Pope Francis has announced the theme for this year’s World Day of the Sick: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful, standing beside those who suffer on a path of charity”. Do you feel called to support those who are sick and shut-in? If so, online training for Pastoral Care Ministry volunteers begins this month.
Pastoral Care Ministry training is offered by the Diocesan Health Care Committee and is open to anyone interested in visiting the lonely, sick, injured, elderly, or dying in hospitals, seniors’ residences, extended health care facilities, or at their homes. It’s also ideal for parishioners who care for their family members. Over nine sessions, participants will learn how they can offer more than a friendly visit – they can be the hands and face of Christ to others. The training will cover a variety of topics:
- The Basics of Pastoral Care
- The Healing Ministry of Christ
- Listening and Communication
- Elderly Isolation, Loneliness, and the Journey with Dementia
- The Healing Ministry in the Care of the Dying
- The Grieving Process
- Bereavement: Ministering to Families
- Who Am I as a Pastoral Care Outreach Visitor?
- Spouse Caregiving, Healthy Boundaries and Self-Care
Those who complete the full series will receive a Certificate of Completion.
The next training session will be offered via Zoom on Saturday mornings from 9:30 – noon, starting on January 29, 2022. Participants will require a phone number and email address, a computer, tablet or smartphone with speakers, microphone and webcam, and a reliable Internet connection. To register, please contact your local parish by Monday, January 24.
As Pope Francis said in his message for this year’s World Day of the Sick, “… visiting the sick is an invitation that Christ addresses to all his disciples. How many sick and elderly people are living at home and waiting for a visit! The ministry of consolation is a task for every baptized person, mindful of the word of Jesus: ‘I was sick and you visited me’”. Together, we pray for people who will answer this invitation to share the message of Christ’s healing love and compassion with those in need.
