The Association for Catholic Chiropractors has obtained affiliation status with the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (Fédération Internationale des Associations Médicales Catholiques - FIAMC), the Vatican's only recognized representative body of Catholic doctors worldwide.
During the "Extraordinary Jubilee Conference" in Rome July 2000 for Catholic doctors, the FIAMC members unanimously voted to accept the Association of Catholic Chiropractors as an affiliate.
Representatives from the Association for Catholic Chiropractors and the Italian Chiropractic Association were on hand for the conference to represent our profession. Ten chiropractors from seven countries attended the Vatican's conference for all federations in February 2000 as guests of the Catholic MDs, which paved the way for such a decision.
What does this mean for our profession? Doctors of chiropractic are now placed with the MD groups and will be able to attend, as a recognized body, the Vatican's sponsored meetings on health throughout the world. This placement level acknowledges our profession and professional status to the international health care system as Catholic doctors.
Prior to 1997, there was no informal or formal contact with one of the largest health care providers in the world -- the Catholic Church - nor was there any chiropractic representation within the church.
The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance for Health Care works with the various health care professionals who are members of the approved international federations, consisting of national "associations of the faithful." Currently there are only federations for doctors, nurses, pharmacies, volunteers and chaplains. The Association of Catholic Chiropractors is an approved association, working worldwide, and will seek federation status as our membership grows.
The Pontifical Council, instituted by Pope John Paul II and headed by Archbishop Lozano from Mexico, meets with international representatives of the world's health care ministers, the WHO, and other bodies of the United Nationson social and public health issues.
To celebrate, the Association for Catholic Chiropractors plans to sponsor a mass during the WFC Conference in Paris. For more information, write to afcc@discovernet.net or call 203-661-0105 in the U.S.
Karen Shields-Wright,DC
President,
Association for Catholic Chiropractors
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