Hospital chaplaincy ministry: ‘inspiration through faith, hope, love and endurance’
Angela Fleming
When Fay Evans, the Catholic Chaplain at the Hawkes Bay Hospital in Hastings, invited me to help as a Catholic Chaplaincy Assistant volunteer 10 years ago, I felt honoured and apprehensive. Fay was a wonderful role-model with her compassionate interaction with patients.
After my training, Bishop Peter Cullinane commissioned and sent me out with his blessing. I now work with Catholic Chaplain Margaret Harding and feel privileged to journey with patients and their families during difficult times. We are grateful to our parish priests and the Marist priests from Greenmeadows who support us. When a patient is dying or may wish to see a priest there is a real sense of security knowing their support is at hand.
We have training in Palmerston North, and we meet with our ecumenical colleagues at the Hastings hospital.
I enjoy a great sense of fulfilment in what I can offer through prayer and caring to people who are suffering. In their illness and pain, they are truly an inspiration through faith, hope, love and endurance.
Angela Fleming is a Catholic Volunteer Chaplaincy Assistant at Hawkes Bay Hospital, Hastings.