John Daniel Bergin
Encyclopedia
John Daniel "Jack" Bergin FRACP
FRCP
(17 January 1921 – 22 July 1995) was a distinguished neurologist
and Catholic
pro-life
apologist. He was born in Stratford, New Zealand
to Martin Bernard Bergin and Minni Bergin (née Hignett). Martin Bergin was a barrister and solicitor in Stratford. Minni was a full-time mother and homemaker who died when Jack was only 12 years old, leaving a large family.
Jack Bergin received his secondary education at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream
, and went on to study medicine
at the University of Otago
. He graduated with distinction in 1943, then went to serve with the New Zealand Medical Corps at World War II
in the Middle East
, Italy
and Japan
. Upon returning to New Zealand
he worked in medicine in Dunedin
and Wellington
Hospitals before travelling to Britain
where he was a student and house physician at the Royal Post Graduate Medical School at Hammersmith
. He graduated from Hammersmith in 1948, and received a Nuffield Fellowship which led to his appointment to the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen Square, London.
In 1956 Bergin returned to New Zealand and succeeded Dr I.M. Allen as the second neurologist to Wellington Hospital. He was the driving force behind the establishment of neuroradiology
and clinical neurophysiology
, and by 1967 a modern neurological department had been created. Bergin also ran a private practice and for a time was visiting neurologist to Wanganui
and Hawera
hospitals. He had long standing involvements with the Home of Compassion and Calvary hospitals in Wellington.
Bergin was a member of the New Zealand Epilepsy Association council, and assisted neurological research via his participation in the Scientific Advisory Committee of the New Zealand Neurological Association which he helped found the Neurological Association of New Zealand in 1971. He was also a Foundation Member of the Australasian Association of Neurologists. He became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1958, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
(London
) in 1969.
Bergin was devoutly committed to the Catholic faith, described by Haas and Hornabrook as "able to articulate, intellectualise, and simplify aspects of Catholicism, and his arguments were always persuasive".http://www.racp.edu.au/public/library/collegeroll/rolldetail.cfm?id=33 For over forty years he was an active member of the Catholic Doctors’ Guild of St Luke, SS Cosmas, & Damian which he also served as Master. He was a strong advocate of the rights of the unborn child, and was active in founding the Society for Protection of the Unborn Child.http://www.life.org.nz/abortionaboutabortionnzhistory32.htm He and his wife were the first New Zealanders appointed by Pope John Paul II
to the Pontifical Council for the Family
in 1982, and in 1990 the Pope recognised Bergin’s considerable contributions and made him a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
.
Bergin was married to Lorna Stark and had eight children, two of whom have become doctors, and one of whom is also a neurologist. He died on 22 July 1995, aged 74.
Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
The post-nominal initials FRACP stand for "Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians."Fellowship is recognition of completion of the College's prescribed post-graduate specialist training program in medicine....
FRCP
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
(17 January 1921 – 22 July 1995) was a distinguished neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
apologist. He was born in Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
to Martin Bernard Bergin and Minni Bergin (née Hignett). Martin Bergin was a barrister and solicitor in Stratford. Minni was a full-time mother and homemaker who died when Jack was only 12 years old, leaving a large family.
Jack Bergin received his secondary education at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream
Silverstream
Silverstream is a suburb of Upper Hutt in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is at the southern end of the city close to the Taita Gorge, which separates Upper Hutt from Lower Hutt...
, and went on to study medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
. He graduated with distinction in 1943, then went to serve with the New Zealand Medical Corps at World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Upon returning to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
he worked in medicine in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
and Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
Hospitals before travelling to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he was a student and house physician at the Royal Post Graduate Medical School at Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
. He graduated from Hammersmith in 1948, and received a Nuffield Fellowship which led to his appointment to the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen Square, London.
In 1956 Bergin returned to New Zealand and succeeded Dr I.M. Allen as the second neurologist to Wellington Hospital. He was the driving force behind the establishment of neuroradiology
Neuroradiology
Neuroradiology is a subspecialty of radiology focusing on the diagnosis and characterization of abnormalities of the central and peripheral nervous system, spine, and head and neck. Primary imaging modalities include computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging...
and clinical neurophysiology
Clinical neurophysiology
Clinical neurophysiology is a medical specialty that studies the central and peripheral nervous systems through the recording of bioelectrical activity, whether spontaneous or stimulated....
, and by 1967 a modern neurological department had been created. Bergin also ran a private practice and for a time was visiting neurologist to Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
and Hawera
Hawera
Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 and 20 minutes' drive from Mount Taranaki/Egmont.It is also on State Highway 45,...
hospitals. He had long standing involvements with the Home of Compassion and Calvary hospitals in Wellington.
Bergin was a member of the New Zealand Epilepsy Association council, and assisted neurological research via his participation in the Scientific Advisory Committee of the New Zealand Neurological Association which he helped found the Neurological Association of New Zealand in 1971. He was also a Foundation Member of the Australasian Association of Neurologists. He became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1958, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
(London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) in 1969.
Bergin was devoutly committed to the Catholic faith, described by Haas and Hornabrook as "able to articulate, intellectualise, and simplify aspects of Catholicism, and his arguments were always persuasive".http://www.racp.edu.au/public/library/collegeroll/rolldetail.cfm?id=33 For over forty years he was an active member of the Catholic Doctors’ Guild of St Luke, SS Cosmas, & Damian which he also served as Master. He was a strong advocate of the rights of the unborn child, and was active in founding the Society for Protection of the Unborn Child.http://www.life.org.nz/abortionaboutabortionnzhistory32.htm He and his wife were the first New Zealanders appointed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
to the Pontifical Council for the Family
Pontifical Council for the Family
The Pontifical Council for the Family is part of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. It was established by Pope John Paul II on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI had established in 1973...
in 1982, and in 1990 the Pope recognised Bergin’s considerable contributions and made him a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
.
Bergin was married to Lorna Stark and had eight children, two of whom have become doctors, and one of whom is also a neurologist. He died on 22 July 1995, aged 74.