The Guild hosts informal meetings at the Newman Centre, the Catholic Chaplaincy of the University of Toronto, for medical and other health care students. The first meeting of the year was held on September 17, 1997. This was a resounding success, thanks to the efforts of Rocco Lombardi and Alexandra Brooks-Hill. Over 100 students came to hear about the recent medical mission projects in Ecuador and Bolivia. Dr. Luigi Castagna, Rocco, and Alex presented interesting slides and stories to an energetic gathering.
1997-98 meetings are scheduled for Oct. 15, Nov. 12, Jan. 14, Feb. 11, and Mar. 11, between 5.30 and 7 p.m.at the Newman Centre, 89 St. George Street (across from Robarts Library). We hope to continue to introduce UofT students-in-healthcare to a variety of persons from local organizations who have provided us with important and inspiring insights into the place of charity and compassion in healthcare. These include members from such groups as L'Arche Daybreak (whose core members have a developmental disability), Marguerite Bourgeoys Family Services (who teach natural family planning), Covenant House (who care for street youth), Canadian Food for Children (provide food for various international missions), and The Association of Christian Therapists (who integrate spirituality with the practice of medicine). We have also had guests who have expertise in medical-ethics to discuss various issues, such as Professor Abby-ann Lynch and Fr. Tom Lynch. This year we plan to expand the range of topics to include end-of-life issues by inviting representatives from groups that care for the dying (e.g., persons from St. Michael's Casey House and Palliative Care service). We also plan further emphasize our focus on what a Catholic ‘ethic-of-care' brings to each of these areas that is distinctive from a strictly technical approach by addressing them from the perspective of the question: ‘How does charity transform the experience of illness and healing?' Dr. Raymond Shu encourages all Guild members to become involved in this important outreach to students. The future of our mission depends, in part, on the Guild's continued organizational, financial and moral support of the students' section.
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