Vicar's Letter
July 2024
Christianity and health have gone together since Jesus. We remember the Hospitallers from the Order of St John's of Jerusalem whose motto was Faith for Service to Humanity.
The origin of the term chaplain is cappella, little coat or cappellanus from the Medieval Latin. The Old French word is chapelain and chaplain in Middle English. Capellanus, originally denoted a custodian of the cloak of St Martin of Tours, who figures prominently in the development of Christianity in fourth-century Europe. This gentle, humble servant of God, known best for helping those most in need, was chosen by the people of Tours as their spiritual leader, a role he reluctantly accepted. Famous for his generosity towards a drunken beggar, with whom he shared his coat, St Martin is the patron saint of beggars and the poor.
If pre-Reformation chaplains were getting people off the street and taught them to pray never to do the sins which made them sick, what does a Chaplain do in the 21st Century?
The NHS guidelines talk of "meeting the spiritual needs" of patients. Chaplaincy is a service, a cultural resource with specialists in different areas offering religious care if requested and individual care, that is what means most to people. As a Chaplain one needs to keep one's integrity within a multi-faith team. Although a patient might have a short hospital stay their anxieties are still just are real as they would have been had they remained longer in. Patients are according to their responses to the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaires more satisfied when they have seen a Chaplain during their stay. Cardiac patients it was discovered by research, recover quicker if they receive a visit by the third day of their surgery. Families are grateful for the time spent with their loved ones. So do not hesitate to ask someone in the hospital to refer you to Chaplaincy. We respond to anyone with faith or none.
Chaplains wonder what the patient's story is and how they can become part of this story. In Verbatim analysis one goes through every line the patient has said to see what God is saying to you, this is a valuable but lengthy exercise. What is the reason for the visit? What does the patient want to discuss? An issue unresolved, a wish for reconciliation, for forgiveness, for compassion, or a chat with another human being to alleviate their isolation. What do families want? Very often a combination of answers to queries of either mundane or spiritual nature, Reassurance, help, prayers, presence, peace.
What is so special about Chaplaincy? Chaplaincy creates asylum, a total safe place in which the patient gives and receives, Chaplains use language to explore what is underneath. Sometimes they refer to councillors, to other faith representatives, to Mental Health services or escalate the referral as an emergency to Safeguarding if necessary.
Reflective practice is essential, it is the ability to reflect on action and in action, the reflective cycle encompasses its link to learning. What did I know? What did I do? How did I feel? What did I not know? What would I change? We record these reflections in notes and journals and through supervision direction.
Some examples of Hospital based visits entail a mixture of Ward referrals, faith community referrals, family referrals, End of Life visits, Palliative Care visits, responding to emergency calls for prayers, blessings and bringing Holy Communion to patients who so desired, talking to family members, listening to their plans, fears, despair, and also listening to staff suffering from grief, exhaustion and much more on an ad-hoc basis. Organising services in memory of patients or staff who have died and Conducting funeral services . We also sit with patients at the end of their life, holding their hand where appropriate, speak to them gently, bring them peace, say prayers with families and staff which creates a moving, powerful, humbling sacred space in the midst of the bustle and rush so familiar to all of us visitors or family.
One needs to assess barriers and be aware of cultural sensitivity and competence.
Spirituality is reflecting on, exploring, expressing. How do we grapple with hope, fear, loneliness, compassion, the inevitability of death. How do we envision what will happen after we die?
I have been involved in Hospital Chaplaincy for twelve years and been a professionally registered Chaplain for six of those. Now in my retirement I am still acting as Chaplain at the Hospice. These years have been a privilege for me to serve so many people, to mentor other Chaplains, to share experiences of joy and sorrow and to develop further in my journey through faith.
People often ask: What keeps you going? An inner feeling, a drive to help, people need visiting. What is the source of your motivation? God is there, I want to go and serve. How do you maintain your inner strength? Through constant reading and learning, (I recommend if you have not already discovered it Henry Marsh's memoir And Finally or Sue Black's Written in bone), through writing, silence, prayer, painting as I have joined a local Arts Studio and music. My background is in The Humanities as you can easily guess.
If when reading this you feel compelled to volunteer at the Luton and Bedfordshire Chaplaincy please contact [email protected]. This is how my own pastoral journey started, by sending an email.
Catherine Wendeler, Chaplain
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About the Vicar's Letter
The Vicar's Letter has been appearing in the villages Focus magazine since August 2002.
The Rev. Peter Graham also used to publish The Vicar's Letter in the parish magazine of 1964. Please see the Vicar's Letter area for these.
