Health Care Ethics: Catholic Perspectives

20 (Monday) – 24 (Friday) July / Rome (Italy)

Seminar Objectives

Care of the sick and dying has always been a core Christian ministry.  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, many hospitals, ambulance services, rehabilitation clinics, and nursing homes continue to be affiliated with the Catholic church. In this seminar we will explore the values, tenets and principles that shape 21^st century Catholic health care. In addition, we will discuss whether and how these same principles can also enhance the care offered in secular institutions.. 

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. Conversations will extend from the classroom to excursions to relevant cultural sites in Rome, and many shared meals. Participants are invited to prepare a short presentation to stimulate still more dialogue. For the same reason, registration is limited to 20 persons. Professionals of all disciplinary backgrounds are welcome to attend as well as students.

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); Professor of Interdisciplinary Normative Etthics at Maastricht University (Netherlands)
• Fr. Andrea Ciucci, PhD, Philosopher and scienific staff member of the Pontifical Academy for Life (Vatican City)
• Jason Eberl, PhD, Hubert Mader Chair in Bioethics and serves as Director of the Albert Gnaegi Center for Bioethics at Saint Louis University (Missouri, USA).
• Mgr. Renzo Pegoraro, MD, PhD, President, of the Pontifical Academy for Life (Vatican City)
• Linda Scheirton, RDH, MA, PhD. Professor emerita of health care ethics at Creighton University (Omaha, USA)
• Tristan Welie, BA, Art historian and manager of cultural programming, Chateau Saint André Center (France)

Tentative 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
1	Travel	15:30 Welcome session / Opening mass	Opening dinner
2	Cutural excursion	Shared lunch Plenary & Discussion	Free time
3	Plenary & Discussion	Free time Late afternoon: Optional exploration of ancient roman sites	Free time
4	Cutural excursion	Shared lunch Plenary & Discussion	Free time
5	Plenary & Discussion	Shared lunch Cultural excursion / Closing mass	Closing dinner

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,

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.

Once we have confirmed availability, we will reserve a spot for you which we will hold for you as long as spots remain available (evidently, we will alert you if we reach maximum enrollment). Your reservation will be final once the downpayment (see below) has been received.

The seminar fee schedule is as follows:

Regular registration: US$ 1065 / € 895
Reduced student fee US$ 945 / € 795

The registration fee includes:

• Attendance of all academic sessions
• 3 lunches and 2 dinners
• Coffee/refreshment breaks during all seminar days and the cultural excursions
• Three half-days of programmed excursions to various cultural sites in Rome related to the theme of the seminar, as well as one optional exploration of ancient roman sites (incl, entrance fees and coffee breaks)

The fee for accompanying persons is US$385 / €325 and includes all scheduled joint dinners and joint lunches and well as all excursions (incl. entrance fees).

IMPORTANT:

A downpayment of US$300 / € 255 is due no later than May 1, or concurrent with the registration for any registrations occuring after May 1. However, please do not send the downpayment until we have confirmed that there are still spots available.

This downpayment is non-reimbursable unless the seminar has to be cancelled due to lack of registrations. A minimum of 10 registrations is needed to assure in-depth exchanges and sustained discussions. Please do NOT book non-refundable flights or hotel rooms until the we have confirmed that the seminar has reached the minimum number of paid participants to occur.

Full payment is due in full by June 15.. Please note that a late fee of $100 will be added for payments made after this date.

More information on modes of payment will be provided by email to registrants.

Venue

The plenary sessions will take place at the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy for Life in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome (at address: Piazza S. Calisto 16).

We recommend finding lodging in Trastevere. This neighborhood is still slightly less touristic than central Rome near Piazza Venezia. However, Piazza Venezia is connected to Trastevere by tram 8 (see map below).

Trastevere also has its own train station with a direct train connection to the main airport of Rome (the Fiumicino airport).

More tips on finding lodging will be emailed to participants.

Additional information

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