Reflections of a Catholic Doctor
Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya - M P M Cooray Oration 2011
Dr Lucian reflects on the demise of institutional and cultural manifestations of the Faith, abortifacients and abortions and the compliance of the majority of the faithful in sin, the apathy of those from who leadership is called, and the scarcity of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Extracts from the Source: https://www.queenofangels.lk/messenger/22-01-2012-messenger.pdf
“The Faculty of Medicine
At Medical College, the Catholic Students Society was a vibrant body. We had regular meetings and an annual trip. There were two praesedia of the Legion of Mary. One of our weekly tasks was to sell the Catholic Messengers at Borella Junction, for one hour on Saturday morning. This we did even on the Saturday before our examinations.
Salt of the Earth and Light of the World
At this stage, I wish to reflect on what Jesus wants us to be. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how can its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Mathew 5. 13-14)
The question is, are we different? Can people associating with us see something different, in us Catholic doctors? Can we be identified Do we want to hide our faith sometimes?I leave it to you ladies and gentleman to decide.
Is it correct for Catholic doctors to strike? Whatever some say, when doctors strike, patients suffer and some die, even when emergency services are kept going. Did we become doctors to make people suffer or even allow them to die? Should we not stand up and be counted?
When in government service, I refused to strike and happily bore the consequences. We should not only not strike, but do a job of work so that we are examples to others.
If the District Medical Officer (DMO) comes for work at 8.00 am, and does his work with dedication, the others in the hospital follow. This happened at Ittapana. A DMO was required to see in-patients, morning afternoon and night. I did not only do that, but did all admissions after 5.00 pm. Please note that there was no overtime. However, we worked day and night. Reminiscenes of Ittapana was published in the Ceylon Medical Journal 2004; 49: 144-46
Will we follow the teachings of the Church in difficult situations? Are were ready for a confrontation when an issue arises?
The Intra-Uterine Device (IUD)
How many of us have inserted intra-uterine devices? The main action of an IUD, is to prevent the fertilised ovum from getting implanted in the uterus. That means, it is the instrument of a potential monthly abortion. As Medical Officer of Health Ambalangoda, I was assigned two IUD clinics. I refused to insert IUDs. My explanation was called. I replied that I did not become a doctor to cause abortions. The GMOA wanted me to follow government policy. Some Catholic doctors and priests would not give me a clear-cut answer. I was ready to leave government service on this issue. My dear wife Nimala backed me fully.
However, the Superintendent of Health Services, was tactful. He handed over my IUD clinics to the willing DMO. How many Catholic doctors in government service are ready to say NO if required to insert IUDs? If all Catholic doctors say NO how many potential abortions can be avoided?
When I was working abroad, I refused to prescribe the morning after pill. The main action of the morning after pill is also to prevent implantation. I was risking my locum job. However, the consultant was good to me. He told me to send such patients to him.
Though we are small in number, we have to be strong enough, with the power of God to bear witness to what is right. I think that we are doing it to some extent. The others listen to us. They know our views on many subjects. However, we can do better.
The Catholic Doctors' Guild In recent years the Guild has been active. We have had our regular Christmas projects with medical camps, helped needy medical students, gone on pilgrimage, and tried to educate people on family life and on natural family planning.
We had a seminar on poverty 10 years ago. A decision was made that we should work in the Parish. As a result the free medical clinic at Sacred Heart Church, Rajagiriya was born. We had the enthusiastic cooperation of Rev. Fr. Leonard Ranasinghe our Parish Priest then. The clinic has been conducted regularly every Sunday, by volunteer doctors and helpers. We have had no problem of money, as God our Father has seen to it that we have a set of regular donors, supplemented by money from the Parish. A dedicated clinic space was built in the new Jubilee Building of the Church. Although hospitals are nearby we have a regular clientile.
It is good for us doctors to give our expertise free of charge on a regular basis. I can tell you that it gives great satisfaction. The Guild has less than 50 active members. We have about 200 in the mailing list. But we are a very small number compared to what we could be. There are over 16, 000 doctors in Sri Lanka. Catholic doctors in Sri Lanka should number about 1300. Unfortunately, we have not been able to get them together. We have tried to get branches of the Guild organised in Kandy and Galle, but have failed.
Can the Catholic Church take some action to get Catholic doctors together, to work with the Church?”
“Abortion
North America
The Catholic Church has always said that abortion is a grave sin. However, it is legalised in many so called Catholic countries. It was legalised in the USA in 1973, by the Supreme Court, as a result of the famous Roe vs Wade case. Abortion is available almost on demand up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. However, there is a very active pro-life lobby in USA. I sometimes wonder whether the West is in post-Christian era.
Abortion in Great Britain
The history of legalisation of abortion in Great Britian is interesting. The British Abortion Act of 1967, allows surgical abortion up to 24 weeks of pregancy. In Northern Ireland which is still religiously more conservative, abortions are still banned unless a woman's life is at risk. Britain last changed the Abortion Act in 1990, lowering the time limit for abortion from 28 weeks to 24 weeks. In 2008 the House of Commons voted to retain the 24 week limit. Since then there are moves to reduce the limit to 20 to 22 weeks. This ongoing debate seems to be due to pangs of conscience, and also due to the very active pro- life lobby in Great Britain.
Abortion in Sri lanka
What is the situation in Sri lanka? The Penal Code Sections 303 to 307 are the relevant laws. The law allows abortion only if the mother's life is in danger due to the pregnancy. This is consistent with the teaching of the Church. Legislation was brought to Parliament, few years ago to allow abortions for pregnancies arising from incest, rape and for major congenital abnormalities. However, it was withdrawn, due to pressure not only from Catholics but also from other concerned persons. However, an estimated number of 650 to 1000 abortions are carried out is Sri Lanka daily. The daily births are just over 1000. Therefore, this very religious country aborts about 2/3 the number that are allowed to be born.
Studies show that most of the abortions were on married women, who were seeking to limit the number of babies. Another fact is that the abortion rates are not lower in the Catholic belt from Kalutara to Chilaw. The method most commonly used is called by the euphemism, menstrual regulation. This involves mechanical suction of the contents of the uterus. A woman who misses her periods goes to a private clinic, and the procedure is carried out for a comparatively small fee.
Blessed Pope John Paul II very often reminded the world that abortion is a grave sin. He talked about the Culture of Death The heirachy of the Church in Sri Lanka has very rarely preached about it. I have not heard a sermon on this subject. The Church in Sri Lanka has been at best lukewarm. There has been some activity in the SEDEC ( Social and Ecomomic Development Centre) lead by Dr. Eshan Dias and some Rev. Sisters, and at the Paul VI Centre. The Catholic Doctors' Guild produced a poster to be exhibited in the churches. The Natural Family Planning Association, which propagated Billing’s Ovulation Method has died. We have failed to organise pro-life groups as in the UK or USA.
By the time a woman realises that she has missed her periods the baby is three weeks old. The babies heart has started to form, By five weeks the heart is beating. This is about the time she is going for so called menstrual regulation. If we can explain to her that the heart of her baby is already beating she may not go through with the procedure. There is a need for a well funded organisation with full-time dedicated staff at least to educate the Catholic laity.
The Sacrament of Reconcilation
When we were children, not all in the congregation received Holy Communion. Among the laity there was general reluctance to receive Communion daily. It may have been due to reverence to the Eucharist. Today almost all at Mass receive Communion. I sometimes wonder, whether people have become more holy than a half century ago, or is it that we feel that we really cannot commit grave sin.
This reminds me of what the holy man, Rev. Brother Athanasius who was Director of De Mazenod College told us. He was the unofficial Spiritual Director to some senior boarders. The boarders used to receive Communion daily. He told us that it is good not to receive Communion occasionally. His argument was that receiving Communion should not be routine, and that every time we receive Communion we have to be prepared to receive Jesus Christ.
The routine reception of Holy Communion, maybe has resulted in a perception that Confession is really not necessary. Of course during Easter, the priests remind us that we should make our Confession at least during Easter. But what are the facilities that the Church in Sri Lanka provides for people to make their confession? I should say, little.
If one goes to a Catholic Church in England, he will find that there is a dedicated day and time in the week, that a priest will be seated at the confessional, even if there are no penitents. We do not have that system here. True, a priest is obliged to hear confession when requested. But many a time the priest is not available or is busy.The only places I know where one can find a priest to hear confession are St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade and St. Philip Neri’s Church, Pettah. A priest being theoretically available 15 minutes before Sunday Mass does not work. Some time ago I wrote to the Catholic Bishops' Conference, recommending that each Parish has a date and time dedicated for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I did not even receive an acknowledgement.”