Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB)

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has said of the contribution of Father Paul not only to the local Church of New York, but also to the universal Church: “The Holy Spirit is evident in the tireless efforts of Father Paul of Graymoor towards the unity of Christians, the support of all missionary activity and the loving care for the needy, work that continues today in St. Christopher’s Inn.

Delegates of the Catholic Medical Mission Board (1925)
Delegates of the Catholic Medical Mission Board (1925)

In February of 1913, Good Friday, Father Paul met Dr. Paluel I. Flagg, a young anesthesiologist at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City, at St. Denis Church, Yonkers, New York. He learned of the doctor’s idea to send trained physicians to the missions. The doctor had suffered a tragic loss of his newborn daughter and later that year, his wife, and to cope with his grief he went on a mission to Haiti. The need for medical assistance in such places motivated him to recruit others. Father Paul offered him a platform for publicity for his medical mission in the publication, The Lamp. Through this monthly magazine, he was able to appeal for funds, medical literature and supplies to support the mission’s field work. The mission became the Catholic Medical Mission Board, which to this day works in global partnership to deliver locally sustainable, quality health solutions to women, children, and their communities.