Dr. Alexandre A. Martins named Visiting Scholar in Ethics for St. Mark’s College & Providence Health Care

St. Mark’s College, Providence Health Care and the Saint Paul Foundation have united to address the need for enhanced ethics in Catholic health care in the Archdiocese of Vancouver. A new position will support the local Catholic health care community dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of those served through compassionate care, teaching and research.

For the year 2022-2023, St. Mark’s College at UBC and Providence Health Care were pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Alexandre A. Martins (PhD) as the Visiting Scholar in Ethics.

The Visiting Scholar in Ethics position is a component of the Catholic Health Care Ethics Fund established in 2019 by the Archdiocese of Vancouver. It is a collaboration to provide joint teaching, learning and health care delivery by enhancing learning opportunities in Ethics through clinical experiential learning, academic research, and teaching at St. Paul’s Hospital and St. Mark’s College.

For 2022-2023, Dr. Martins spent a week in Vancouver and events were held from February 13-15 2023. Among the events, Dr. Martins was part of a panel for the Providence Health Care Ethics Forum: “A ‘Community of We:’ the ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’ and Justice in Catholic Health Care.” He conducted an in-service lecture for staff of Catholic partner institutions (Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre, Providence Health Care, St. Paul’s Foundation, and St. Mark’s and Corpus Christi Colleges), and he gave a public lecture at the Centre for Christian Engagement at St. Mark’s College entitled: “Christological Foundations of Care for the Sick in Catholic Health Care.”

Dr. Alexandre Martins is an assistant professor at the Department of Theology and the College of Nursing at Marquette University in Wisconsin, Regional Coordinator of Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church for Latin American and Caribbean region, and Vice-President of the Brazilian Society of Moral Theology.

With experiences as a healthcare provider and global health advocate, he has served in middle and low-income countries throughout the world, such as Brazil, Bolivia, Haiti, and Uganda.

With a specialization within health care ethics and social ethics, especially in areas of public health, global health, community based-approached, and Catholic social teaching, his knowledge is immense. Additionally, Dr. Martins is widely published and often lectures around the world. His upcoming book “Christology and Global Ethics: Methodology for Bioethics from the Margins”, speaks of the development of a liberation bioethics in Latin America with its focus on public health equity from the experience and knowledge of those who are at the margins, the poor and historically oppressed groups.

“Alexandre Martins has worked productively and creatively for many years at the interface of public health, global health, and Catholic thought. His professional expertise and engaging leadership will be a boon for all. We welcome his presence among us most heartily,” remarked Dr. Gerry Turcotte, President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Mark’s College.

About St. Mark’s College at UBC

St. Mark’s College is a member of the Community of St. Mark’s at UBC, which is comprised of St. Mark’s College, Corpus Christi College, and St. Mark’s Parish. As the affiliated Catholic Theological College of the University of British Columbia (UBC), St. Mark’s College offers a variety of academic programs and continuing education opportunities for Catholics and non-Catholics.

St. Mark’s is committed to promoting an authentic Christian humanism, marked by the pursuit of academic excellence and animated by the joy of searching for, discovering, and communicating truth in every field of knowledge. The College prepares graduates who continually strive to integrate and synthesize faith and reason, women and men who think rigorously, so as to act rightly and serve humanity better.

The College offers programs that are grounded in the Catholic intellectual and moral tradition, including a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Culture for aspiring Catholic teachers; Master’s degrees in Religious Education, Theological Studies, Pastoral Studies and Catholic Educational Leadership; and engaging public lectures and professional development opportunities addressing faith leading to understanding.

About Providence Health Care

Providence Health Care (PHC) is one of Canada’s largest Catholic health care organizations, operating 17 health care facilities in Greater Vancouver. PHC operates one of two adult academic health science centres in the province – St. Paul’s Hospital – performs research in more than 30 clinical specialties, and focuses its services on key populations, including those with cardio-pulmonary risks and illnesses, HIV/AIDS, mental health, renal risks and illness, specialized needs in aging, and urban health. www.providencehealthcare.org

Below is the recorded video of talk on Care for the Sick in Catholic Health Care on Feb 15 by Dr. Martins.