Florida Catholic Medical Association and Guilds Underway for a Successful Year
BY DIANE GOWSKI, M.D.
The Florida Catholic Medical Association (FL CMA) is building momentum for the challenging work ahead in 2023.
FL CMA joined with the Christian Medical & Dental Associations in a video conference led by Alliance Defending Freedom to discuss conscience protection for health care practitioners and the anticipated legislation about this in Florida. Approximately 25 physicians gathered for the educational update and call-to-action on Jan. 12.
FL CMA also held its first Board meeting of the year on March 3, with state Chaplain Fr. Alfred Cioffi, S.T.D., Ph. D. to discuss recent changes to the Board and to analyze ethical issues relating to the upcoming state legislative bills on abortion, conscience protection and assisted suicide. Subsequently, Dr. Diane Gowski, FL CMA president, attended the Fla. Senate’s Health Policy Committee meeting on Monday, March 20 and spoke out against abortion.
Several FL CMA board members also contribute to the work of various national CMA committees. Dr. Felix Rodriguez is the chair of the Spanish Outreach Subcommittee and also a member of the Catholic Social Teaching and Justice Committee and the International Relations Task Force. Dr. Diane Gowski is a member of the Regional Directors/State Directors Committee and a CMA at-large board member. Dr. Felipe Vizcarrondo is a member of the Ethics Committee.
FL CMA is already looking forward to welcoming national CMA members back to Florida in 2024 for the Annual Educational Conference (AEC). Dr. Felix Rodriguez has been busy with preparations in his role as Chair of the 2024 AEC to be held in Orlando. FL CMA plans to help spread the word about this important meeting to local members and friends while also seeking conference sponsors from within the state. It is the Board’s hope to see a record-breaking turnout of Floridians to the AEC in 2024.
Florida guild presidents comprise the FL CMA Voting Board. They were recently updated on events and plans for 2023 on the state-level while they provided updates on all the good work the guilds are doing locally and have planned for the year. FL CMA is proud of how members strive to grow in faith, maintain ethical integrity, and provide excellent health care in accordance with the teachings of the Church.
Guild President Dr. Jason Joseph Phillips gives the keynote address at the 17th annual March for Life in St. Augustine on Saturday, January 14.
Highlights include the recent keynote address by the newest Guild President Dr. Jason Joseph Phillips at the 17th annual March for Life in St. Augustine in January. Dr. Phillips spoke about the abortion pill (see article featured here).
The Jacksonville Guild was newly formed in 2022. It has taken the name of Our Lady of La Leche after the historic shrine in St. Augustine. The Guild is committed to supporting local Catholic physicians and health care workers and is actively recruiting new members.
Tampa Bay Guild of St. Philomena celebrated their White Mass on Oct. 29, 2022 at Our Lady of Queen of the Angels Chapel at Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa, Fla. Bishop Gregory Parkes celebrated the Mass.
The Tampa Bay Guild of St. Philomena is undergoing changes to its Board with plans to increase board representation of young physicians. Guild President Dr. Rob Hamill attended various recent activities in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, including events to support local pro-life clinics in the Tampa Bay area. At least four Guild members again plan to represent the Catholic viewpoint as delegates of their local county medical society at the annual state-wide meeting of the Florida Medical Association this July in Orlando. Current Guild membership is up to 282 members, and current planning includes increasing membership, fellowship, and spiritual activities for the Guild.
FL CMA Board of Directors Meeting & Bishop’s Briefing, March 2, 2023. L to R: Michael Gloth, MD, Rev. Casey Jones our Chaplain, Nancy McGovern, RN, Michael Jaquith, MD, Most Reverend Frank Dewane, John Rodriguez, MD, James Breen, MD, Stephen Hannan, MD, and Deacon David Reardon, MD.
Dr. Steve Hannan continues in his diligent work as Secretary for FL CMA and also as Guild President of the Southwest Florida Guild. The Guild met with its supportive bishop, Bishop Frank Dewane, for its Annual Guild Report on March 2. A White Mass was organized by Dr. Michael Gloth for the Diocese of Venice this past fall, and he has scheduled its 2023 White Mass for Oct. 21 at St. Agnes Church in Naples.
Dr. Hannan and guild member Dr. James Breen spoke to the Pre-Health Club at Ave Maria University (AMU) in November 2022. Dr. Hannan gave an interview regarding the “Death with Dignity” bill to the CBS affiliate in Fort Myers that aired March 2, while Dr. Breen had an essay published in Crisis Magazine in January on the topic of gender ideology. Dr. Breen is also a member of the national CMA subcommittee planning the annual Leadership Training Meeting and Medical Student and Resident Boot Camp to be held at Ave Maria University (AMU)
The Southwest Florida Guild along with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) and AMU are organizing a 3-hour conference on In Vitro Fertilization Saturday, Oct. 7 at AMU that will feature Fr. Tad Pacholczyk of NCBC. The Guild is also working with the John Paul II Foundation to bring a Converging Roads Conference to the Diocese of Venice on Feb. 7, 2024 that will be sponsored by the Diocese, AMU, and the Guild.
Miami Guild Chaplain Fr. Alfred Cioffi, who also serves as the FL CMA chaplain, offers an opening prayer for Guild members with Miami Guild President Dr. Felipe Vizcarrondo next to him.
The Miami Guild held its first meeting of the year March 11 in the parish hall of St. Augustine Church & Student Center in Coral Gables, which will be the Guild’s “new home” for all future meetings. Guild President Dr. Felipe Vizcarrondo relayed what a wonderful feeling it is to have a home base in a parish for the Guild. “This is a great opportunity for recruiting physicians and students to become national CMA and Miami Guild members,” he said. The Miami Guild meeting also included a presentation from one of its members reflecting on how he has integrated his faith with his profession. The Guild held a White Mass in the fall of 2022 with another one planned later this year.
St. Gianna Guild of Gainesville celebrated their White Mass in conjunction with Our Lady of La Leche Guild of Jacksonville at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche Church in St. Augustine, Fla on Oct. 29, 2022. The Most Rev. Erik Pohlmeier, the Bishop of St. Augustine, celebrated the Mass. Guild Chaplain Fr. Anthony Hamaty concelebrated.
Guild President Dr. Angeli Akey of the St. Gianna Guild continues her longtime outreach to medical students and residents studying and training in Gainesville. Dr. Akey continues to educate and increase awareness for the need of health care conscience rights through her work in a physician group within the Florida Medical Association.
Palm Beach Physicians Guild celebrated their White Mass on Nov. 5, 2022 at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach, Fla.
Guild President Dr. Felix Rodriguez of the Palm Beach Physicians Guild is proud that one of the Guild’s newest physician members is also a seminarian in formation at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. Dr. Rodriguez continues his efforts toward Guild expansion and increased awareness of the FL CMA.
Dr. William Whibbs, a deacon and retired physician, is the president of the Northwest Florida Guild. He is in the process of reviving the Guild after the pandemic took its toll.
The Catholic Physicians Guild of Orlando is in the process of reorganizing after the unexpected and devastating loss of their Guild President Dr. Lance Maki who was also a FL CMA board director (see tribute article here). As the FL CMA President, Dr. Diane Gowski is working with Guild members to discern next steps for the Guild.
