Through our lives and in our medical vocation, we wish to reveal and demonstrate the love of God towards all who seek our service, especially the sick and suffering. Furthermore, we will strive to ensure that Almighty God is glorified in all aspects of medical practice by adhering in Truth and Charity to the Catholic Faith, which He has revealed to us and to the noble attributes of the profession to which we have been called.
We are a guild of faithful Catholic doctors seeking to live the Holy Catholic Faith, as revealed by God, through His Son Jesus Christ to His One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. With humility, we hope to defend and uphold the Deposit of Faith found in Sacred Tradition. We will strive to live and protect that Faith as defined by the Church and explained by the Holy Fathers and Doctors, modeling our lives on the Saints. With the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, we will form our minds in the scholastic method and uphold the Natural and Divine Law.
Beliefs
We profess the Catholic Faith defined by the Magisterium and found in the Tradition.
Following the Catholic Faith, we recognize that man was created in a state of physical, mental, and spiritual perfection. However, death, deformity, and disease were brought into this world by the Original Sin and the subsequent sins of mankind.
We recognize that the exemplars of perfect human nature are Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, after whose pattern our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created.
We recognize that everything was created to manifest God’s glory, given the Incarnation and the Immaculate Conception. Therefore, that man would be the steward, but not the servant, of His Creation.
We recognize that God specially created man’s body from the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life, and then made the first woman, Eve, from the side of our father Adam–one man, for one woman, for life, from the beginning of creation.
We believe “the soul is the form of the body” (Council of Vienne, 1312). In the Catholic philosophical Tradition, we hold that man is a body-soul composite. The soul organizes and coordinates the interdependence of all organs and systems to maintain the unity of a living human person.
Following the virtue of prudence and being mindful of the dangers posed to the Faith by rashly accepting novel ideas with insufficient proof, we, following the counsel of Pope Pius XII, hold serious reservations regarding the various hypotheses of evolution. Considering the philosophical inconsistencies, lack of incontrovertible evidence and in fidelity to Tradition, we find ourselves compelled to believe in the Traditional views of origins, that God made each creature immediately and formed the first man from the earth.
We believe in the dogma of creation as formulated in the Catechism of the Council of Trent. Specifically, we affirm the special creation of Adam and Eve.
We affirm that human nature was established in Adam and marred by original and subsequent sins. We affirm that for medical research to be fruitful, it must always take into account the order and ends of human nature.
We affirm that the Catholic doctrine of creation provides the ideal framework for scientific and medical research by distinguishing between the supernatural work of creation in the beginning and the natural order of providence which only began when the entire work of creation was finished. Within this framework, scientists and medical researchers remain focused on the nature of things and their interaction with each other in the present natural order without falling into scientism and attempting to explain the origins of man and the universe in terms of presently-operating material processes.
The basis of our understanding of human life comes from the philosophical Tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas. We understand life to be immanent activity within a thing and the soul to be the principle of life. We understand death as the cessation of life, the separation of the soul from the body. It is a one-time event and is not simply the death of a single organ.
In keeping with the above and established principles of forensic science, we determine human death according to the normal post-mortem changes that bodies experience. Since these changes are not found in those deemed “brain dead,” we reject this definition. Moreover, it is incoherent that “brain dead” people possess all the traditional vital signs we observe in our patients in clinical practice.
We will conform our lives to the Divine and Natural law deposited in the Tradition as understood by St. Thomas Aquinas, the Holy Fathers, and the Doctors of the Church.
With St Thomas, we recognize that the natural law inclines man to three things, namely: The preservation of his being as it is; to live in Society; to know God.
We also recognize that the primary purpose of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is to populate Heaven, and we will serve our patients with this in mind.
We believe God wills the salvation of every soul He creates and therefore desires everyone to be baptized into the Catholic Faith. We, therefore, condemn the evil of abortion, which not only slays an innocent life but deprives a child of sanctifying grace.
To ensure that all our clinical decisions are morally sound, we will abide by the Principle of the Integral Good, which holds that “Good proceeds from an integral cause and evil from any defect whatsoever.”
Guided by the natural law and the science of medicine, we will strive to preserve homeostasis in our patients, and all our interventions will be for this end.
We will never subject our patients to surgery unless the surgery is required for the person’s health. We will, therefore, not participate in cosmetic surgery outside of the context of reconstruction, such as breast augmentation or gender reassignment. We will also not perform surgeries to prevent the procreative organs from fulfilling their natural functions, such as vasectomy, tubal ligation, and hysterectomy.
We lament the attack on the nature of innocent children and adolescents by the scandalous indoctrination of children with gender ideology. It is particularly monstrous that our colleagues in the medical profession are accessories to this evil ideology, thereby abusing the trust granted to them by Society.
We will not use drugs or devices to aid our patients in preventing conception.
We will never assist with or perform an abortion.
We condemn euthanasia.
We will support patients with gender dysphoria by helping them live according to the nature they were born with to overcome this illness. We will never support the delusions of such patients with hormone therapy or surgery.
In treating pregnant patients, we will recognize the life of the mother and the child and try to preserve the life of both.
We will never remove an unpaired vital organ from a living patient.
We will always provide ordinary means of care to our patients, at least: warmth, nutrition, and hydration.
We condemn the imprisonment of embryos in liquid nitrogen and the practice of suspended animation.
We reject in vitro fertilization and every other practice designed to achieve conception outside the marital union between one man and one woman united in Holy Matrimony.
We reject the administration of diagnostic and therapeutic infertility procedures contrary to Church teachings.
The health of Society demands the greatest possible support for the traditional family and the complete rejection of any use of marital relations outside of holy marriage between one man and one woman for life, with a view to the begetting and raising of children as the primary end of matrimony.
We condemn the possession by pharmaceutical companies of the remains and the derivatives of the remains of babies killed by abortion.
We reject all vices of impurity, especially those acts, such as sodomy, bestiality, and onanism, which use the reproductive faculties apart from their natural end, the procreation of children.
We will guard the information communicated to us by our patients and their health status as a professional secret and will only divulge such information when the common good requires it.
We promise to give every patient the highest standard of treatment and care, regardless of race or religion. We may inquire about his religion. If he freely chooses to disclose it, this may allow us to better minister to him and help him to attain as quickly as possible the fullness of the means of salvation in the one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.
We welcome all patients as children of God, created in His image. Still, we set our highest priority on the spiritual well-being of our patients.
When treating those who are Catholic, we seek primarily to help them attain or remain in the state of grace and to encourage and facilitate the removal of any obstacles in the form of sins or sinful attachments that could interfere with their healing. To this end, we will call on Catholic priests for spiritual guidance and administration of the sacraments of the Church, especially Confession, Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick), and the Holy Eucharist.
We will strive to ensure that sacramentals are available for patients.
We will pray with or alongside the patients who seem close to death and do everything in our power to guarantee proper Mass for and burial of the patients who have died.
In accordance with these principles, we will not remove Brown Scapulars or other sacramentals, even during surgeries. If necessary, we will negotiate with non-Catholic colleagues regarding the non-removal of the Brown Scapular.
When treating separated brethren, we primarily seek to help them live according to their conscience and to remove any obstacles in the form of sins or sinful attachments that could interfere with their healing. We strive to help them to understand the necessity of the authoritative teachings, governance, and sacraments of the Catholic Church for their spiritual well-being.
When treating those who are not Christian, we first seek to ensure that they are living according to the natural law and to remove any obstacles in the form of unnatural behavior or other vices or attachments that could interfere with their healing.
The unborn child should be considered in decisions weighing up the risk vs. benefit for the treatment of pregnant women.
We will endeavor to help our patients see pain, sickness and suffering as opportunities to unite their sufferings with Christ.
Justice
We pledge only to charge modest fees for patients who can afford payment in conformity with the frugal requirements and needs of the physician and his family.
We will not accept bribes or inappropriate gifts.
We will prioritize service to those in most urgent need of our medical help.
As far as possible, we will keep patients appropriately informed about their health and regarding all medical interventions, tests and procedures planned for them. We will also seek their own or guardians’ fully informed consent before any treatment is undertaken.
We promise never to expose patients to unnecessary treatment.
We will never use patients as subjects for experimentation without their full knowledge and consent.
We will never use the remains of a child that has been aborted for any scientific purpose knowing that their remains must be returned to the earth to fulfill the natural law.
We will endeavour to render pro-Deo care for the poor and needy, colleagues, clergy, and all servants of God especially consecrated Religious.
We promise to teach couples natural means for the spacing of the births of children by periodic abstinence, should serious reasons for their use exist.
We will oppose all prurient medical, sex education, and promise to assist patients in practicing chastity and the virtues required for holiness.
Personal Formation
In accordance with our Faith, we promise to work for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.
The guild and its members will be consecrated to the Most Blessed Trinity, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
We will be devoted to the sacramental life of the Church, do penance to make reparation for sin, and commit ourselves to Catholic spiritual life.
We foster an interior life following the traditional understanding of Catholic spirituality, seeking to move from the purgative to the illuminative and, as God provides, to the unitive stage of the spiritual life.
We recognize Original Sin and the subsequent sins of mankind as the foundational cause of all evil and disease.
We will form ourselves in the Catholic Faith by studying Tradition, which will include, among others, Sacred Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Catechism of the Council of Trent.
We will pray for the needs and intentions of the other guild members.
We will pray for our patients, recognizing with Saint Camillus de Lellis that our work is not our work but primarily God’s work. (Ecclesiasticus 38: 1-15)
In all our work, we will remember that man’s last end is Heaven and, in this spirit, make reparation for the evil of abortion, which deprives the unborn of the grace of baptism, as well as the evil of gender ideology which is an attack on the innocence and integrity of children.
We will faithfully fulfill our duties in our state, including the duties owed to our families.
We commit ourselves to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in our private and professional lives.
As Catholic physicians, we strive continually to improve our knowledge and skills and to develop attributes important in the practice of medicine, namely, to be honest, faithful, dependable, humble, trustworthy, diligent, conscientious, kind, gentle, understanding, empathetic, and responsible.
We resolve to fulfill our medical duties, conform to the highest moral and professional standards, and give God glory.
We resolve to set a good example for all, particularly in these times when even basic manners are eroding and fast disappearing.
We resolve to remain current with developments in the science of medicine to provide the best care for our patients.
We will provide support and teaching to all our colleagues and students as appropriate, recognizing this professional obligation.
We resolve only to make use of morally licit developments in medicine.
To the best of our ability, we promise to support our fellow members in solidarity. Furthermore, we will protect and defend doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers persecuted for their Catholic beliefs and practice.
We commit to assisting and sharing knowledge and skills with colleagues and all those who seek our treatment, counsel, or guidance.
We will help to foster the spiritual growth of fellow Catholic doctors and allied health professionals.
We will treat medical, nursing, and ancillary medical staff with all due courtesy, concern, and respect.
We will seek the advice and skill of trusted colleagues and spiritual advisors when confronted by difficult medical and ethical problems recognizing the salvation of souls as the highest good.
We will advocate for the highest standards of nursing and ancillary care for our patient’s personal needs.
We strive to provide a regular Mass at the centres we work at.
We promise to provide medical support for those working in Catholic evangelism and remote missionary fields where possible.
We will strive to provide medical services to people where such care is lacking or deficient.
We will oppose the culture of death in all its forms, and we will build a culture of life to extend the social reign of Christ our King.