You own to yourself a 'spiritual mentor'

Hello fellow members of the Medical Society of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria!  It was a pleasure to meet all of you at the first meeting in February.  As Father Robert Kosek, CRSP and  Dr. Maria Ramos explained, one of the objectives is a spiritual mentorship between practicing physicians and medical students/residents.  As a medical student, I think there are many benefits to this mentorship.  Since I know we are all very busy, I think just a small time commitment would be appropriate.  My idea would be to match up a doctor with a student who would then exchange email addresses.  To begin, I suggest just a once monthly email exchange, which will of course be left up to the discretion of the pair.  I think the most useful tool for medical students would be exchanging prayers for each other.  For example, if the student had a big exam or challenging clinical rotation coming up, he or she would ask the physician to pray for that specific request, and would in return pray for anything the physician asks.  The pairs could also exchange any clinical advice or expertise, and any ethical dilemmas, etc.  This is very flexible and again, will be based on the personal needs of each pair.  I am currently working on recruiting any interested medical students from my school.  I welcome any thoughts and feedback from the members of the group!  Thank you!

- Ruth Stefanski, 4th year medical student  

An invitation to Medical Society of St. Anthony Zaccaria for Medical Students

Dear Medical Students,

Greetings in the Risen Lord!  

Let me introduce myself to you first all. I am Fr. Robert Kosek of the congregation of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul (Barnabite Fathers). Currently, I am the spiritual director of the Medical Society of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, a newly formed group of Catholic doctors and medical students in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The Society had its first meeting on Feb 21, 2009 at our place, in the Barnabite Spiritual Center. It was during this meeting that I had the privilege to introduce to a group of doctors your college friend, Ms. Ruth Stefanski. I would say that her presence (being the only medical student among the doctors) and active participation during the meeting was of great value. I express my appreciation to Ms. Stefanski. 

It was then that the idea of a “spiritual mentor” for medical students was introduced and adapted by the doctors. Ms. Stefanski may have already explained it to you; however, let me delineate once again that the significance of this spiritual mentorship points to your well being as future doctors. Indeed your spiritual as well as professional formation is crucial to the holistic healing of the people under your care. Therefore, I invite you to consider joining our Society. We will be most pleased to welcome you.

If you so decide, please contact me at 610-691-8648 or you may write to me at Barnabite Spiritual Center, 4301 Hecktown Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020 or  email me at MedSocAMZac@gmail.com 

I hope for your positive response.  

I assure you of my prayerful support in your academic and personal endeavors. May God bless you.

Sincerely yours in Christ, 

Fr. Robert B. Kosek, CRSP, Ph.D. 

Mission and Vision of the Society

____________

Medical Society of 

 St Anthony Mary Zaccaria

_____________

 

Monthly Mass           –    2nd Fri  @ 7:00 p.m.

Monthly Meeting     –   3rd Sat        1:30-3:00 p.m. 

Mission Statement  

We, Catholic physicians, believe deeply that Jesus Christ, Divine Physician, is the ultimate source that heals both our body and soul. Consequently, we believe that Jesus Christ has entrusted especially to us - the physicians – the ministry of healing of body and soul to the ailing neighbor according to an example left to us by our holy Physician, Patron and Protector, St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria.

Vision Statement 

The Medical Society of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria has its guiding principle the teachings of  St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Patron of Physicians, and St. Paul the Apostle with the aim at:

• Strengthening the faith of Catholic physicians;

• Enlivening a deep desire to grow in imitation of Christ;

• Providing spiritual and professional support to medical students;

• Contributing to the needs of a larger community, and;

• Promoting the name of St. Anthony Zaccaria and the Apostle Paul.

_______________________

For more information on Medical Society of  St. Anthony Zaccaria please contact:

Fr. Robert B. Kosek, CRSP at Barnabite Spiritual  Center 

● 4301 Hecktown Road ● Bethlehem, PA 18020 

● Tel:  610.691.8648 

● E-mail: MedSocAMZac@gmail.com 

● Blog: medicalsocietyanthonyzaccaria.blogspot.com

Letter from the Chairman no 1

Medical Society of   St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

Letter from the Chairman

No.1

April 15, 2009

Dear Doctors,

 

It is a privilege to be the chairman of the Medical Society of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria. It has been little more than a month that it came into existence on February 21, 2009.    

  

A group of doctors already met for the first spiritual session on March 21, 2009. We had a very fruitful experience based on Jesus’ healing story of  “The Man Born Blind” (John 9:1-41). Future sessions will be based on other Jesus’ healing stories. We will reflect on how we can apply these stories in our lives as physicians. We are working in gathering all the demographic data of all the catholic doctors who have shown some interest in enriching their spiritual journey in the Lord.    I would ask each one of you to spread the news of this promising Medical Society that will help us to grow closer to Jesus, the Physician by excellence.

To make things easier to remember, it was proposed by the doctors to have the spiritual sessions on the third Saturday of each month from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by a fellowship. We will have a Mass for the doctors’ intentions on the second Friday of each month at 7:00 p.m. starting in May. 

When you come to the next spiritual session, you will find an intention book on the altar by

St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria’s relic. In that book you can write any intentions you would like the community to pray for. 

I pray to Jesus, through the intercession of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, to send the Holy Spirit, and to continue to guide us on this new journey that we have started to grow closer to Him. 

God Bless.

Dr. Maria A. Ramos

________________________

Barnabite Spiritual Center

4301 Hecktown Road

Bethlehem PA 18020

e-mail: medsocamzac@gmail.com