CHA has engaged a theologian to serve as a visiting scholar, and she will be available to consult with association members on theological and bioethical matters over the next year. M. Therese Lysaught, an associate professor in the department of theology at Milwaukee's Marquette University, is working with CHA during her yearlong academic sabbatical. In addition to being available to consult or make presentations at CHA member sites, she will develop a white paper on the theological foundations of various ownership and sponsorship structures for CHA's special membership task force, the group charged with studying the association's membership criteria.
Lysaught, who has a doctor of philosophy in religion and theological ethics, has over 20 years' experience advising, teaching, writing and lecturing on theological and bioethical topics. She is an expert in Catholic moral theology and health care ethics including its application to stem cell therapy and reproductive technology. In recent years, she has consulted with Catholic health care systems and facilities, on topics such as the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, genetics, maternal-fetal conflict, ecclesiology and a variety of topics related to moral theology.
"I am excited that we are able to dialogue and consult with a leading bioethicist in this way," said Sr. Patricia Talone, RSM, vice president of mission services for CHA. She noted that engaging Lysaught as a visiting scholar may have the additional benefit of enriching the relationship between Catholic health care and the Catholic university communities.
Lysaught said she believes she will be able to offer the ministry a perspective on the theological issues behind some of the questions and concerns they face.
Lysaught has taught and served in academic administration at Marquette since 2007. Previously she taught at the University of Dayton, Ohio. She served on the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee at the National Institutes of Health for three years. She served on CHA's theologian and ethicist committee from 2002-2009. She has lectured on Catholic health care ethics and similar topics in dozens of venues, including at CHA, Catholic health systems and facilities, Catholic universities and Catholic bioethics centers.
She has coauthored two books: Gathered for the Journey: Moral Theology in Catholic Perspective, with David McCarthy; and On Moral Medicine: Theological Explorations in Medical Ethics (Third Edition), with Joseph Kotva. She is working on additional book projects — Chasing After Virtue: Neuroscience, Economics, and the Biopolitics of Morality, with Jeffrey Bishop and Andrew Michel, and Anointing of the Sick and the Theo-Political Economy of Medicine are likely to be published within the next year.
CHA members can contact Lysaught through Linda Raney, CHA administrative assistant.