Recent national Catholic health-care conferences will be briefly presented for discussion at the Catholic Nurses Columbus council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 11, immediately following the 5:45 p.m. Mass at the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center near Ohio State University.
The council is in partnership with the Catholic Medical Association (CMA), with the CMA White Mass to be held Oct. 18 at the Newman Center.
The conferences that will be summarized include the 2022 International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medico-Social Assistants XXI World Congress. The congress, with the theme “United in Mission, United in Faith,” was held Aug. 2-4 in Pennsylvania and was hosted by the National Association of Catholic Nurses-USA.
Bishop Joseph Coffey, auxiliary bishop for the U.S. military, served as homilist for the congress’ opening Mass, and Cardinal Peter Turkson greeted nurses on behalf of the Holy See and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, of which he is chancellor.
About 250 nurse leaders from 20 countries attended the congress. Association President-elect Maria Arvonio spoke on “Healthcare Therapies 2022: Are You Offering ‘Culturally Competent’ Spiritual Care?” Dr. Kim Dong Yeon of the Catholic University of Korea spoke on the “Analysis of Spiritual Nursing Diagnosis.”
Local nurse-chaplain Dr. Teresa Durbak Sipos spoke about student nurse research data and the resultant course developed to teach nurses to provide spiritual care. The course, “Integrating Spiritual Healthcare Interventions into Nursing Praxis: An Educational Intervention,” focuses on pastoral and moral theology including the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. (Contact [email protected] for more information about the course.)
Dr. Sipos also presented at the National Association of Catholic Chaplains conference Aug. 19-22 in New York addressing health-care provider needs. Her recent article, “Spiritual intervention may alleviate moral injury and depression among nurses,” can be found at: https://bit.ly/3UX7rJ3.
Catechesis, or teaching the faith, is defined in canon law as part of the Church’s missionary work, acknowledged during the 2019 Synod on the Amazon by Pope Francis, which highlighted the work of catechists as a vocation.
Salvifici Doloris (29), the 1984 Apostolic letter by Pope St. John Paul II, defines the health-care professions as a vocation. Nursing spirituality is within the scope and practice of nursing. However, nursing ministry has become a lost art with spiritual health-care interventions rarely taught in nursing schools.
Therefore, catechesis of health-care professionals is essential to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. A role model for health-care professionals, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, reminds us to minister to the suffering as holy transparent vessels with great love.
Pastoral Care Week/Spiritual Care Week is Oct. 23-29. This year’s theme is “Relevant and Responsive in Times of Crisis.” Pastoral Care Week gives opportunities for organizations and institutions to recognize the spiritual caregivers in their midst and the ministry that the caregivers provide. Father Mark Hammond is chaplain for local Catholic nurses.
Nursing faculty and students are invited to all National Association of Catholic Nurses-USA events, and student nurse membership is free.
For more information, contact [email protected].
