Sr. Deirdre Byrne will present an urgent and compelling new project developed with the support of Credo St. Louis. This initiative sheds light on a growing, hidden practice targeting some of the most vulnerable members of our society – elderly and disabled individuals – through covert means that end their lives prematurely. During the event, we will view a brief teaser of the newly released 50-minute documentary that reveals these troubling practices. Following the preview, Sr. Deirdre will lead an insightful and eye-opening discussion, inviting us to reflect on how we, as Catholics, are called to uphold the dignity of every human life and respond to the rise of this "culture of death" in our midst. This talk promises to offer both a sobering look at current realities and a call to action for those committed to defending life and truth.
Speaker: Sr. Deirdre Byrne, POSC
Topic: The Catholic Response to a Culture of Death
Date/Time: Tuesday, 14 January 2025, 1-2 PM EST
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/join (Meeting ID: 9173535387 & Passcode: 9173535387) or Dial-in Number: +16469313860 followed by 9173535387# for access code. (No need to put in participant number, just press # again when asked.)
Speaker Bio: Sister Deirdre Byrne is an active missionary sister and superior of her community in Washington, DC. She is double board-certified in family medicine and general surgery. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Sister Deirdre (known to many as Sister DeDe) is one of eight siblings, attended Langley High School, and graduated from Virginia Tech. After college, Sister Dede followed in her thoracic surgeon father’s footsteps and entered medical school at Georgetown University, where she eventually completed both a family medicine residency and later a surgical residency. During that time ,she also joined the Army. After a lifetime of medical and military service in far-ranging areas, she was led to the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts community in 2000, whose charism involves sisters placing each and every person they care for between the Heart of Jesus and Mary. Her apostolate has been performing overseas medical missionary surgery and providing free medical and surgical care for the poor and uninsured. The 130 -year-old community includes 400-500 members. By 2000, the board-certified Dr. Byrne made her commitment to the Little Workers and began her novitiate training in earnest.
Sister DeDe retired with the rank of Colonel from the United States Army in 2009, while still a religious sister, after 29 years of service in the military. She was extremely grateful for the opportunity to have served the “brave soldiers” while deployed to Afghanistan. Over the years, Sister Deirdre has found it easy to integrate her medical and military service into her religious vocation. Though comfortable in scrubs, she wears a full black or a white working habit when she can and is grateful for the impact it has on those to whom she ministers. Currently, she is the superior of D.C. Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts house near Catholic University, where the sisters run a pro-bono physical therapy clinic and diabetic eye clinic, a retirement home for her elderly sisters and pro life mission including the abortion pill reversal.
For any questions, please get in touch with unitednationscatholicclub@outlook.com.