Rev. Richard J. Taylor is the Spiritual Advisor for MaterCare International (Canada). You will find our collection of Rev. Taylor's homilies and writings here on our website.
MaterCare Conferences
12 – 14th September 2022
This conference has now ended, join our mailing list to receive updates on future events. The 12th InternationalRome Conference is scheduled for September, 2024.
Every other year, MaterCare hosts an international conference in Rome to bring together Catholic medical professionals, speakers, academics and health care workers from around the world.
“Mothers are Women too: Prioritizing maternal health in the new millennium"
12 – 14 September 2022
MaterCare International
The 11th Biennial Rome Conference
The 13th International Conference
Maria Santissima Bambina Institute
Via Paolo VI, 21
Rome, Italy
On behalf of MaterCare International (MCI), we look forward to welcoming you to Italy’s cultural and national capital, Rome, for our 13th international conference, postponed to 2022 due to the COVID pandemic. Our conference venue, the Institute of St Mary the Child, overlooks St Peter’s Basilica and Square (see photo), and offers a safe, hospitable, retreat-like environment with good conference facilities and the best view in Rome!
For the first time ever, our biennial conference precedes and dovetails with International Federation of Catholic Medical Association’s (FIAMC) XXVI International Congress, themed “Medicine: Reparative or transformative? The mission of the Christian physicians,” and held in the neighbouring Augustinianum conference centre.
The opening words of our conference theme , “Mothers are women too!”, is a quote from Dr. Robert Walley highlighting that, from the global perspective, caring for mothers is under-prioritized in women’s health, especially in the developing world.
Motherhood is the most complete expression of the special vocation of women, and it possesses redemptive value. Thus, mothers deserve to be at the centre of our acknowledgement of womanhood, rather than sidestepped as by the prevailing prochoice ideology. In his Millennium letter, Pope St John Paul II wrote: “The Father chose a woman for a unique mission in the history of salvation: that of being the Mother of the long–awaited Saviour. The Virgin Mother responded with complete openness”.
As co-creators of new life, all mothers have a share in the mystery of the Incarnation, through the faithful acceptance of their own pregnancies and birthing experiences. Mothers also merit being at the forefront of our conversation about women because of the suffering they endure to beget and bring up their children.
In 2020, during Holy Mass on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Pope Francis said: “ From her, a woman, salvation came forth and thus there is no salvation without a woman. In her, God was united to us, and if we want to unite ourselves to him, we must take the same path: through Mary, woman and mother”.
Appropriately, MCI’s conference is preceded by a half-day spiritual retreat on motherhood on September 12th. The conference programme includes important aspects of the current medical, psychological, ethical and spiritual problems affecting motherhood, and integrates the four essential domains of a Catholic physician, known as the ‘4C’s’. They are conviction, professional competence, community orientation, and individual compassion.
Six sessions spread over 2 days will cover the following: the clinical, ethical and spiritual implications of COVID–19 for mothers, their children and health care workers; an evidence-based update on the medical, sociological, environmental and economic impact of hormonal contraceptives; morally licit antenatal screening and therapy; reflections on inspiring Catholic health-care workers; a focus on the purpose and outreach of MaterCare and allied organizations; training and thriving as a Catholic doctor; and dealing with major controversies as a Catholic doctor should.
Our speakers are experts in their field and will be extensively involved in all aspects of the programme, including panel discussions. Free communications are invited and delegates are encouraged to participate in an interactive bioethics and medico–legal discussion session. We hope that you can join us in the Eternal City for a professionally and spiritually enriching, multidisciplinary meeting.
Finally, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the unique duo of back-to-back MCI and FIAMC 2022 meetings, and spend a fruitful 5 days in Rome in mid-September.
Prof Bogdan Chazan
A/Prof Elvis Šeman
Simon Walley
*A shared FIAMC/MCI audience with Pope Francis has been requested.
White Masses
Too often, Catholic medical professionals feel isolated from their communities. Faced daily with increasing ethical and moral challenges to their faith, medical personnel are especially vulnerable to the process of gradualism which threatens to erode the level of care and compassion they are able to provide, as well as their own personal faith and commitment. In particular, we suggest the organization of White Masses, a tradition begun by the Catholic Medical Association in the 1930s on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes the World Day of the Sick, to occur annually in every diocese for doctors, nurses, midwives, medical students and residents.
We respectfully request and encourage all Bishops to offer an annual White Mass to show support for all health care professionals, and to offer pastoral care through an annual “date with the doctors”.
To get started, download "How to organize a White Mass" here.
