The Catholic Medical Association of Central Ohio received three awards in September at the national educational meeting of the Catholic Medical Association in Kansas City, Missouri.
Dr. Michael Parker, president of the central Ohio CMA, accepted the Outstanding Guild Award for engaging its members and the community to advance the CMA’s mission. Their efforts included holding evenings of reflection, an annual White Mass and other liturgical activities; organizing educational events such as NFP lectures; promoting fellowship through dinners, receptions and a picnic; serving the community through collaborating with the Order of Malta’s free clinic and collecting winter hats for donation to the homeless.
The CMA of Central Ohio was one of two guilds in the U.S. to receive the St. Luke Award for achieving all five pillars of service established by the national organization. The St. Luke Award was the second for the local guild.
Father Robert Penhallurick, chaplain of the central Ohio CMA and director of the diocese’s Office for Pro-Life Activities, received the Outstanding Chaplain Award. Father Penhallurick, who has served as the group’s chaplain for nine years, is also the pastor at Columbus St. Catharine of Siena Church and the diocese’s vicar for Catholic Social Doctrine and director of International Priest Personnel.
A research award went to Talia Caridi, a student section member of the CMA of Central Ohio. She is a medical student at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The central Ohio CMA will host the diocese’s annual White Mass for health care workers on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center, 64 W. Lane Ave. After Mass, Father Tad Pacholczyk of the National Catholic Bioethics Center will speak.
The Catholic Medical Association is the largest association of Catholics in health care professionals in the U.S. Its advocacy for conscience rights helps to ensure that its members can practice authentic Catholic medicine and uphold the principles of science in the public square while inspiring physicians to imitate Jesus Christ.
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