Message for the Opening Ceremony of the IV National Congress 2021 and the constitution of the Catholic Medical Association of Brazil.

Dear colleagues and friends in Brazil,

On behalf of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, on behalf of its presidency and on my personal behalf,

I can tell you that I am very happy to be with you, in Brasilia, via this recording, for your Opening Ceremony of your IV National Congress and to congratulate you very warmly on the constitution of your Catholic Medical Association of Brazil.

I immediately feel the typically Brazilian ardor that I had the good fortune to experience a few years ago during a professional stay in Sao Paulo.

I thank the Brazil’s National Bishop’s Conference for approving your statutes.

I wish you enthusiasm, passion, courage and perseverance!

Be creative in your activities!

We, Christians in medecine must strengthen one another in our faith in Jesus Christ, help one another, apply the gospel message in our daily practice, guided by the doctrine of the Church.

It is with joy that I expect you to inform me of your Brazilian initiatives and challenges.

The doctor who is Catholic is a woman or a man who fully exercises his freedom, in particular therapeutic; as well as his or her responsibility, as a person and also as a professional; freedom and responsibility being perfected by faith.

So the doctor who is Catholic is opposed to immoral genetic manipulations, transgender surgery, euthanasia and abortion,… NOT because the Church asks him to do so, but because his reason shows it to him, enlightened by this by faith and confirmed in his conviction by the teaching of the Church.

The Catholic physician lives out of Christ. He has a unity of life, a coherence in all aspects of his life; as well as a permanent will to shape his reason and his faith, with discernment.

This implies professional and responsible, scientific and technical competence;