The image of Jesus as Healer speaks to me of how we work as a team in the ministry of healing and how the Lord guides my own practice. I
am already bound by a series of statements through my commitment to the Roman
Catholic Church, the Dominican Order, the Congregation of the Queen of the Holy
Rosary, and my local community at Saint Mary Magdalen. These multiple layers of
commitment shape and hold my way of encountering, relating and ministering to
others as well as my spirit of openness to change and personal vulnerability. I am incorporating these commitments into my commitment as a hospital chaplain.
As
a Roman Catholic I believe in one God who created all that is visible and
invisible, and in Jesus Christ, the Incarnation of God’s Love. I believe in the mystical body of Christ
living and effective in the world in ways beyond our imagining. I believe in the Holy Spirit and the
Communion of Saints and I am sustained by daily Eucharist and the liturgical prayer of the
Church. I have a special love for Mary,
the Mother of God and her mystical path of humility, suffering and compassion. I believe in the power of forgiveness to
bring about healing, resurrection and the hope of eternal life. I believe in
the contribution of the Catholic intellectual tradition and the application of
reason and science in the search for faith and understanding. I believe in a multicultural pluralistic society
and interfaith dialogue for the common good of all humanity and all
creation.
As
a Dominican Sister of the Queen of the Holy Rosary Congregation, my desire is to
honor the shared experience of this year of prayer, study, ministry and community
by being fully present and engaged in the ministry of spiritual care of patients in the hospital. It is the
Dominican way to speak the truth with compassion, recognizing that the truth is always
multifaceted. I know that I can only see the truth partially through my own uniquely
tinted lenses, and I rely on the witness of others to gain a better
understanding of the whole truth. The Dominican motto “to praise, to bless, to
preach” guides my spiritual practice. I strive
to think kindly of all, to see people in the best light, to be a
blessing through my way of being, especially to those who are marginalized or
discounted by others and to preach the teachings of Jesus in word and
action. Our congregational mission
reminds me to be especially mindful of the needs of the young, the poor and the
vulnerable in my ministry. Our direction statement identifies me as a “Woman of the Word,
uniquely individual, who reaches out to spread the light.” In the spirit of this statement, I value the
uniqueness of each individual and strive to honor God’s creative spirit within all of
creation.
With
my community at Saint Mary Magdalen in Berkeley, I am responding to God’s gifts
to me by choosing to stretch beyond my present limits to share Christ’s light
with the world. My value for integrity
informs me to do that in a way that can be blended harmoniously with
the light of other faiths. Accepting the
interconnectedness of all life, I take responsibility for the choices I make
and understand that my choices impact the life of the planet. While I am open to being changed by the wisdom of
others, I am defined by my vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to God,
to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to our Holy Father Dominic and to the Prioress of
our Congregation and her successors. The tenets of the Roman Catholic faith and the charism of the Dominican Order are clearly identified and I am bound by them.
These are the beliefs, values and considerations that underlie my mission of service as a chaplain. My main purpose as a member of the health care team is to address the spiritual aspects of health. This year of study and service as a chaplain will build upon my previous training as a Navy chaplain and service to my local community at St. Joseph Priory. My hope is to be certified as a chaplain and find a position working in a hospital in the Bay area next year.
