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It is 10:15 a.m. on a Tuesday and Father Richard Chilmark arrives at the Critical Care Unit at Saint Barnabas to revisit a family who has experienced the worst kind of tragedy. A father in his early fifties, who had been previously active and healthy, had a heart attack at his home the morning after Thanksgiving. Subsequent to the heart attack, he suffered a massive stroke that left him with minimal brain function, a shadow of his former self. His wife explains that her husband, who is still on total life support, has “about six hours to go,” as she and her young daughter keep a vigil by his bedside surrounded by supportive friends and family. She speaks of this time frame because it will be during the next six hours that the final tests for brain activity, as required by the Organ Sharing Network, will be performed on her husband. “Only his body is here,” the wife says of her beloved spouse. “His soul and all that made him my husband - his love, strength, gentleness and compassion - have left his body. The loss is so profound and so painful, but I know that those integral parts of him are carried with us.” The patient’s wife has received “so very much comfort” from the priest’s daily visits and thanks him warmly for his support during these dark days. Fr. Chilmark promises to pray for the devastated family and tells them that he can be contacted at any time, day or night, should they need his support. He is clearly moved by the composure of the mother and daughter, their grace under tragic circumstances. “There are people with a certain faith and strength that stun even me sometimes,” he remarks on the way to the next unit. “It is so moving and inspirational. I learn much from them.” Pastoral Care at Saint Barnabas For the past 20 years, the Pastoral Care staff at Saint Barnabas Medical Center has helped to provide a spiritual healing of the soul that works in perfect tandem with medical care to mend the body. The six-person staff, along with 60 volunteers, makes over 80,000 visits with Saint Barnabas’ more than 40,000 patients annually. On call 24 hours a day seven days a week, staff members are available to hold a patient’s hand, provide spiritual assistance for those of any religious denomination, offer comfort to families in pain and even perform the occasional bedside weddingor christening. To become a member of Saint Barnabas’ Pastoral Care Department requires a unique calling to a highly specialized ministry. Father Chilmark and Father Vinh Nguyen, along with departmental director Sister Adele Solari, SSJ Rabbi Sholom Gordon, Rabbi Herman Savitz and Reverend Thomas Craig compose the staff. From weekly Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Islamic and Interfaith worship services in the hospital’s chapel to bedside visits and bereavement support groups, the department’s support extends across all religious lines. Department members try to visit every patient who lists a religious affiliation within 24 hours of his or her admission. “The earlier we get to people the more we can help and comfort them,” says Sr. Adele. “At a time when people’s spirits are low, they need all the support they can get. Even non-churchgoers appreciate us saying a prayer for them. I think they realize that help comes from many sources.” The Pastoral Care staff is always happy to celebrate the renewed health of any individual, for the vast majority of hospitalized patients recover and are able to return home. However, they are available in times of sadness too. For less fortunate cases - those patients dealing with a terminal illness or recent tragedy - staff members help family members who are exhausted from daily visits and patients who fear the worst. “We let people know that God is with them in good times and in bad,” Sr. Adele adds. “Sometimes the most important thing is not what you say, but just being there to put an arm around them and to listen.” A typical day in the life of a Pastoral Care staff member begins in the Interfaith Chapel, built four years ago by the hospital as a center for worship and solace. The chapel’s location across from the operating suites provides an important source of comfort for those families who await results of a surgery. Chapel services draw staff members as well as patients, and the occasional call of a beeper reminds those in attendance that real life waits just outside the door. Fr. Chilmark makes his hospital rounds floor by floor. He scans each room and plans a return visit if a patient is sleeping, talking on the phone or meeting with a nurse, physician or family members. On the Cardiac Unit, Fr. Chilmark introduces himself to a male patient and lets him know that someone in Pastoral Care is always reachable. The man seems pleased by the attention and accepts when the priest offers to give him a blessing. “They say only the good die young, so I guess I’ll be around for a long time,” the patient says with a laugh as Fr. Chilmark waves goodbye. Next he visits a patient and former acquaintance, also on the Cardiac Unit. She welcomes the visit but is frustrated by her lingering health problems and pain. After he blesses her, she expresses her appreciation to Fr. Chilmark for his ongoing support. The day progresses with many more patient visits. Eventually the priest reaches the area for oncology patients. “This floor has a unique quality,” relates Fr. Chilmark. “There is a lot of suffering and understandable anger sometimes from patients. Still, so many people remain strong in the face of their pain. I wish I could do more.” On other units, Fr. Chilmark continues his rounds, offering blessings to all and conversation to those who are interested. The thoughts of many patients are summed up by one young woman on the Orthopedic Floor; “Everyone here is so nice, but I still want to go home.” Even friendly staff members and comfortable surroundings cannot replace the familiar feel of one’s own bed or the sweet presence of a loved family member. On the Pediatric Unit, Fr. Chilmark mistakes a Nintendo game controller for some new medical contraption. In another room, a youngster happily watches Nickelodeon as his exhausted mother sleeps on a chair beside him. Down the hall, a girl with bright blue eyes has had her tonsils removed. Her mother tells the priest that the child is “okay if she doesn’t talk,” and that soon the girl will be able to enjoy lots of ice cream. The child smiles. The Maternity Center is filled with the soft cries of newborns testing their lungs. Mothers tightly hold babies wearing caps and Fr. Chilmark is careful not to intrude if anyone is nursing or sleeping. He discusses the weight of a newborn with one mother, then offers to give a blessing to her. Pleased, the mother agrees, and Fr. Chilmark prays over the baby. It is a pleasant way to end a long morning, celebrating and blessing a new life. “I feel like I am doing something that is meaningful,” Fr. Chilmark adds as he heads back to the department. “It is a very rewarding ministry for me.” Back at the Interfaith Chapel, a large stained glass window radiates with light. Represented in the glass is the tree of life whose roots are fed by a winding body of water, referred to as the river of grace. The image seems fitting for this oasis within the hospital; the cycle of life displayed on the glass continues its dance of renewal every day in the world just beyond the chapel walls. [ top ] |
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