Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.
—Mark 10:21

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus asks a rich man to give up his possessions and follow Him. But the man finds it difficult to let go of material things, and walks away. We are reminded that becoming too attached to worldly goods can interfere with following God’s will for us. Our security must not come from people, places or things. Instead, Jesus asks us to let go of our attachments and trust in Him.

This is exactly how CMMB volunteer Dr. Tom Catena has chosen to live his life. Since 2008, he has been the only permanent medical doctor for the nearly one million people in Sudan’s inhospitable Nuba Mountains. He has chosen to care for these people in an area that has been in a vicious civil war since 2011. Dr. Tom, as he is affectionately known, treats up to 500 patients a day at the Mother of Mercy Hospital, where he is on call 24 hours, seven days a week, treating all conditions, from casualties of war to malnutrition.

“I think if you really want fulfillment in this life, what I would suggest to you is go and get rid of everything you have.  Sell everything you have.  Get rid of all your baggage and go live a life of full and total service to other people. I think if you do that, you will find that the rewards are incredible.  You will find that you have fulfillment more than you could ever have imagined.”  —Dr. Tom Catena

Dr. Tom Catena wraps a patient’s arm during a scene from “The Heart of Nuba” documentary in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Catena, a Catholic native of the Diocese of Albany, has served the last 10 years as the only physician at Mother of Mercy Hospital for the region’s 1 million people.

“I was influenced very much by St. Francis of Assisi, whose idea was to radically live the Gospel… not to just live it half way, or live it from a distance, but to really enter into that reality.”  —Dr. Tom Catena

Mother of Mercy Hospital has been bombed numerous times – yet Dr. Catena remains. His greatest compensation is the fulfillment and peace that comes from serving others in need.  Regardless of the hardship, Dr. Tom is exactly where he wants to be. That is where he finds true happiness. May we all follow his example.

In grace and peace,
CMMB – Healthier Lives Worldwide

This post was inspired by Loyola Press.

Stories of Children Living in Extreme Poverty

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CLICK HERE to read Kavengi’s story