Catholics and the vocation to Healthcare Work

Jim McManus

Jim McManus27th October 2013University of Hertfordshire Catholic Society

• Vocation• Participation in the Mission of

Christ• Participation in the Mission of the

Church

The Key Points

• There is a mission, a ministry and a distinct identity for Catholics to discover in the vocation to healthcare

• This comes from the Gospel directly• It is underpinned by Catholic Social Teaching• It can be an asset to the NHS• We’re not claiming we’re better, we’re claiming we’re

part of a diverse NHS• We have a contribution to make• The NHS needs us, as it needs others

Some people who lived it!

Some people who still do..

Starting Points from Science

• 20 years of research– King, spirituality and religion (2013)– Oxford Handbook (2012)

• Biopsychsocial model of health• Religion can be a protective or a vulnerability

factor in health...so whether people like it or not, we have to engage with religious belief in healthcare science and settings

PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERShttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/hlthwork/index.htm

Statistics…114,738 Catholic Health Centers in the World5246 Catholic hospitalsAssociations:

Chaplains Religious SistersPhysiciansNursesPharmacistsVolunteersHospitalsHealth authorities

Catholic Health Centres

Total: Catholic health Centres = 114,738Hospitals: = 5,246Clinics: = 17,530Leprosaria: = 577Hospices: = 15,208Children’s homes: = 9,616Nurseries: = 10,939Pregnancy Advice Centres: = 13,485Social education: = 31,312Others: = 10,82525% of all HIV Care worldwide

CATHOLIC HEALTH CENTRES BY CONTINENTS

15,619 IN AFRICA 40,583 IN AMERICA 20,322 IN ASIA35,929 IN EUROPE2,285 IN OCEANIA

(Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae, 2011, pp. 355-366.)

England & WalesHospitals 2Clinics 2Homes for Older People 181Children’s homes 39Nurseries 40Advice Centres 101Centres social educ. 151Other Care centres 123TOTAL 639

Each of you has received a special grace. So,like good stewards responsible for all the different

graces of God, put yourselves at the service of others.

(1 Peter 4:10)

The Consistent Witness...

Papal teaching on the special place of ill and disabled people at the heart of the Church

Key Points

• Finding your way – where to start?• There is a mission, a ministry and a distinct identity

for Catholics to discover in the vocation to healthcare• This comes from the Gospel directly• It is underpinned by Catholic Social Teaching• It can be an asset to health policy in the UK• We’re not claiming we’re better, we’re claiming we do

have relevance• We have a contribution to make

Variety of Starting Points

• Scripture • The Early Church• Ecclesiastical History• Moral Theology• Doctrinal Theology• Pastoral Theology• Catholic Social Teaching• Liturgical Theology

My preferred starting point

• By baptism I have been called into membership of the Church

• I have an obligation to discern what I can do for the good of the Church

• I have some specific talents• Healthcare suits my balance of science and

other skills• Signs and outcomes make me believe God

wants me doing this

Scripture

• Mission – Given by Christ, John 10.10; Christ’s healing mission; cherishing life, embracing death; personalism

• Ministry – embodying these values in the way we work. Called

• Identity – Formed by a gospel perspective, there is something different about us. Living the gospel. Part of the work of Sanctification

The Scriptures

The person and work of ChristThe mission of the Church – “Curate Informos”The nature of Christian LifeHealth and Healng as a sign of the Kingdom

The MagisteriumPlaces the work of healthAnd healing directly inPursuit of the missionOf Christ

  

HEALING IN THE GOSPELS

St. Mark– Simon’s mother-in-law,

paralytic from the roof, Jairus’ daughter, woman with issue of blood, man with a withered hand, deaf & dumb, Bethsaida blind, leper.

St. Matthew– Centurion’s servant, two

blind men, blind & dumb, two blind men of Jericho

St. Luke– Nain resurrection, the

hunchback, the dropsy, ten lepers, Malchus

St. John– Centurion’s son,

Bethsaida paralytic, one blind man, Lazarus

TOTAL: 22 miracles

Mt 8, 5-13; 9, 27-31; 12 2-23, 20, 29-34; Mk 1, 29:32, 40-45; 2, 1-12; 5, 21-43; 7: 31-37; 8, 22-26; Lk 7, 11-17; 13, 10-13; 14, 1-6; 17, 11-19; 22, 50-51; Jn 4, 46-54; 5, 1-9; 9, 1-7; 11, 38-44.

PASTORAL ELEMENTS IN GOSPEL PARADIGMS

Christ contact

Christ seeing

Christ hearing

Resurrection

Salvation

Life

Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity

Prayer

Praise

Gratefulness

Friendship

Compassion

Forgiveness

Assimilation

Delicacy

TOTAL: 15 elements

The Good Samaritan

Responds to reality: looks at the wounded person Engages with the wounded manHeal: pouring oil and wineGood steward of resources in the service of others: puts the wounded on his horse, spends his moneyGoes to competent people : the innkeeperWithout limits, generosity, if something lacks...Tests the results: when I come back...

Lk 10,25-37

Benedict XVIThe Good Samaritan

Our engagement in health continues the action of the Good Samaritan

Human RightsIn the centre must be the inalienable right of each person to health care

Motivation of Healthcare WorkerStrengthen themselves with the commandment of Love as the driving force for their activity.The Encyclical “Deus Caritas est” and the Apostolic Exhortation “Sacramentum Caritaris”Find a special application in care for others.

BENEDICT XVI:

Renewal and deepening of the pastoral proposal in Health Care

that take into account the growing mass of knowledge spread by the media, and the higher standard of education of those they target.

Formation of conscience deep and clear in genetic applicationsin order to ensure that every new scientific discovery will serve the integral good of the person, with constant respect for his or her dignity. trained and competent.

John Paul II and Benedict XVI Teaching on Health Pastoral Care

JOHN PAUL II:

“Dolentium Hominum” “Pastor Bonus” “Salvifici Doloris” “2000 Message” “Novo Millennio Ineunte”

BENEDICT XVI’S CHALLENGEUpdating the training

of pastors and educators to enable them to take on their own responsibilities in conformity with their faith, And at the same time in a respectful and loyal dialogue with non-believers,is the indispensable task of any up-to-date pastoral health care.

To guarantee a prompt response to the expectations by each individual of effective help.To study proper methodology

to bring help to persons, to the families and to the society. in order to ensure an incisive presence of the Church at the pastoral level

To combine loyalty and dialogue.theological deepening and the capacity of mediation

From the address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Participants at the 20° International Conference Organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care November 19, 2005.

Consistency and Development in Magisterium

Orientation on health:Pain, Illness, Suffering, Death, Life.

Unite health professionals:Sacraments, Eucharist, Good SamaritanBishops, chaplains, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, administrators, volunteers.Training

Actualization in the Health problematicScientific, Technical, Political. (Updating)

The Magisterium

• The nature of the human being called to fullness of life including health– Implies relationship with God

• Right to health and healthcare• Suffering as both evil, duty to health and

opportunity for good, uniting to the Cross – a role in our sanctification

• Duty of solidarity with the sick and suffering• No ensuring health without sanctification and

right relationships = self, others, God

Every person has the right to adequate health care.  This right flows from the sanctity of human life and the dignity that belongs to all persons, who are made in the image of God... Our call for health care reform is rooted in the biblical call to heal the sick and to serve 'the least of these,' the priorities of justice and the principle of the common good.   

Resolution on Health Care Reform U.S. Catholic Bishops [1993]

Health Care Workers• …the health care worker is “the minister of that God who in Scripture is

presented as ‘a lover of life’ (Wisdom 11:26). To serve life is to serve God in the person: it is to become “a collaborator with God in restoring health to the sick body” and to give praise and glory to God in the loving acceptance of life, especially if it is weak and ill.

• The therapeutic ministry of health care workers is a sharing in the pastoral and evangelising work of the Church. Service to life becomes a ministry of salvation that is, a message that implements the redeeming love of Christ. Doctors, nurses, other health care workers, and voluntary assistants are called to be the living image of Christ and of his Church in loving the sick and the suffering”: witnesses to “the gospel of life”.

• Charter for Health Care Workers• Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care

And a few more...I could go on...

Dolentium Hominum Charter for Health Care Workers Evangelium Vitae, 39 Donum Vitae, 7 Evangelium Vitae, 53• Mater et Magistra, 219• Centesimus Annus, 34• CCC, 2288ff• Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, 11• Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, 9• CCC, 2292 [obviously this is within certain moral limits and CCC 2293ff is

important context here.]• CCC, 2288ff

What is our Charism?

• The Greek term charisma denotes any good gift that flows from God's benevolent love (charis) unto man; any Divine grace or favour,

• The term has a narrower meaning: the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform their task in the Church: "Every one hath his proper gift [charisma] from God; one after this manner, and another after that" (1 Corinthians 7:7 etc.).

Our Charism

• in the dignity of the human person and in the resulting holistic approach to patient care which recognizes and integrates the physical, spiritual, emotional and psychological care of both patient and their loved ones.

• in those Catholic/Christian principles and standards, which create a total environment which assists administration and medical staffs in making difficult ethical decisions.

• in justice and equity for associates in the workplace that fosters personal and professional development, accountability, innovation, teamwork and commitment to quality.

• that advocating for social justice can enable the neglected in society to empower themselves and their communities.

Adapted from Catholic Health Assocn of Texas

Our Charism

• that Catholic health ministries must recognize their social accountability to the communities they serve, developing policies and procedures to ensure this accountability, and responding pro-actively to engage in community outreach

• each Catholic in healthcare is directly participating in the healing ministry of Christ and the mission of the Holy Spirit

• the Church should foster and maintain collaborative links with the broader community – Catholic, ecumenical and community-based to re-humanise healthcare

• that to be effective stewards of our ministry, we must develop organizational structures that promote management effectiveness, continuous quality improvement, well-trained medical staffs, and comprehensive programs and services.

Adapted from Catholic Health Assocn of Texas

Benedict XVI

Westminster Hall Your common law tradition

serves as the basis of legal systems in many parts of the world, and your particular vision of the respective rights and duties of the state and the individual, and of the separation of powers, remains an inspiration to many across the globe

Westminster Hall These questions take us

directly to the ethical foundations of civil discourse. If the moral principles underpinning the democratic process are themselves determined by nothing more solid than social consensus, then the fragility of the process becomes all too evident - herein lies the real challenge for democracy.

Engaging as Catholics

• Continued Iteration of the Teaching of the Church• The Church’s Wealth of Experience in Healthcare

– Dignity, Compassion, Solidarity, The Biopsychosocial and spiritual nature of suffering

• Personalism of a Health Service• Our Charism and Vocation• Rights of Staff and Patients to Religious Expression • The Salience of the Religious Dimension in

Healthcare

Dialogue

Catholic Teaching Benedict XVI –reason Benedict XVI – conscience Benedict XVI – we have

experience to contribute Catholic Social Teaching Healthcare Workers Charter Dolentium Hominum

NHS Policy• Diversity Policy• Anxiety about religion• The NHS Constitution • The Equality Act 2010

– The right to conscience will be coming back more strongly?

• Employment Equality Act 2003

• The NHS Act 1966

Vision into Action

Vision – We have this from Catholic TeachingVocation – our calling is from Christ, we add

and bring something with usVisibility – go about making our contributionVoice – positive and together, not individualsVibrancy – show the NHS our diversity and

worth

John Henry Newman

• I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious, but men who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it, who know so much of history that they can defend it" (The Present Position of Catholics in England, ix, 390).

England & Wales Organization

• Healthcare Reference Group, started 2004• Catholics in Healthcare the loose brand for this• New Officer being recruited• Three years of small grants• Guidance on chaplaincy and resources developed• http://www.cbcew.org.uk/CBCEW-Home/Subjects/Healthcare • www.mentalhealthproject.co.uk • Other resources• www.jimmcmanus.info• http://catholicsinhealthcare.wordpress.com/

Some Academic Work on interface between health and faith

• Heythrop College, University of London • http://www.heythrop.ac.uk/research/heythrop-institute-religion-a

nd-society/health-healing-and-human-flourishing.html• http://www.heythrop.ac.uk/research/religious-life-institute/event

s/view/growing-old-gracefully-spiritual-life-in-sickness-and-dementia.html October 2013

• Health, Spirituality and Ethics in Contemporary Healthcare http://www.heythrop.ac.uk/fileadmin/documents/official/Module_Outlines/2012-13/Postgraduate/CET505_Module_Outline_12-13.pdf

• St Mary’s College – Foundation Degree in Chaplaincy

http://www.smuc.ac.uk/foundation/healthcare-chaplaincy/ – MA in Bioethics and Medical Law– http://www.smuc.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses-london/ma-bioethics-an

d-medical-law/

I have come that all might have life, and have it in its fullness