Health care ethics: Catholic perspectives

22 (Tuesday) – 26 (Saturday) October / Rochefort-du-Gard, France

Seminar Objectives

Within Christianity, care of the sick and dying has always been a core ministry.  Indeed, for much of the past two millennia, the local hospice or clinic run by Catholic sisters was the only health care facility in town. Today, a large number of health care facilities, ambulance services, rehabilitation clinics, and nursing homes are still affiliated with the Catholic church. In this seminar we will explore the values, tenets and principles that shape 21^st century Catholic health care. 

Methods of Instruction

Whereas internationally renowned experts in bioethics will introduce various themes, the core of this seminar will be a sustained conversation and critical debate among all participants, with ample time for personal reflection, spiritual enrichment and liturgical celebrations.

Educational Team

• Jos V.M. Welie, MA, MMedS, JD, PhD (Course Director). Founding President of the St. André International Center for Ethics and Integrity (France); Emeritus Professor of Medical Humanities at Creighton University (USA); member of the Pontifical Academy for Life (Vatican)
• Mgr. Nicolas Brouwet, bishop of Nîmes, theologian, and member of the Committee on Bioethics of the French Conference of Catholic bishops.
• Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand, MD, PhD. Medical historian and Professor of histology, embryology and cytogenetics at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montpellier-Nîmes (France)
• Fabien Revol, MS, PhD. Jean Bastaire Chair in Ethics and Ecology, Catholic University of Lyon
• Linda Scheirton, RDH, MA, PhD. Professor emerita of health care ethics at Creighton University (Omaha, USA)
• Bart Beckers, MA, MD, SJ (seminar chaplain). Member of the Antwerp Jesuit community (Belgium) and formation director of Ignatian schools in The Netherlands and Flanders

Program

Topics covered will include:

• PART 1: HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE AS A CATHOLIC MISSION
  • Health care as a mission of the Catholic church throughout the ages / Catholic health care institutions today / The perspective of a practicing physician / Catholic health care ethics in the 21st century / Spirituality and health care / The concept of health in the Catholic tradition / Catholic principles of health care ethics /
• PART 2: CATHOLIC ANTHROPOLOGY INFORMING CONTEMPORARY HEALTH CARE
  • Being human – being embodied – being a person / Mental health care / procreation and reproductive technologies / Euthanasia and PAS / End-of-life care
• PART 3: A JUST SOCIETY
  • The common good in health care / The preferential option for the poor / Vulnerability – of those we serve but also of those serving / Public health ethics / Negotiating business demands and Catholic values
• PART 4: THE ROLE OF HUMANITY VIS-A-VIS CREATION
  • Integral ecology / stewardship of creation / one health and the environment / the technological paradigm in health care / transhumanism
    

The approximate schedule for the seminar is as follows:

Day	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
0	–	Early arrival	Early arrival
1	Arrival*	15:30 Welcome / Mass	Plenary
2	Plenary/Discussion	Plenary/Discussion	Cultural outing
3	Plenary/Discussion	Excursion to Avignon	Free
4	Plenary/Discussion	Plenary/Discussion	Final dinner
5	Plenary/Discussion	15:30 Wrap-up & Departure

A limited set of time slots will be kept open for participant presentations. Those interested in presenting a case study, the results of a research project, or a critical analysis are requested to make this known on the registration form.

Language

The seminar is held in English. There will not be simultaneous language in other languages. However, non-native speakers should not hesitate to enroll, as long as they have solid conversational competency in English. The members of the instructional team are either non-native speakers themselves, or have extensive experience working in other countries and conversing across language barriers. What matters is a willingness to engage in the discussions and not be worried about linguistic imperfections.

Certificate

Each educational program of the St André International Center for Ethics and Integrity is assessed by its Curriculum Committee, consisting of highly experienced educators from various of universities around the world. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion, detailing the course description, contact hours completed, learning objectives, instructional modalities and other pertinent information.

Registration & Fees

Attendance is limited to 20 participants. Registration for the seminar can be done via the online registration form. We will let you know within 72 hours if there still is availability.

The seminar fee schedule is as follows:

Regular (applicable as long as spots remain): US$ 1190 (or Euro 1085)

— Early payment in full: US$ 1110 (or Euro 1010)

(Graduate) student (upon proof of student status): US$ 940 (or Euro 855)

— Early student payment in full : US$ 870 (or Euro 790)

This fee includes:

• Attendance of all educational sessions
• All course materials
• 5 days/4 days of residence in a single guest room (with private bathroom)*
• All breakfasts and coffee breaks, as well as most lunches and dinners
• Programmed excursion to Avignon & optional evening visit to Pont-du-Gard
• Pick-up (at arrival) and drop-off (at departure) at the Avignon-TGV train station

* If available, an extra night can be booked before the start of the seminar , A simple supper will be available the evening of arrival, The next morning, following breakfast, transportation to-and-from the charming town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon will be offered prior to the seminar start for those interested in visiting its beautiful historic sites.

The conference center also has double rooms. Please contact the conference organization if you wish to share a bedroom with another course participant, or if you wish to bring a partner who will not attend the seminar. A limited social program for non-participants will be available at an extra fee.

Additional information

For all questions about this seminar, please use the contact button below.