Catholic physicians serve through St. Luke's Guild

For ten years, Dr. Paul Brisson has served as the president of the St. Luke's Guild, an organization of Catholic physicians in the Albany Diocese soon to celebrate its annual White Mass.

Since being on active duty with the Army for the past 10 months, Dr. Brisson has been working hard to give patients the medical care they desperately need. To him, it is not so much about doing his job as a doctor, but more so about the message the guild is trying to send.

"In recent years, the goal of the St. Luke's Guild has primarily been humanitarian projects, both locally and internationally," Dr. Brisson said via email from northern Virginia, where he is currently posted.

Faithful doctors

The guild, which has counterparts throughout North America, works to develop the spirituality of physicians within the Catholic tradition, educate members on the moral teachings of the Church and encourage their service to others.

"A partial list of our projects includes collecting stethoscopes and eyeglasses for foreign clinics, supporting medical trips to the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Philippines," Dr. Brisson wrote, "sponsoring college students on medical missions, donating medical textbooks and journals to foreign countries including Iraq, and donating refurbished medical equipment to Grenada and the Dominican Republic."

The St. Luke's Guild has also raised funds for the Schenectady Free Health Clinic, which is manned by volunteer physicians and serves only the uninsured.

New advisor

Before his current assignment, Dr. Brisson was deployed to Iraq for three months.
In his absence, Deacon Frank Thomas has been assigned as an advisor to the St. Luke's Guild. Deacon Thomas has redoubled his efforts to bring spiritual and educational components to the guild.

He has arranged the annual White Mass to be celebrated on Oct. 26, and is encouraging physicians to join the guild and attend the service. It will include the traditional blessing of the doctors' hands.

"We've done a number of charitable activities over the years and hope to continue our message for the Catholic Church," Deacon Thomas said. "The Mass is an annual tradition that we always hold on the feast day of St. Luke, and I hope we can get a number of people this year."

All welcome

The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, who will give a brief talk afterward.

Through this celebration, the St. Luke's Guild hopes to spread the meaning of their motto, "Spirituality, education and humanitarian projects for physicians." Deacon Thomas hopes that any physician who is able to attend will do so.

"If a physician is not now a member of the St. Luke's Guild, they are still invited to attend and may join the guild at the time of the reception."

(The White Mass of the St. Luke's Guild will be held at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Latham. To register, physicians may call Mary Holt at 453-6612 or email [email protected].)


(10/16/08)