART III: MAKING the BEST DECISIONS

January 22, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

Having considered the topic of advanced directives in health care in general, and the kinds of directives that can be…

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Posted in: Healthcare Filed under: Death and dying, End of life health care

ADVANCED DIRECTIVES in HEALTH CARE, PART II: KINDS of DIRECTIVES

January 15, 2017 Fr. Jonah Pollock, O.P. Leave a comment

We have considered in a general way the topic of advanced directives in health care. Let us now consider some…

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Posted in: Healthcare Filed under: Death and dying, End of life health care

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Recent Posts

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  • Discussion Post for THE LOST ART OF DYING, Chapter 3, Pages 59-69 November 23, 2020
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