Thank you to everyone who joined us on Thursday for our annual Summer Soriee! It was wonderful to see friends and colleagues…new and old!
And a special thank you to Dr. Rick Seeger and his lovely wife, Kathy, for hosting!
Summer Soiree 2025
Summer Soriee – July 17
Please RSVP to flmedguild@stbernards.edu
Catholic Physicians Throughout the World
More Psychedelic Controversy
We have been interested in the developing field of psychedelic research for some time. Our Guild President, Dr. Carroll, published an extensive review of psychedelics as medications in the Linacre Quarterly last year.
In this context, we read with interest a recent article by Joe Welker, a self-described former psychedelic user turned critic, who has written extensively on his own experiences with psychedelics and the related culture. More recently, he became a whistleblower on a John’s Hopkins psychedelic research study involving clergy, leading to IRB censure of the researchers and suppression of compromised data.
Joe now provides us with a lengthy piece reviewing and critiquing a recent article by self-described psychedelic advocate Michael Pollen (of How to Change Your Mind fame). Here’s a summary from Joe’s piece:
In sum, Pollan’s piece circumvented IRB regulators who had, in their mercy, just allowed them to publish controversial data at risk of the IRB’s own reputation. A major media platform was then used to launder ethically problematic research in lieu of formal publication. While Pollan may have felt justified as they were blended in with his personal interviews with participants, and he saw that as the essence of the story, it still means ethically compromised, non-peer-reviewed research was presented to millions of readers without the essential context that Hopkins deemed mandatory for public consumption.
CMA Policy Recommendation re: Telemed Chemical Abortion
Thank you to the CMA and FLG Board member Jean Baric-Parker for this important policy recommendation!
State-Sanctioned Suicide Response – More Media Coverage
First, the Catholic Courier excerpts statements in opposition to the so-called MAiD legislation from Bishop Matano, the Bishops of NY, Feminists Choosing Life of New York, and the letter submitted to the Governor by Dr. Carroll on behalf of the Finger Lakes Guild
Second, The Pulse (a publication of the CMA) published an excellent piece by FLG Board Member Jean Baric-Parker making an excellent case against State-Sanctioned Suicide:
Finally, The Tablet quoted Dr. Carroll in a piece entitled, “Pro-Life Leaders Contend With Fallout Over NY Suicide Bill”
FLG @ LECOM in Elmira
Letter to Gov. Hochul re: MAiD Bill
Submitted to Gov. Hochul’s office today.
Please contact our Governor to let your opinion be known!
Update (6/20/2025 @ 9pm)
Statements on the NY Physician Assisted Suicide Bill
Sad News
State Sanctioned Suicide likely coming to NY
The NY Senate passed the State Sanctioned Suicide bill last night (June 9) around 9pm.
Please pray that Gov. Hochul uses her veto power to protect New Yorkers, and the rest of the country, from this monstrous law!
Desire for Death
This is a small, cross-sectional, study…and…the results suggest that those who desire to die…
- …are more demoralized
- …have less hope
- …are NOT bothered any more by pain than those we do not desire to die
What can we conclude from this small, cross-sectional, study? Maybe:
- In order to help those who want to die…we can help them recognize reasons for hope in their life (or even the objective existence of that theological virtue Hope!)
- Continue to make it known that it is NOT pain that leads to the desire for death! This is a lie of the Culture of Death that is pushing State-Sanctioned Suicide right now in the NY State Legislature. If you have not done so already please contact your NY State Senator! Their legislative session ends next week. Now is the time!