Parishes and Parishioners are called to celebrate Catholic Health care Ministry!
Twelve years ago, in May 1992, Pope John Paul II instituted World Day of the Sick and designated February 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, as the date for its annual celebration.
In honour of World Day of the Sick 2004, we invite you to reflect with us on the value, importance and true meaning of Catholic healthcare as ministry of the whole Church.
A quick look at the Gospel reveals Jesus expressing compassion for suffering persons by his words and touch, healing the spirit as well as the body and reaching out to family and bystanders. When the disciples were sent on mission, they imitated this behaviour of Jesus.
Our Church is entrusted with the same mission of caring for the sick and suffering. We have been most fortunate in our province that, for many years, this ministry was initiated and moved forward by members of religious congregations. In fact, they established hospitals and special care homes in many communities which otherwise would have been without such services.
Over twenty years ago, A Pastoral Message on Sickness and Healing, published by the Canadian Bishops, reminded us: “All of us are gifted with the responsibility accepted at Baptism to continue Christ’s healing mission.”
Christ’s healing mission, as lived out at the parish level, need to engender hope and confidence in those whoa re sick. This hope and confidence arises from the assurance that even in sickness people will not be alone. If the healing ministry of the Church means anything, it is a promise that no person will suffer alone.
As Bishops of Saskatchewan, we are responsible for the healing ministry, which is one of the essential ministries of the Church. We are aware that all those involved in the ministry—either as health professionals or volunteers at the institution, community or parish level—are doing part of our work. WE thank you for that commitment of time and energy on behalf of the sick.
As we moved forward in the New Year, we commit ourselves to responding to the hopes expressed by the National Dialogue on the Future of Catholic Health Care, sponsored by the Catholic Health Association of Canada and the Canadian Bishops. This dialogue which included over one hundred and fifty people form Saskatchewan, expressed the following hope about involvement of the Broader Church community:
Bishops would encourage clear and effective working relationships between parishes and health care organizations
Parishes would routinely have health care ministry teams
Clergy and pastoral care visitors would be more openly empowered to be involved in this ministry
The Laity at large, including our youth, would receive more education on the centrality of healing in health
As we celebrate 2004 World Day of the Sick, under the theme: “with CONFIDENCE and HOPE”, we challenge each parish and each parishioner to take steps to enrich the healing ministry of the Church at the parish level.
Some examples of parish health ministry programs, that are already effective in our dioceses include:
Parish Home Ministry of Care Program, prepared in 1995 by the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan (CHAS). This program functions effectively with a Coordinator and volunteers
Parish Nurse—who integrates the healing ministry into practice
Communion to the sick and shut-ins—especially from the Sunday Eucharist
Parish Visitors for Long-term Care Facilities
Education in renewed understanding of the sharing in the Sacrament of the Sick
Parish Support Groups for the bereaved
Annual Special Celebrations for World Day of the Sick
Support of and involvement in our Catholic health facilities
The ministry of the Church in health care promotes the centrality of spiritual and religious care at all levels because we know that God heals and restores life in unexpected ways.
Please remember that Catholic health care ministry is an essential ministry of the Church.
TOGETHER WE ARE IN IT.
TOGETHER WE SHOULD BE IN IT.
TOGETHER WE ARE IN IT TO STAY!
May the blessing of the God of healing and of hope be yours in 2004.