Editorial to issue 2025-I

Dr. Marleen Coppens

Secretary of the Belgian Medical Association of Saint-Luke

Dear readers of Acta Medica Catholica

The past month of May will remain in our memories as the month of the Pope's election. On Easter Monday, Pope Francis returned to his Creator after 12 years in the supreme pastoral ministry of the holy Church of Christ. After a brief conclave, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was -nearly unanimously- elected the 267th successor of St Peter. In his choice of the name of Leo XIV, he indicated his desire to follow in the footsteps of Pope Leo XIII. Loyal to tradition and concerned for the poor and needy, this Pope wants to place his pontificate under the sign of unity.

Unity, faith and care: values of Leo XIV at the heart of this June 2025 edition

In this issue:

• Saturday May 3, 2025, a very interesting conference took place in Paris, organised by our colleague Prof Dr Bernard Ars, president of the FIAMC (Fédération Internationale des Associations de Médecins Catholiques), on the theme: Mary, Mother of Jesus-Healer, in the Light of Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

At the conference, Canon Joël Rochette, rector of the sanctuary of Mary at Beauraing and episcopal vicar of Namur, spoke on "La Vierge Marie, remède de tendresse pour une Eglise patiente. Témoignage des Ecritures lues en des lieux privilégiés". You can read the full text in this issue.

French organist and painter Samuel Liégeon spoke about the intersection of art and spirituality.

Blandine Humbert, a French philosopher, talked about the deep connection between hope and care, inspired by the work of Corine Pelluchon. 

Finally, Dr Bertrand Galichon, emergency physician, gave an in-depth reflection on caring for people in poverty. The poor is an injured and excluded person, invisible to society.  Care is an act of mutual recognition, not just symptom relief but the restoration of a human relationship in dignity and trust. From this perspective, care has a spiritual dimension: the recognition of our common humanity.

The morning was concluded with the pronouncing, by all present, of the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in the chapel of the Conférence Episcopale de France, led by Prof Dr Bernard Ars.

• An article by Prof Jessie Dezutter, senior lecturer in psychology at KUL, on life meaning and life fatigue, especially in the elderly. More meaning in life gives more resilience, less depression and better physical health. 
• Kaat Vandeputte addresses the problem of evil, according to the ideas of C.S. Lewis. Evil is not a good argument against God's existence. Freedom is the key concept; true love implies freedom, and preventing evil without violating freedom is not possible even for God....
• Finally, a travel report by Dr Jonas Rooseleer on a trip to Assisi.
• And a summary of the weekend Emmanel Médecins at Paray-le-Monial by our president, Dr Stefan De Smedt.

May I already ask you to note Saturday 15 November in your diary: the Université Notre Dame de la Paix in Namur is organising an interesting conference on ‘Santé commune et robustesse’ in collaboration with our association. Further details will follow on this page.

I conclude this editorial by introducing myself: I have been a member of the Saint-Lucas Association since 2000 and secretary since January 2025. I am convinced that Christian reflection deserves more than ever a place in the forum of healthcare and that our journal can contribute to this.

I wish you all an enjoyable reading of this issue of the Acta and also a beautiful summer!