Protecting Others: A Whole-Health Reflection for the Holiday Season

Written By Charles Lea

By: Nicole Lea, RN, CPNP and Kathryn Italia, MD

Cherished Journeys, Holiday Memories & the Call to Love

The holidays have a way of stirring up joyful anticipation. The fun begins with planning trips, packing bags and preparing meals. We look forward to reconnecting with the people we love, spending time sharing stories and creating new memories. 

Whether our families live across town or across the country, these yearly gatherings become the touchstones of our lives. The travel itself, the familiar traditions, and the hope of time together all mirror something deep within the human heart. 

Our holiday journeys also echo something ancient and holy. Long before Jesus’ time, the Jewish people traveled to Jerusalem three times a year for festivals to “rejoice before the Lord” (Deuteronomy 16:11). Psalm 122 captures the joy and longing woven into these pilgrimages. The hope of reaching the “City of Peace” and the deep desire to seek the good of others.

And in a way, we still do this today. We load up suitcases, pack snacks for the kids, and set out to be with the ones we love. We’re seeking connection, rest, joy, and maybe even a fresh sense of peace or hope. But just as those ancient travelers were called to care for one another along the way, Jesus reminds us in Mark 12:29–31 that our mission hasn’t changed:

“Love God with your whole self,
and love your neighbor as yourself.”

If that’s our purpose, then we must choose to care for the vulnerable.

In addition to the wonderful memories, many of us also carry memories of illness during this season: missing the laughter downstairs, tending to a sick relative, or recovering while gatherings go on without us. These experiences remind us to enter the holidays mindful of our own health and the good of those around us.

Understanding the Season We’re Walking Into

As Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas draw near, so does cold and flu season. We start hearing more coughs, seeing more fevers, and saying things like, “Something’s going around.”

 Each year, respiratory viruses like influenza (flu), RSV, COVID-19, and common colds circulate alongside other infections such as strep throat and “stomach bugs.” In children, hand-foot-and-mouth disease and other causes of respiratory infections are also common.

For healthy adults, these illnesses may feel like inconvenient interruptions. But for infants, pregnant mothers, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems, they can become dangerous very quickly.

The Church invites us to see this through the lens of faith. The Catechism teaches:

“Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God.
We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good.”
 —CCC 2288

And St. Paul encourages us to:

“…humbly regard others as more important than yourselves…”
 —Philippians 2:3–4

This means our health decisions aren’t just about us. They’re about the people we love and the people God places in our path.

As we approach the holiday season, there are simple ways to live this call: small habits at home and practical choices that protect those around us. We’ll share a few tips soon. First, we want to talk about vaccines and how they fit with our faith. Thankfully, the Church offers clear and compassionate guidance.

Faith, Facts & the Church: What Catholics Should Know About Vaccines

1. The Church encourages vaccination to protect the vulnerable and serve the common good.

Vaccination shields those who cannot shield themselves, which include newborns, pregnant mothers, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. Think of the loved ones who are receiving chemotherapy, as an example. It is a gift to them for you to get vaccinated. 

2. A well-formed Catholic conscience sees strong moral value in vaccination.

Catholic Social Teaching calls us to prioritize the common good and the preferential option for the vulnerable. Vaccination directly serves both. 

3. The truth about some vaccines and the historical connection to abortion-derived cell lines.

This can feel heavy, but the Church clarifies:

  • These are descendant cell lines from decades-old events—not original fetal tissue.

  • Using these vaccines does not imply support for abortion.

  • This is considered “remote passive material cooperation,” which is morally permissible if no ethical alternative exists, and the intention is to protect health and the common good (NCBC FAQ; see References).

4. Myths must be rejected.

Misinformation can spread quickly, but it is important to understand the facts. Most vaccines may only cause very mild side effects but, extremely rarely, some vaccines may cause more serious adverse events. Multiple large studies and CDC analyses show that routine childhood immunizations prevent millions of illnesses and hospitalizations each year, with benefits far outweighing the rare risks (see CDC MMWR, 2024). Dozens of well-performed studies have shown that vaccines do not cause autism, asthma, diabetes, infertility, allergies, or brain damage. Infants are not too young to receive vaccines, and immunization does not suppress the immune system.  As women of faith and reason, we’re called to root our decisions in truth, not fear. By combining trustworthy science with prayerful discernment, we protect our families and honor the life God has entrusted to us.

Vaccination as an Act of Love

We can’t prevent every illness, and participating in ways to protect against severe ones is a simple, practical expression of love. This is especially true when a vaccine safeguards someone more vulnerable than ourselves.

If you’ve ever felt uncertain or hesitant, choosing to vaccinate can still be an act of courage and charity. It’s one of the everyday ways we learn to put another person’s needs above our own discomfort, practicing the heart of discipleship.

Staying up to date on vaccines is one small way to enter the holidays seeking the good of others. Vaccination is voluntary, yet it carries real moral weight. The Church never forces vaccination. She consistently presents it as a concrete, compassionate way to love and protect those around us.

Receiving a recommended vaccine can be a simple gift to the people you love, a meaningful way of saying, “I care about you enough to help keep you safe.”

Translated simply:
Vaccination is one of the easiest and most meaningful ways to love your neighbor.

Preventing Suffering, Protecting Families

Thanks to the success of immunizations, many young families have never personally witnessed pertussis, measles, vaccine‑preventable meningitis, or other diseases that vaccines help prevent. Unfortunately, in our line of work, we have seen why prevention matters so much. It is heartbreaking to care for an infant in the intensive care unit struggling to breathe due to pertussis, or to monitor a young child who is unresponsive with meningitis, or to see an infant on a ventilator due to RSV, knowing some of these cases might have been prevented with recommended immunizations and available protections. These experiences leave families scared, exhausted, and praying for recovery, and they remind us that choosing recommended vaccines is a simple, concrete way to spare suffering and love our neighbor.

This is why, every year, we gently but urgently say:
Please vaccinate. It prevents suffering and protects the people you love most.

Other Practical Ways to Love Others This Season

Alongside vaccination, here are simple habits that make a real difference:

  1. Wash hands and pray often: 

A quick scrub with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. Say the Our Father once
 or the Hail Mary twice. An easy way to remember to get your prayers in!

  1. Use hand sanitizer:

Keep some in the car, purse, or diaper bag.

  1.  Stay home when you’re sick

A small sacrifice with a big impact.

Illness Happens, But Love Always Seeks the Good

Illness is part of life. Staying home isn’t always possible, and sometimes despite handwashing, common sense precautions, and vaccination, illness still happens. Even so, these choices can reduce how often we get sick, how severe it becomes, and they help protect those who might not recover as easily as we do.

Together, these small acts of care help us love our neighbor and enter holiday gatherings with peace.

As you travel this season, may you rejoice in knowing you are bringing your healthiest, most loving self to the people God has entrusted to you.

“May peace be within your walls.” —Psalm 122

May your holidays be filled with joy, health, hope, and the tender peace of Christ.

Hello Eema’s Mission

Hello Eema understands that true wellness encompasses both body and spirit. Drawing from our medical backgrounds and experiences as mothers, we offer a unique perspective where faith and healthcare converge. We believe that nurturing whole health begins with understanding our identity in Christ. This identity forms the foundation from which we can care for ourselves and our families physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

The name Eema comes from what Jesus calls Mary in The Chosen. It’s a tender reminder that we’re all beloved daughters of God, following in our Heavenly Mother’s footsteps. “Hello” is our greeting of recognition and hope: You are seen and not alone.

Join us at Hello Eema as we walk this path together. 

Nurturing Whole Health…Uniting faith and clinical wisdom to help moms confidently care for God’s children. 

We invite you to subscribe to the Hello Eema Facebook and Instagram accounts for more spiritual encouragement, practical health guidance, and updates. Let us embrace this journey together!

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Charles Lea
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