Pope John Paul II begins Fides et Ratio, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” And, since all human beings have an innate longing to know the truth, it is fitting that as readers and writers we gather in this Forum to discuss the truth as it relates to current issues regarding marriage, family, faith and human life.

Considering the rise of relativism in educational systems and the wider culture, as well the many scientific developments that effect human life (from Plan B to cloning), it is no surprise that many of us need to spend time searching out the truth by learning from experts in fields such as medicine, bioethics, philosophy, and theology. It is for this reason that I consider it a privilege to continue the work of the Truth and Charity Forum as its new editor.

My background in Church communications has convinced me of two things about the communication of the Truth. First, even though the Church possesses the fullness of the truth, many of the faithful do not understand Her teachings because those teachings are not always explained clearly in the public square. The second conviction is related to the first: as a Church, we need men and women to live their faith in their homes, their professional lives and to put their talents at the service of the Body of Christ.

Therefore, I was happily surprised to discover that today, during my first week as editor, we would be celebrating the Feast of St. Luke, Doctor and Evangelist. He is a fitting exemplar for the work of the Truth and Charity Forum, exemplifying the unity of reason and faith. One of the first Christians, St. Luke served others as a doctor, but also by bringing the world the Good News of Jesus Christ. What a witness he is for each one of us to follow!

We know from St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians that St. Luke was a physician and it is theorized by some that he often practiced medicine on ships travelling around the Mediterranean. A native of Antioch, he was well traveled and historians conjecture that he met St. Paul for the first time while studying medicine in Tarsus. St. Luke did not separate his profession from his faith: he encountered St. Paul while he was at work. No wonder that he is the patron saint of physicians – his faithfulness did not exist solely when worshipping, but in every aspect of his life. Quite a few articles on the Forum address this challenge that those in the medical profession are currently encountering: how can I stay faithful to what I believe is morally and ethically good and still succeed in my profession?

Of course, St. Luke is best known for penning one of the four Gospels. He not only cooperated with God’s will by serving people as a doctor, he relayed the life of Jesus Christ to his contemporaries and to millions of people up until the present day. Once he encountered the profound truth of Christ’s life, death and Resurrection, he desired to share it with others.

St. Luke writes, “I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received” (Luke 1:3-4). Even in these first lines of the Gospel, we can see his medical precision at work. Indeed, his medical training is obvious from his emphasis on certainty based on investigation as well as the level of vocabulary used within the Gospel itself. His use of reason supports his faith and his faith fuels his use of reason in researching and writing this inspired Word of God. He certainly is relying on those two wings that lead us to contemplate the truth!

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It is my hope that the writers and readers of the Truth and Charity Forum will engage faith and reason, following in the footsteps of St. Luke. I pray that contributing writers will continue to use their expert knowledge acquired in their professional lives to tackle in their articles complex ethical issues, matters of faith and challenges facing marriage and families today. This Forum is and will remain a place where men and women can come to read and learn, utilizing their faith and reason to discover the truth for which they thirst.

In the last chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, after meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus, one disciple exclaimed to the other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way…” (Luke 24:32). By writing, reading, and sharing here on the Truth and Charity Forum, we, like these disciples, recognize the truth of Christ, which enflames our hearts and enlightens our minds.

Caitlin Bootsma is the editor of Human Life International’s Truth and Charity Forum. Mrs. Bootsma received a Licentiate in Catholic Social Communications at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome as well as a Master’s of Systematic Theology from Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and two sons.

Articles by Caitlin: