St. Giuseppe Moscati Guild
by Melanie Sisinni
05/05/2025
The Catholic Medical Alliance of the Diocese of Erie has taken a significant step toward strengthening the community of Catholic healthcare professionals with the creation of the St. Giuseppe Moscati Guild, now officially recognized as a medical guild of the Catholic Medical Association (CMA).
For more than a decade, the Catholic Medical Alliance has been a resource for healthcare professionals in the diocese, offering opportunities for spiritual and educational growth through regular meetings focused on issues related to medical ethics, spiritual formation and healthcare policy. Despite the alliance’s positive impact, there was a growing desire among local medical professionals to create a more formal guild affiliated with the Catholic Medical Association.
Dr. Jeff McGovern, who has been involved with the Catholic Medical Alliance for the past 15 years, spearheaded this initiative uniting physicians and healthcare workers under a shared commitment to Catholic values in the medical profession.
“The Catholic Medical Association is a national organization dedicated to the spiritual and educational formation of Catholic physicians, upholding conscience rights and maintaining Catholic values in healthcare,” McGovern explained. “Our goal was always to align with this larger organization, but the interest wasn’t there until recently.”
McGovern’s persistence, combined with a lot of prayer and encouragement, eventually led to the creation of the St. Giuseppe Moscati Guild in December 2024. While the Catholic Medical Alliance had been effective, the new guild offers greater access to the resources and network of the CMA, amplifying the voices of Catholic physicians in the healthcare field. This new guild is more than just a name change. It’s a formal step that allows the local group to participate in the broader CMA community, which includes more than 100 guilds nationwide. Through the CMA, members gain access to educational forums, conferences, and a united front on critical issues such as healthcare policy, ethics and conscience rights.
McGovern shared his excitement: “Being part of a national organization gives us a stronger voice, particularly as we face ethical challenges in the medical field. It also aligns us with other like-minded healthcare professionals who share our commitment to Catholic values.”
The St. Giuseppe Moscati Guild is not only for physicians. The guild is open to all healthcare professionals, including nurses, dentists and other medical practitioners who wish to be part of a community that upholds Catholic teachings in healthcare.
“We want to create an environment where people of all healthcare disciplines can come together, share their experiences, and discuss ethical issues that impact our practice,” McGovern said.
The guild’s meetings foster both intellectual and spiritual growth. Sessions usually begin with prayer, followed by discussions on current ethical issues and lectures or reflections led by guest speakers, many of whom are priests offering spiritual insights relevant to the healthcare profession.
Though membership numbers are still being established, McGovern anticipates a strong turnout as the guild continues to grow.
“Even though we’re starting fresh, the foundation of this work has been laid over the last 15 years through the Catholic Medical Alliance,” McGovern said. “Now, with a core group of dedicated members, we can take it to the next level.”
The journey has only just begun for McGovern and his colleagues, but they are hopeful that this new guild will provide a strong voice for Catholic values in healthcare and inspire many others to join the cause.
LEARN MORE
If you are interested in joining the Catholic Medical Alliance or the St. Giuseppe Moscati Guild, visit https://stgiuseppe.cathmed.org or contact Dr. Jeff McGovern directly at 814-969-8604.
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