A Message from the REACH Director
REACH, Reflecting on Ethics and Catholic Healthcare was developed as an initiative to increase students’ knowledge of Catholic health care ethics. This partnership between faculty in Philosophy, Theology and the School of Nursing began in the spring of 2019 with an integration of Catholic health care ethics into the BSN curriculum under the leadership of Dr. Valerie Schluter as part of FranU’s Quality Enhancement Plan.
REACH supports the mission of the University to educate and form Franciscan servant
leaders and strengthen the Catholic and Franciscan identity of the University. The
image of the hands on the REACH logo represents the hands of Saint Francis who cared
for all of humanity especially the downtrodden and forgotten of society. Catholic
health care ethics recognizes the inherent dignity of all persons and like Saint Francis
seeks out the underserved of today’s society. The REACH initiative focuses on respect
for all life and the foundational concept of human dignity.
By December of 2021, REACH was fully integrated into the BSN curriculum and in co-curricular
activities. Theology faculty sponsor nationally known bioethics scholars twice a year
for campus discussions and a one credit hour graduate course in bioethics has been
added as a requirement to all graduate programs.
REACH continues to expand through new initiatives, such as the REACH: Virtue Ethics
for Educators & Clinicians Faculty Learning Community and the REACH Badge for undergraduate
and graduate students. New REACH Faculty Fellowships are also available for faculty
in clinical and healthcare-related programs.
In Christ,
Hannah Woldum Ragusa, Ph.D.
REACH Director & Assistant Professor of Philosophy
REACH Mission
The mission of REACH: Reflecting on Ethics and Catholic Healthcare is to advance FranU’s mission by educating and forming students, faculty, staff, and members of the wider community in Catholic healthcare ethics.
REACH Vision
The vision of REACH: Reflecting on Ethics and Catholic Healthcare is to support FranU’s vision to become the premier Catholic University in the Gulf Coast region by fostering academic excellence in Catholic healthcare ethics, increasing knowledge of the vision and basic tenets of Catholic healthcare ethics among faculty, staff, and the wider community, and cultivating facility in using Catholic healthcare ethics to guide ethical decision making in practice.
REACH Student Learning Outcomes
After implementation of REACH, students will be able to:
- Describe the basic tenets of Catholic healthcare ethics and its relationship to the mission and values of the University.
- Distinguish Catholic healthcare ethics from other ethical approaches such as principlism, deontology, and utilitarianism.
- Discuss how Catholic healthcare ethics can be used to guide ethical decision making in professional practice.
- Apply Catholic healthcare ethics to specific cases and simulations.
REACH Goals
- Expand REACH across all clinical and healthcare associated academic programs at FranU.
- Increase knowledge of the vision and basic tenets of Catholic healthcare ethics among faculty, staff, and the wider community.
- Foster student excellence in Catholic healthcare ethics through ongoing education, formation, and scholarship outside the classroom.
- Cultivate facility in using Catholic healthcare ethics to guide ethical decision making in interdisciplinary and interprofessional contexts.
Upcoming REACH Events
Twice each year, in fall and spring, FranU hosts a Bioethics Lecture Series featuring a nationally-renowned speaker on Catholic ethics. This lecture series supports the REACH mission to educate and form students, faculty, staff and members of the wider community in Catholic healthcare ethics.
Events Open to All
Fri Fri Feb 2026 All Day Registration through SoftDocs is now open for students interested in joining the 2026 REACH Badge cohort. The program is open to any undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled in or who has previously completed PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125. Participation is free, limited to 20 students and recommended for students anticipating December 2026 graduation since the badge is currently offered only once per year.Check out the event flyer!Learn more about REACH Badge.
Academic Wed Wed Mar 2026 6:30 PM St. Francis Hall Dr. Mariele Courtois is an Assistant Professor of Moral Theology and Director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. She will give two presentations as part of the Spring 2026 Bioethics Lecture Series at FranU. Both events are open to the public and will be accompanied by a light reception.On Wednesday, March 18, from 6:30-7:45pm, Dr. Courtois will present on "AI in Catholic Healthcare and Healthcare Education: Its Risks and Benefits." Please RSVP here.This event also counts toward the lecture requirement for FranU students pursuing the REACH Badge, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125. Learn more about the REACH Badge.Learn more about REACH Badge.
Academic General Public Thu Thu Mar 2026 9:00 AM St. Francis Hall Dr. Mariele Courtois is an Assistant Professor of Moral Theology and Director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. She will give two presentations as part of the Spring 2026 Bioethics Lecture Series at FranU. Both events are open to the public and will be accompanied by a light reception.On Thursday, March 19, from 9-10:15am, Dr. Courtois will present on "The Ethics of Genetic Technologies at the Beginning of Life." Please RSVP here.This event also counts toward the lecture requirement for FranU students pursuing the REACH Badge, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125.Learn more about REACH Badge.
Academic General Public Sat Sat May 2026 8:00 AM The Ethics Intensive is a required component of the 2026 REACH Badge program. This full‑day session reinforces core concepts in Catholic healthcare ethics and strengthens students’ ability to navigate ethical challenges in clinical environments. Undergraduate and graduate students who have taken PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125 are eligible to participate. Students who complete the REACH Badge requirements will earn a pin and certificate. Space is limited to 20 students for 2026.Check out the event flyer!Learn more about REACH Badge.
Events Open to All
Registration through SoftDocs is now open for students interested in joining the 2026 REACH Badge cohort. The program is open to any undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled in or who has previously completed PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125. Participation is free, limited to 20 students and recommended for students anticipating December 2026 graduation since the badge is currently offered only once per year.Check out the event flyer!Learn more about REACH Badge.
Dr. Mariele Courtois is an Assistant Professor of Moral Theology and Director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. She will give two presentations as part of the Spring 2026 Bioethics Lecture Series at FranU. Both events are open to the public and will be accompanied by a light reception.On Wednesday, March 18, from 6:30-7:45pm, Dr. Courtois will present on "AI in Catholic Healthcare and Healthcare Education: Its Risks and Benefits." Please RSVP here.This event also counts toward the lecture requirement for FranU students pursuing the REACH Badge, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125. Learn more about the REACH Badge.Learn more about REACH Badge.
Dr. Mariele Courtois is an Assistant Professor of Moral Theology and Director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. She will give two presentations as part of the Spring 2026 Bioethics Lecture Series at FranU. Both events are open to the public and will be accompanied by a light reception.On Thursday, March 19, from 9-10:15am, Dr. Courtois will present on "The Ethics of Genetic Technologies at the Beginning of Life." Please RSVP here.This event also counts toward the lecture requirement for FranU students pursuing the REACH Badge, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125.Learn more about REACH Badge.
The Ethics Intensive is a required component of the 2026 REACH Badge program. This full‑day session reinforces core concepts in Catholic healthcare ethics and strengthens students’ ability to navigate ethical challenges in clinical environments. Undergraduate and graduate students who have taken PHIL 2320, THEO 3345 or IPGC 6125 are eligible to participate. Students who complete the REACH Badge requirements will earn a pin and certificate. Space is limited to 20 students for 2026.Check out the event flyer!Learn more about REACH Badge.
Spring 2026 Lunch & Learn Series
Faculty and staff are invited to join a Lunch & Learn series focused on the 7th edition of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs), published by the USCCB in November 2025.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Mission and the REACH initiative, the series will meet from 12–1 p.m. on six Thursdays in St. Francis Hall, classroom A101. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP with the sessions you plan to attend.
Session Schedule on the ERDs
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Jan. 29 - Intro to the ERDs, Preamble, General Introduction, & Part 1 on the Social Responsibility of Catholic Health Care Services
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Feb. 12 - Part 2 on the Pastoral and Spiritual Responsibility of Catholic Health Care Services
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Feb. 26 - Part 3 on the Professional-Patient Relationship
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March 12 - Part 4 on Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life
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April 9 - Part 5 on Issues in Care for the Seriously Ill and Dying
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April 23 - Part 6 on Collaborative Arrangements with Other Health Care Organizations and Providers
Bioethics Lecture Series
Bi-annual lecture series featuring nationally-renowned speakers on Catholic bioethics. Open to the university community and the public.
REACH Badge
St. Francis and the Leper
How does the story of St. Francis and the Leper apply to Ethics and Catholic Healthcare?
