White Mass 2026

On Sunday, October 18, members of the Campbell Catholic Medical Association (CCMA) drove up to Raleigh for the White Mass at the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral. It's a once-a-year Mass for healthcare professionals and students, and it was a great day from start to finish.

What the White Mass is

The Diocese of Raleigh explains that the name comes from the white coats physicians still wear and the white uniforms nurses used to wear. The Mass is held around the Feast of St. Luke, who was a Greek physician, the author of the Gospel of Luke, and a companion of St. Paul who stayed with him during his imprisonment in Rome. He's the patron saint of physicians, so it felt right to spend his feast weekend praying for the people who care for the sick.

During the Mass, everyone working in healthcare received a special blessing and prayer. For those of us still in school, it was a good reminder of why we signed up for this in the first place.

Getting there

Parking downtown is tough, so most of us carpooled and got to the cathedral around 10 AM. We met at the statue of Jesus in the circular courtyard outside the main entrance, then went in together and sat in the pews reserved for our club near the altar. Mass started at 10:30 and ran about an hour.

For those of us still in school, it was a good reminder of why we signed up for this in the first place.

We kept the dress code to "Sunday best." The MS1s hadn't received their white coats yet, so the whole group skipped them and wore business casual or business professional instead.

We weren't the only Campbell group there. The Campbell Catholics undergrad club joined us, along with physicians and Campbell faculty and staff. Having students, residents-to-be, and practicing doctors in the same pews made it feel like one community instead of separate classes.

You also didn't have to be Catholic to come. A few people were new to Mass, and the rest of us helped them follow along with when to sit, stand, and kneel.

Lunch at Ruckus

After Mass we headed a short way down the road to Ruckus Pizza and Bar, where lunch started around noon. This was the part I was looking forward to most. We had plenty of pizza, lots of laughs, and a chance to actually talk with faculty outside of lectures and clinic. A few people came just for lunch, which was great too.

Thank you

Thanks to everyone who RSVP'd, carpooled, and made the trip, and to the physicians and staff who spent their Sunday with us. We had a lot of fun, and I hope even more of you can join us at next year's White Mass.