CMA

THE “CATHOLIC EFFECT” ON SECULAR MEDICINE

May 16, 2026

By Tim Millea, M.D.

Over the past half-century, the disruptions in our society and culture have changed more rapidly and more radically than any other period in history. 

Many of those changes have had a positive impact, particularly with technological advancements and communications.  In contrast, the same time period has seen an increasing rate of secularism and materialism, while religious affiliation and engagement have declined.  That dichotomy is very evident in the American health care industry, including the care provided by Catholic entities, whether hospitals, clinics, or individual clinicians.  Truly authentic Catholic health care that is adherent to Church teaching has waned significantly over the past fifty years.  But it is not extinct, and with effort and commitment, it can regain its prominent role again.

How did much of Catholic health care lose its way?  Undoubtedly, that is a reflection of the decline in the importance of the Church in the lives of Catholics.  Statistics from Gallup record that in 1965, 67% of American Catholics attended weekly Mass.  By 2023, that number dropped to 19%.  A similar change was seen in the CMA, where membership in the 1980s dropped below 300, approximately 10% of our current membership. 

There is a resurgence in interest in religion, and particularly in Catholicism, especially among young adults.  And that is where a bright future can be foreseen for CMA and for Catholic health care in general. Our faith’s meaning, traditions, and emphasis on relationships with both Jesus and those around us are an antidote to the secular mantras of personal autonomy and self-gratification.  How can Catholic health care benefit from this rising tide of attention and belief in our faith’s teachings?

A renewal of authentic Catholic medicine that is committed to Magisterial teaching and principles cannot happen in a vacuum.  It is us, the Catholic clinicians, who must fill that space and promote health care as it should be practiced.  Rather than focusing on efficiency, productivity, and profitability, attention should be given to the practice of morally responsible medicine.  It is unsurprising that a decline in public trust and confidence in medical care has occurred over the past several decades.  When patients and their families recognize that Catholic entities prioritize their best interests over business benchmarks, their preference for Catholic care will be irrefutable.

This sorely needed turnaround in American health care requires the help of all Catholics in the industry, from CEOs to the hard-working employees devoting their hearts and minds to compassionate care for others.  Those of us in the CMA have the opportunity, and frankly, the responsibility, to be at the forefront of the promotion of authentically Catholic medicine. 

There are multiple means of proclaiming that message.  We need to talk with our colleagues and co-workers about the value of our beliefs in the practice of medicine.  The administration and board of directors of hospitals and health care systems must be advised of the importance and benefits of this approach.  Advocate for Catholic principles in your hospital’s medical staff meetings.  Become an active member of your county and state organizations, whether medical, nursing, or any other profession.  Join your secular specialty organizations, such as the AMA, ACP, AAFP, and others, and defend medical practice that respects the dignity of each individual seeking care.  And, importantly, be directly involved in your state’s legislative process with bills that are pertinent to ethical health care.

Over the past two millennia, there has been no greater force in the care of the sick and injured than the Catholic Church.  The approach to medical care in America has suffered as a result of the secularization of medicine.  However, as Pope Saint John Paul II emphasized again and again, “Et nolite timere, duc in altum!”  Yes, we are called to “Be not afraid, set out into the deep”.  In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel…”.  The whole world includes our hospitals, our colleagues, our communities, and our society.  It is our resp

onsibility as Catholic clinicians to follow our Savior’s call, despite the challenges and repercussions that may ensue.  That is the only means of restoring Christ-centered medical care for our patients and our society. 

Dr. Timothy Millea is the chairman of the Health Care Policy Committee. He is also a CMA board member-at-large, Iowa state director, and president of the St. Thomas Aquinas Guild of the Quad Cities.