Spotlight on Ministry

�Chaplaincy�

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To me the world seems like a giant hospital and I ask: "Where are the doctors?"� Our Franciscan vocation makes us all�healers in a world home-sick for God, His truths,�and His Church.�

One healing apostolate is chaplaincy.� It�is very demanding�yet immensely�rewarding.� "I was sick and you visited me" is�the call that drives us�and it is also the�goal in caring for�the ill, the lonely, the aged, the forgotten.�The highs and lows of emotions are with�us on a daily basis.� Life and death are seen, smelled, and sensed throughout the day.

Recently, I attended the National Association of Catholic Chaplains Convention.�The topics were� as varied as the chaplains attending the event.� For accreditation in this professional association a certain amount of conferences, credits, workshops and continuing education events�are mandated.

To our joy and surprise, Sr. Seton Marie was attending the same conference.� She is Gerard Connolly�s sister.� An immediate bond was formed as we went from plenary to plenary meeting.� Good-natured fun, lots of shared snacks, amusing observations were all part of the days in Albuquerque. We also�had the privilege to meet and chat with the� Archbishop of�Santa Fe,�Michael Sheehan.

�It is timely for all of us to remember the words of Saint Francis:� "May we consider that our mission is to heal the wounded, unite the separated, convert the wayward."

���� Happy healing to all of you today!

Raphael

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�� The National Association of Catholic Chaplains Convention was held this year April 9-13. It was an opportunity for chaplains to gather from across the country to discuss issues relevant to Pastoral Care.� Some of the topics included: journeying with the dying and their families, and a chaplain�s personal need for emotional, physical, and spiritual healing.

�� The convention was also a time to renew old relationships and to begin new ones. Throughout our gathering, I found a good spirit of support and renewal among the chaplains. As people called to be ministers of healing, it is important for us to receive the same ministry from our peers. As one presenter said: �Our ministry is not built upon the dark and challenging moments of our lives, but rather upon how well we stand and persevere in those dark moments.�

�� The most memorable part of the convention was the people who helped to make it an enjoyable and prayerful experience. Raphael Eagle and I enjoyed good fraternity as well as the sights and sounds of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Raphael and I attended the seminars with Sister Seton Marie, a chaplain at Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE.

�� I believe that wherever our ministry and life�s journey take us, the opportunities for building relationships are most important. I pray that all of you may have those same opportunities as you continue your ministerial and personal journeys.

Peace and every good!

Brad

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