Abstract
Gerald Kelly (1902-1964) has been called the “father” of American Catholic Medical ethics. Despite this accolade, his work is not well known. He has largely been viewed as representative of a discredited, “pre-Vatican II” approach to questions of medical morality. In this lecture Dr. Wojda offers a reconsideration of Kelly’s legacy, arguing that Kelly’s work exhibits virtues more relevant today than ever.
Paul J. Wojda, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the theology department at
St. Thomas, where he has taught since 1992. In addition to his teaching, Dr.
Wojda has worked in a variety of capacities in the area of Catholic healthcare
ethics both locally and nationally. He is the former chair of the Archdiocesan
Biomedical Ethics Commission and has consulted on ethical issues for both
Catholic and secular healthcare providers.