The Reunion of the Good Shepherd with the Good Samaritan *
Thank you especially to Archbishop Lori and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and all their hospitals (Saint Agnes, Bon Secours, Mercy, Saint Josephs, University of Maryland, and our gracious host Good Samaritans). Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this vital conference on reflecting Christ, while healing the wounded. Archbishop Lori was a shepherd of mine when he was part of the Washington Archdiocese several years ago. He is truly a shepherd for us in the medical front line as he fights for religious freedom in the public square. Archbishop Lori also serves as a shepherd for us clinicians, which means being at the bedside of our patients who are craving more than health care that is only technology based. Being with you today is coming home for me. My Baltimore native family, on my Dad’s side, has lived, healed, and died in your institutions. They came to you for healing because you were Catholic and they could trust you during the vulnerable moments in their lives. The tension between faith and reason is at the core of being able to reflect Christ while we serve our patients. As Tevye, during the opening of Fiddler on the Roof reminds me as a doctor: