There was nothing but warm recognition as chaplains, volunteers and spiritual caregivers came together for the annual Chaplains Appreciation Luncheon in the diocesan Chancery in Lawrenceville.
“These are people who give and give and give, and this is an opportunity to do something for them,” said Deanna Sass, director of the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care, which coordinated the event.
The Oct. 25 luncheon rounded out Pastoral Care Week, Oct. 20-26, which serves as an opportunity to “recognize the spiritual caregivers … and the ministry which the caregiver provides,” according to the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. This year’s Pastoral Care Week theme was Hospitality: Cultivating Space.
Chaplains and caregivers who minister in hospitals, prisons and other institutions shared a meal before listening to a brief talk by Sass, who spoke about the shifting culture in the field of pastoral care. She focused on the growing trend of replacing the word “pastoral” with the word “spiritual” and how faith seems to be taking a backseat in many, new “spiritual care departments.”
Sass went on to share a few excerpts from the book “Who Needs God” by Harold Kushner before inviting those in attendance to share their thoughts during a roundtable discussion.
Dominican Sister Elizabeth Gnam, Catholic chaplain in Trenton’s New Jersey State Prison for more than 30 years, weighed in with her opinions on the changing culture in pastoral care, saying, “Some of this is just a trend, but … the good part about [this change] is that we’re trying to be inclusive and embrace all types of people … and what is more like Jesus?”
Each of the attendees was gifted with a bag full of materials and small booklets to aid them in ministering to people from multiple faith backgrounds. Additionally, some were invited to take prayer shawls, handmade by ministries across the Diocese, to help bring comfort and peace to those suffering in hospitals and other health care institutions.