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Societas Lucae

Uniting young Catholic medical doctors & students

“I fervently hope that (...) you will be able to give fresh, courageous vitality to your Gospel witness in the important area of medicine and health care.”
— St John Paul II
Societas Lucae logo: a blue cross with a golden serpent

Countries part of the network

  • Albania
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Central African Republic
  • Colombia
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • England
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Timor-Leste
Young doctors and medical students sitting in a circle under pine trees

Who we are

A network of young Catholic doctors and medical students

As believers engaged in medicine, we feel blessed with a unique calling. This is why we greatly appreciate the chance to exchange with others who understand what it means, for they live it too. This desire was the driving force behind the launch of Societas Lucae.

Since January 2025, Societas Lucae is recognized as the youth outreach of FIAMC, the official federation of national medical associations of the Catholic Church.

United by our faith, our vocation and the desire to place our life and work in God's hands, we see friendship as a foundation to build a better world on.

  • 01

    We believe Christ is in each patient.

    Every human person has been lovingly created by God with profound dignity. As modern Good Samaritans, we believe that every patient deserves to be treated with tenderness and compassion from conception to natural death.

  • 02

    We strive to follow God's call to care and heal.

    Being a Catholic in medical school is hard, but our call is a gift. God chose us for greatness, not comfort, and we rejoice in our call to be icons of hope and sharers of healing love in a world of brokenness.

  • 03

    We are not alone.

    Every struggle we encounter, we face together. We experience joy when spending time in fellowship with peers, role models and mentors who learn to follow Christ faithfully as physicians.

Our values

  • Care

    We foster a shared commitment to become skilled, dedicated and caring physicians.

  • Prayer

    “Pray without ceasing”, said St Paul. By genuinely loving our patients and peers, we seek to live out that call.

  • Together

    Friendship is the spark that got us going as well as the fire which keeps us moving.

What we do

Empower, support, connect and inspire

  • 01

    Empower

    We offer educational programs about topics related to medicine and faith. Members and any other interested people are regularly invited to online and face-to-face conferences.

  • 02

    Support

    We offer help in challenging situations. Whether someone needs a listening ear, a clear answer on a specific topic, or access to resources we can provide, offering support to our members in need is one of our top priorities.

  • 03

    Connect

    We encourage true and strong friendship connections on a national level and across borders. Besides creating personal and professional opportunities, this aspect also lets us share valuable quality moments together.

  • 04

    Inspire

    We create an environment in which new personal and societal projects can take shape - through brainstorming, inspiring figures, and mutual encouragement.

Events

Where we meet, learn and pray together

From online conferences to our annual Lucae Lab, our events bring members and friends together across borders. Click a category to see what is coming up and what we have done so far.

Online conferences

A way to connect internationally in our daily lives

We organize around six online conferences each year, bringing together our members and experts from a wide range of fields.

Next

The program for the 2026–2027 academic year will be announced soon.

Past conferences

Congresses

An international intellectual and networking experience

Societas Lucae participates in international congresses, confronting ideas with the broader Catholic medical community.

Next

Future congresses will be announced here.

Last congresses

Lucae Lab

1 upcomingThe highlight of our annual program

Once a year, all Societas Lucae members are invited to come together for an extended weekend of prayer, formation, friendship and fun.

Next

Previous editions

Hands-on experiences

Experiencing real life Christian medical practice

Our hands-on experiences give members the opportunity to discover particular areas of medicine alongside experienced professionals in real hospital settings, while reflecting on the medical, human and spiritual dimensions of our profession.

Next

Future hands-on experiences will be announced here.

Last experiences

Open event page

Online conferences

Ethical issues regarding organ transplant: the definition of death

Date
Time
20:30 CET
Location
Online

One of the most pressing questions in modern medicine and ethics: what is death?

Speaker

  • Prof. Bernard N. Schumacher

    Professor of Philosophy, University of Fribourg (Switzerland)

As coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Institute for Ethics and Human Rights, Prof. Schumacher’s research and teaching focus on the philosophy of the person and human dignity. He invites us to reflect on what it truly means to be human, especially in moments where dignity is most fragile.

Gallery

Open event page

Online conferences

Being a faithful scientist

Date
Time
20:30 CET
Location
Online

What it means to be a faithful scientist in today's world, followed by interactive breakout rooms.

Speaker

  • Prof. Jean-François Collet

    Professor at UCLouvain, de Duve Institute (Belgium)

Prof. Collet holds a PhD in bioengineering (Leuven) and leads his own research group at the de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, after working at the University of Michigan. He cloned and sequenced the gene encoding human phosphoserine phosphatase and has published in top-tier international journals.

Gallery

Open event page

Online conferences

Environment and Medicine

Date
Time
20:30 CET
Location
Online

Insights on how our work as physicians relates to environmental issues.

Speaker

  • Prof. Grégoire Wieërs

    Physician and researcher

Open event page

Online conferences

Colloquium: facing women considering abortion

Date
Time
20:30 CET
Location
Online (members only)

First edition of our new colloquium format: after a short presentation, the floor is open for a real discussion between members.

Speaker

  • Katharina Degenfeld

    1000plus

The Colloquium is a new format: after a short presentation, we open the floor for a real discussion, a chance to exchange ideas in a way that is not possible in our usual online conferences. Reserved to members, limited spots.

Open event page

Online conferences

The end of life: how to deal with it?

Date
Time
20:30 CEST
Location
Online

An online conference with Cardinal Willem Eijk, medical doctor and Archbishop of Utrecht, on the end of life.

Speaker

  • Cardinal Willem Eijk

    Medical doctor and prelate

Open event page

Online conferences

Caring with hope: humanizing palliative and oncology care

Date
Time
20:30 UTC+1
Location
Online (Zoom)

How to humanize palliative and oncology care, by an oncologist and former head of medical oncology in the Algarve.

Speaker

  • Ana Filipa Varges Gomes, MD, PhD

    Oncologist and health manager, Algarve (Portugal)

Open event page

Online conferences

Euthanasia: serious physical suffering, autonomy, subjectivity and the meaning of life

Date
Time
20:30 CET
Location
Online

Discussing serious physical suffering, autonomy, subjectivity and the meaning of life in the light of the Belgian case.

Speaker

  • Prof. Dr Benoit Beuselinck

    Medical oncologist, UZ Leuven (Belgium)

Open event page

Online conferences

What is our mission as Catholic doctors? A life experience from Lourdes

Date
Time
21:00 CET
Location
Online

An online conference on the mission of Catholic doctors, drawing on a life experience at the Sanctuary of Lourdes.

Speaker

  • H.E. Fra' Alessandro De Franciscis

    Medical doctor, President of the Bureau des Constatations Médicales de Lourdes, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Order of Malta

Open event page

Congresses

XXVII FIAMC World Congress

Date
Location
Brasília, Brazil

The World Congress of Catholic Doctors: the mission of the Catholic doctor in the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church, from the industrial revolution to the digital revolution.

The XXVII World Congress of Catholic Doctors proposed a profound reflection on the mission of the Catholic doctor in the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church, from the challenges of the Industrial Revolution to the dilemmas of the current Digital Revolution. Societas Lucae took part in the organization alongside FIAMC and the Brazilian Catholic medical associations, and hosted a session on the personal and professional growth of young Catholic physicians.

Gallery

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Congresses

AI & Medicine: the challenge of human dignity

Date
Location
Rome, Italy

International congress in Rome on AI and medicine. Societas Lucae hosted a round table with young physicians on AI and human values: the contribution of Christian faith.

AI presents tremendous opportunities to improve health and health care delivery, but at the same time presents enormous risks of dehumanizing the relationship between the physician and the patient. On 11 November, Societas Lucae organized a round table with young physicians on AI and human values: the contribution of Christian faith.

Congress website

Gallery

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Congresses

III Young Catholic Doctors International Meeting

Date
Location
Lisbon, Portugal (during World Youth Day)

The third Young Catholic Doctors International Meeting took place during World Youth Day 2023, gathering doctors and doctors-to-be from the five continents.

Open event page

Lucae Lab

The Lucae Lab 2026

Date
Location
Monastery of Camposampiero, Padua, Italy

A unique gathering for Catholic doctors and medical students to connect, reflect and grow at the intersection of faith and medicine, in the footsteps of St Anthony.

Speakers

  • Dr Dermot Kearney, MD MRCPI

    Consultant cardiologist (UK), former President of the Catholic Medical Association UK

  • Dr Jana Highholder

    Physician, Christian speaker and author (Germany)

What awaits you? A spirit of celebration, joy and shared experiences; a weekend of growth with conferences, discussions and exchange; space for reflection, prayer and friendship. We will meet inspiring speakers and discover the sanctuaries of Camposampiero, where St Anthony spent the last months of his life.

Registration is open: please fill in the registration form.

Register now

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Open event page

Lucae Lab

The Lucae Lab 2025

Date
Location
Alzgern, Germany

The very first Lucae Lab: a weekend filled with joy, prayer, meaningful conversations, new friendships, inspiring conferences and precious time together.

Members of Societas Lucae from around the world came together for the very first Lucae Lab in Alzgern, Germany: exchange, prayer and fun for young doctors and medical students.

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Open event page

Lucae Lab

Tirocinium 2023: bioethics & leadership summer camp

Date
Location
Small family farm near Lisbon, Portugal

Our first international summer camp for medical students, four days before World Youth Day: vocation, bioethics and leadership.

Tirocinium means noviciate, or beginning. 31 participants from 15 to 32 years old, coming from 12 countries, spent four days of interactive lectures, games and sharing moments around three themes: vocation, bioethics and leadership. It was the seed of what has become the Lucae Lab.

Gallery

Open event page

Hands-on experiences

Caring with Faith and Hope in Palliative Care

Date
Location
Portimão, Portugal

Our first international internship: a hands-on experience of clinical practice in palliative care, in a real hospital setting, with time for reflection and prayer.

Speaker

  • Dr Ana Filipa Varges Gomes

    Medical Oncology and Palliative Care department, Hospital of Portimão

Members discovered palliative and oncology care alongside experienced professionals of the Hospital of Portimão, reflecting on the medical, human and spiritual dimensions of accompanying patients at the end of life. The week also included a public session “Cuidar com fé e esperança” (Care with hope) and time to enjoy the Algarve together.

Gallery

Testimonials

In their own words

  • “This gathering will help to affirm and support you, so you can become the doctor God wants you to be.”

    Dr Tom McGovern

    Physician · United States

  • “With lectures, shared stories, and fun, you'll form a deep bond with a group of medical students worldwide.”

    Dr José Diogo Ferreira Martins

    President of the Portuguese Catholic Medical Association · Portugal

  • “As doctors, academic education must go hand in hand with moral education and as Catholics, we have to be saints in our workplace.”

    Dr Manuel de Albuquerque

    Physician · Portugal

  • “Through Societas Lucae I found friends across Europe who share the same questions and the same faith. The online conferences and the Lucae Lab gave me a place to grow as a future doctor.”

    Sample testimonial (to replace)

    Medical student · Belgium

  • “Residency can be lonely. Having a network of young Catholic doctors to talk to, pray with and learn from changed the way I look at my vocation.”

    Sample testimonial (to replace)

    Resident doctor · Germany

Get involved

Want to join?

If you are a medical student or resident doctor up to 40 years old, join us! We are waiting for you!

Get in touch

How you can help

We cannot do this alone!

Audience of young doctors listening to a welcome message in a lecture hall

  • Prayer

    We are gifted with the blessing of receiving daily spiritual support from a contemplative monastery. Join them and us in our prayers!

  • Speakers

    We are always looking for inspiring people who want to share their experience or knowledge. Reach out if you or someone you know fit this description.

  • Collaboration

    If a project you know of or manage has similar values and objectives, we would be happy to look for ways to help one another.

  • Donation

    All our members serve on a voluntary basis. Our actions, however, rely on donations. If you consider donating, we would be happy to present our activities and their cost to you – please contact us at societas.lucae@gmail.com.

  • Contact us at societas.lucae@gmail.com