Chaplains are a listening ear, a calming presence, and a welcome companion for those in hospitals - be it patients, families or staff - and face-to-face contact is an important element of this mission.
Chaplains are professionally trained to assess Spiritual needs and to provide support to all who need it. Some may ask for someone to sit with them in silence; some will ask for spiritual support and the Sacraments; and others will share about their lives, their thoughts and experiences regarding their religion or beliefs.
"For many I speak to in hospitals, their perspective of God and where God is in their lives isn't often thought about until they have become ill," says Andrew*, CatholicCare Hospital Chaplain. "Some may see God as a forgiving and generous God - a God who walks with them in their pain and suffering. Others image God as a judge, and wonder what they have done to deserve this sickness."
One day as Andrew was leaving the hospital after his chaplaincy visits to patients, he received a last-minute referral from a nurse, asking for support with a young woman named Nicole* who was suffering through drug induced psychosis.
"When I arrived, the woman said to me 'I don't want to be here'. And I thought she meant here in hospital. But as we continued our sharing I soon realised that she meant otherwise. She wanted to be with her mother who had recently died. She had also lost her child to the custody of her former partner. She felt unsafe at home, as she offered shelter to someone in need who now wouldn't leave."
"Nicole had not expected to survive her overdose but was now struggling to deal with her life again."
"Nicole asked reassurance from me that surely God did not want her to suffer so much and would not punish her for taking her life. As we talked about God, what surprised me was that in spite of everything she held such a positive image of a forgiving God. I offered to pray with her then and shared a prayer that I said I prayed when I needed help. I left her with a prayer card, and the next day she told me she was feeling a little stronger and that the prayer was really meaningful for her. Working with the nurses, social work and professional help, we were able to get Nicole through this tough time, this time."
"I feel so privileged to be able to support patients through their illness, to listen to their stories and their most meaningful experiences of God and life. Being able to affirm their lives is just such a privilege."
"Some may see God as a forgiving and generous God - a God who walks with them in their pain and suffering. Others image God as a judge, and wonder what they have done to deserve this sickness."
Andrew*
Hospital Chaplain
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*At CatholicCare we respect everyone's privacy - and many of our clients are working towards a fresh start in life. While the stories and quotes are true, staff and client names and images have been changed to protect their privacy.