By Charles Igwe
The “My Catholic Doctor” website greets users with a mission statement from Luke 10:9 and photos of patrons Venerable Jérôme Lejeune, St. Gianna Molla, and Venerable Catherine McCauley. This online platform, My Catholic Doctor (MCD), aims to create a unique experience for both patients and physicians by offering telehealth sessions across various medical fields, incorporating Catholic teachings into person-focused telemedicine.
Dr. Kathleen Berchelmann, the founder and president of MCD, spent a decade as a faculty pediatrician at Washington University in St. Louis. Over time, she felt compelled to be more intentional about the healing ministry, combining her Catholic faith with her medical practice. “People think of Catholic health care as against abortion, contraception, euthanasia, but it’s so much more than that,” Berchelmann told the Register. “First, we have far better alternatives to all of those: abortion-pill reversal (APR); end-of-life care; natural family planning (NFP).”
She emphasized the importance of treating the whole person, saying, “Don’t you want to be treated as a whole person? Don’t you want your provider to ask about your health background in general, rather than rushing through an allocated six minutes that covers the bare minimum?” Berchelmann noted that secular medicine often excludes practicing Catholics by expecting them to leave their values at the door. “That’s impossible to do if you follow Jesus Christ,” she told EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.
Inspired by Jesus’s command in Luke 10:9 to “Cure the sick who are there. Say to them, the kingdom of God has come to you,” MCD aims to help patients grow in holiness through the experience of illness. Doctors working with MCD spend as much time as needed with each patient, with minimal documentation, believing that the only third party in the doctor-patient relationship should be the Holy Spirit. Most insurance and health-share plans are accepted, and the network includes a wide range of medical specialties.
MCD emphasizes care from conception to natural death and incorporates prayer into its practice. Every afternoon, the Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed for all patients in the office chapel in Stamford, Connecticut. Those unable to join in person are invited to join with their prayer intentions from afar.
Clinicians at MCD strictly follow the Ethical and Religious Directives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the ethical policy statements of the Catholic Medical Association. Berchelmann highlighted that their mission is to bring the loving presence of Jesus Christ to their patients and heal the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.
Patient testimonials on the MCD website reflect the positive experiences. Anne described her treatment as “one of the best I have ever had in health care,” while L.T. appreciated the detailed explanations and the blessing at the end of the appointment. Marta Waters shared that during COVID, her family benefited from the knowledgeable and reliable services of MCD, with none of the twenty people she knew who used the same doctor being hospitalized or dying.
Doctors also support the approach. Dr. Robert Chasuk, a family medicine and NaProTechnology fertility provider from Louisiana, described MCD as “thoroughly dedicated to and sustained by Christ and his Church.” He noted that secular ideas disregarding human dignity and the union of the physical and spiritual have infiltrated many institutions. He emphasized that MCD doctors spend sufficient time with patients, often providing a diagnosis rather than a quick prescription.
Dr. Anne Pearson, a dermatologist from New Hampshire, called her affiliation with MCD a “blessing.” She appreciated the opportunity to provide authentic Catholic health care and serve those with limited access to care. Pearson highlighted the importance of praying with and for patients, placing God at the center of treatment plans. She recounted treating young women who sought acne treatment without birth control, affirming their choice of abstinence.
Dr. Karen Dalton, who converted to Catholicism in 1993, echoed similar sentiments. Certified in NaProTechnology, she emphasized the importance of open faith discussions with patients, many of whom appreciate being prayed with and for. Dalton noted that patients often seek MCD for holistic care, especially when secular medicine falls short.
My Catholic Doctor continues to provide Christ-centered medical care, treating each patient with dignity and emphasizing the holistic healing of body, mind, and spirit.
