Lecture: "Let's Talk About End of Life Issues"

Holy Family Parish in Concord, MA is pleased to announce an upcoming adult faith formation presentation:  What Are They Saying About End of Life Issues? This talk will take place on Tuesday, November 13 in Monument Hall located at 62 Monument Square in Concord. The presenter will be Jesuit priest and medical doctor Myles Sheehan, SJ, who is also Provincial of the New England Jesuit province.

A 1978 graduate of Dartmouth College and 1981 graduate of Dartmouth Medical School, Father Sheehan served as a resident in Internal Medicine at the Beth Israel Hospital from 1981-1984, and was a Fellow in Geriatric Medicine with the Division on Aging at Harvard Medical School from 1989 to 1991.   Dr. Sheehan directed the Geriatric Consultation Service at Beth Israel from 1991 to 1995 and was an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, where, with the support of a Brookdale Foundation Fellowship, he developed a curriculum in geriatric medicine.   In 1995, Dr. Sheehan moved to Loyola University Health System in Illinois, became Senior Associate Dean for the Stritch School of Medicine in 2000, and was the Ralph P. Leischner Professor of Medical Education as well as a Professor in the Department of Medicine.   In 2007 he was named a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

In 1985, Dr. Sheehan entered the Jesuits, the Society of Jesus, in the New England Province.   He has earned a Masters degrees in philosophy and divinity, was ordained to the priesthood in 1994, and returned to the Boston area in July of 2009 when he was appointed Provincial of the New England Province with responsibility for the Jesuits and their ministries in the New England area.

About this topic, Fr. Sheehan writes: “End of life care is a topic many people feel passionately about but often do not think clearly about what is possible, what good end of life care means, and what are the true teachings of the Church.    Some people mistakenly feel Catholics are required to “do everything” while others wish to end their lives. It is possible for people to die without terrible pain, in a clean and comfortable environment, and without being a burden on those they love---and do this all within the context of what our Catholic faith teaches and what we likely believe in our hearts.”

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