Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, May 25, 2000
The Southern Cross, Page 5
Everyday Graces
It’s time to reduce our dependence on quick fixes
I visited one of those “convenience” doc
tor’s offices the other day. In less
than an hour, at one location, I was
examined by a doctor, picked up a
prescription, and paid the bill. As I
walked to the car, it occurred to me
that convenience medicine is, in
many ways, the medical profession’s
equivalent to fast food restaurants or
one-stop shopping. While I’m not qual
ified to judge the medical expertise
offered at such places, their popularity
these days seems to reflect America’s increasing
reliance on the quick fix.
We’re such eager consumers it’s not surprising
we think of our medical care as a commodity.
While I’m sure it’s good that we are more active
ly involved in our health care, I question the wis
dom of bringing our consumer mentality to the
practice of medicine. I confess that I visited a
convenience medical office and a physician
unfamiliar with my medical history because I
wanted a fast solution to my problem, a sinus
infection, so I could proceed with my usual rou
tine.
And in my case, such a quick fix was feasible.
But many health problems don’t lend themselves
to quick fixes and that’s when our con
sumer mentality gets us in trouble. The
customer service representative at the
department store can guarantee our
satisfaction; our family doctor can’t.
On several occasions, I’ve been
crestfallen when our pediatrician tells
me one of the children has a virus that
won’t respond to antibiotics. I’m so
accustomed to the speedy recovery that
comes with a prescription of antibi
otics I feel as if I’ve wasted time and
money visiting the doctor “just” for a virus. And
the prescribed rest, acetaminophen, and plenty of
liquids, while good advice, don’t make things
better overnight.
Good doctors must become frustrated by that
way of thinking. I’m sure they would love to be
able to give us an easy remedy for every ailment,
yet, of course, they can’t. In this age of medical
wonders, many of us have grown to expect them
to. Therefore, how we respond when no quick
fix is available is a good indicator of how we are
prepared to cope when faced with the inevitable
challenges of serious illness, aging, suffering.
If we expect our doctors to prevent unpleasant
ness, assure our good health, anticipate any pre
disposition to problems, we need to adjust our
expectations. If we believe that medical science
should cure everything from hangnails to unhap
piness, we begin to use the quick fix to avoid
facing the natural consequences of life. If we
believe that science can assure us a comfortable
life, we’ll do almost anything to see that ours
remains that way.
So when chromosomes betray them and birth
control “fails,” some believe that the abortionist
offers an acceptable choice. When pregnancy
occurs unexpectedly, inconveniently, some ratio
nalize that only “planned” babies are desirable.
When life is thought to be worthwhile only if it
is free of intense suffering, some adopt, even
champion, Dr. Kevorkian’s solution.
There is no question that in the last five de
cades, we have been blessed with the intellect, tal
ents, and dedication of scientists and physicians
who have made tremendous advances in prevent
ing and curing disease. But at a time when med
ical science is facing new ethical questions every
day, we must reduce our dependence on the quick
fix and increase our dependence on God.
Mary Hood Hart lives with her husband and
four children in Sunset Beach, N.C.
Workshop on Christian unity highlights
social responsibility
By Father Michael J.
Kavanaugh
he National Workshop on
Christian Unity (NWCU), a
gathering of over 350 Christian
leaders from all over the country,
was held in Louisville, Kentucky,
May 15 through 18. Sponsored by
the Kentucky Council of Churches,
the Kentuckiana Interfaith
Community, and the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville,
the National Workshop continued
the trend of recent years to focus on
areas of theological agreement that
lead to greater cooperation and
understanding between churches,
rather than on social or political
issues which are often divisive.
Nationally known scholars and
theologians addressed a variety of
topics in seminars and workshops.
The question of authority,
which Lutheran scholar Dr.
Michael Root describes
as the question in ecu
menical dialogue, was
addressed in the context
of “The Gift of
Authority,” the most
recent statement issued
by the Anglican-Roman
Catholic International
Committee. Dr. Root noted
that the Church is commissioned to
teach with authority, but went on to
say that how that authority is exer
cised and by whom it is exercised
remain difficult questions for
Christians.
Professor Thomas Bird, KHS, an
expert on relations between the
Catholic and Orthodox Churches,
outlined the current strained ten
sions between the Orthodox
Churches and other Christian
bodies in his workshop
“Ecumenical Implications
of Orientale Lumen.”
Noting that Pope John
Paul II has a very strong
appreciation for the
Eastern Catholic and
Orthodox tradition,
Professor Bird reiterated the
pope’s concern that in the West
we often have little appreciation for
the theological traditions of the
East. Since the fall of European
Communism there has been a rise
in fundamentalism among influen
tial Orthodox leaders which has
resulted in isolationism, social
patriarchy concerning the role of
women, an adherence to the histori
cal condemnations of the West, and
a kind of puritanical attitude
regarding dress and behavior. The
current reality of Catholic-
Orthodox relations, while not nec
essarily bleak, is certainly trou
bling, said Professor Bird.
In a seminar devoted to “socially
responsible” investing, Mr. Tim
Smith, Director of the Interfaith
Center for Corporate Responsibility
(ICCR), challenged his listeners to
consider how churches might work
together in exercising their moral and
social responsibility as stockholders
in major national and international
corporations. Currently more than
two trillion dollars (14% of the total
stock market) is controlled by organi
zations that have moral and/or ethical
guidelines which direct their invest
ment strategies. ICCR suggests to its
clients that 10% of a denomination’s
investments should be in community
development programs which, for
example, can provide loans for lower
income property owners to rehabili
tate their homes. These community
development investments, Mr. Smith
said, provide market value returns to
investors—they are not money losers.
Throughout the workshop opportu
nities for shared prayer in a variety
of traditions were made available.
Those denominations that have
entered into covenants that allow for
intercommunion worshiped together,
while other non-eucharistic celebra
tions were planned for those who
cannot, as yet, share at the Lord’s
table. While the struggle for the
unity of the Church continues, work
shop participants were encouraged to
make prayer for that unity a part of
their own personal and community
prayer.
Father Michael J. Kavanaugh is
Diocesan Director of Ecumenism
and a member of the board of the
National Association of Diocesan
Ecumenical Officers. He is pastor
of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in
Port Wentworth and Saint
Boniface Church in Springfield.
Seminarian, priest receive degrees
Baltimore
S aint Mary’s Seminary and University recently awarded two degrees to a
seminarian from the Diocese of Savannah. A Baccalaureate in Sacred
Theology and a Master of Divinity were bestowed on Timothy Charles
Donahue during the commencement ceremony on May 11. Donahue’s ordina
tion to the priesthood will take place at 10 a.m. on June 10 at Saint James
Church in Savannah.*
Saint Mary ’s Seminary and University recently awarded a Licentiate in
Sacred Theology to Father Daniel Melaba, who will serve a summer assign
ment at Saint Peter Claver Church in Macon. Father Melaba is from the
Diocese of Makurdi in Nigeria.
Founded in 1791 by the Society of Saint Sulpice.. a French t immunity of
priests dedicated to the formation of parish priests, Saint Mary’s Seminary and
University is the first Roman Catholic seminary in the United States.