The LMU Center for Religion and Spirituality invites you to this important discussion about the COVID-19 vaccine from a Catholic perspective, moderated by New York Times best-selling author and Catholic speaker Jeannie Gaffigan.

The global pandemic that began in January 2020 has challenged every aspect of our lives: Health and well-being, religion, economics, politics, and ethics have all been tested by a seemingly unrelenting wave of anger, grief, and fear. This webinar will address some of the pressing issues raised by the pandemic from a Catholic and Christian perspective.

A panel of experts moderated by author Jeannie Gaffigan will answer questions such as: Is COVID-19 really a threat? Is the vaccine dangerous for me? Am I morally obligated to get vaccinated? Are there risks to fertility and pregnancy? Can we trust the government and the health care system?

Emphasizing Catholic and Christian perspectives and solutions, scientists, theologians, and health care professionals will sort out the real knowledge from the misinformation in an hourlong discussion aimed at improving understanding of this public health crisis and what each of can do to bring it to an end.

Panel

• Sr. Mary Haddad, R.S.M. is president and chief executive officer at The Catholic Health Association of the United States.
• Rev. Nicanor Austrico, O.P., Ph.D. is a Filipino-American molecular biologist and Catholic priest. He is professor of biological sciences and professor of sacred theology at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.
• Daniel Chavira, M.D. is associate clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as an emergency physician and medical director of clinical observation at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. MLK was considered the “epicenter of the epicenter” of COVID in the world. At MLK, Dr. Chavira runs the unit responsible for outpatient treatment of high risk COVID patients as well as acting as a lead in the airway teams that are responsible for intubating, coding, and performing life-saving procedures on COVID patients.
• Thomas V. Cunningham, Ph.D. is the bioethics program director with Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center and lecturer for the Bioethics Institute at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He formerly taught at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine and was clinical ethicist at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
• Nancy Hernadez Heyne, M.D. is an assistant physician at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Like her husband Tommy, she is double Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatric and works primarily as an adult hospitalist, caring for patients admitted to the hospital (many with COVID-19). She has advocated for prolife causes and is the proud mother of two children. 
• Tommy F. Heyne, M.D. is an assistant physician at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Like his wife Nancy, he is double Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatric and works primarily as an adult hospitalist, caring for patients admitted to the hospital (many with COVID-19). He is passionate about prolife causes and Catholic apologetics, and he is in formation to become a permanent deacon. 

The views expressed on this panel are personal views, and not necessarily those of the panelists’ employer or academic institution. The information provided on this webinar is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for medical advice. All medical information presented should be discussed with your healthcare professional. We strongly urge you to discuss specific cases and/or any current health related issues you or a loved one is experiencing with a healthcare professional.

To Participate
This event is free and open to the public, and will be streamed on Facebook Live at noon Pacific Daylight Time (3 p.m. EDT). Viewers will be able to participate in the Q&A via the comments section.

Resources

• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Moral considerations regarding the new COVID-19 vaccines"
• Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Vatican), "Note on the morality of using some anti-Covid-19 vaccines"