November 21, 2009 |
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Medical pros recognized for being hands, feet of JesusPosted: 10.23.09 
CHRISSY CUTTITA | FC FORT WALTON BEACH | Three award-winners and all medical professionals were acknowledged at an annual Mass called Christus Medicus (“Christ the Healer”) Oct. 3 at St. Mary Parish in Fort Walton Beach. The celebration recognized persons who practice Jesus’ healing arts found in the Gospels. “We honor God, who sent his Son as our healing presence,” said Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, who was the celebrant. “Jesus calls us to engage in his work of recovery and healing.” Christ is the model for medical professionals in restoring health to all those who are ill, bringing comfort to those in need of compassion and peace to those who are dying. This is precisely the reason one couple decided to start the tradition of recognizing and praying for doctors, nurses and other care providers at medical clinics in the local area. After starting the annual service a decade ago, they passed on their role as event coordinators and received medals themselves at this year’s Mass. “Our criteria for award nominees were that they had to do something over and above being Catholic as the hands and feet for Christ,” said Joyce Saxer who didn’t expect she and her husband would be recipients this year. Saxer, who once worked as a nurse herself, organized the first Christus Medicus celebration with her husband of 55 years, doctor and Deacon Robert Saxer. Recognized along with the couple was Lisa Barkley, who is a surgical oncology nurse at Eglin Air Force Base. Her biography said she imitates Christ in her daily work of compassion and healing, showing that she genuinely cares about each and every patient. “It’s the best thing to happen as a medical professional of Catholic faith,” she said about receiving the medal. “It shows you are living faith in what you do at work and that is very important.” Deacon Saxer has been the president of the National Catholic Medical Association for three years and worked closely with the Florida Catholic Conference, especially in the promotion of pro-family legislation. As a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, he represents issues of respecting life to the national level. A former pediatrician at White Wilson Clinic for 30 years, he is also a member of the Catholic Leadership Conference which is composed of heads of national Catholic organizations: business, education, service, politics and the arts. Bishop Ricard told the assembly at Mass that many issues today result in a call for Catholics and other Christian believers to stand up for what God said is right. He paralleled the Babylonian exile to what is happening in America today. He said that while Jews were held captive for 70 years there, they must have witnessed many violent celebrations of the country’s pagan culture. Human sacrifice was included in the Babylonian rituals. “Our God is a God of life who calls us into relationship with him,” the bishop said, adding that like the Jews of ancient days, Christians now must make a stand for life when culture defines the unborn child as a “glob of flesh,” and they must reject the belief that a person’s life should be ended to reduce perceived suffering. The award recipients and all the other medical professionals present recited a recommitment to faith and life. In the oath, they committed themselves to protect human life in all its stages, to never do anything in any way that will destroy an unborn child; diminish the inherent worth of the disabled; or hasten the death of one who faces the end of life. They rejected all practices which do not follow what is revealed in Scripture and taught by the Catholic Church. After the Mass, two-dozen medical professionals gathered to break bread at a local restaurant, listen to a guest speaker and join in fellowship.
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