As Jesus had walked with the disheartened disciples on the road to Emmaus following his Resurrection, pastoral caregivers in attendance at the sixth annual “Now and at the Hour of Our Death” Conference held April 28 in Resurrection Parish, Delran, were reminded of how Jesus walks  beside them always and that they are never alone.

In her keynote address, “Treading on Sacred Ground: Ministry of Compassionate Relating,” Dr. Beverly Musgrave likened the ministry of Jesus as a companion to the two disciples on the Emmaus Journey to that of pastoral caregivers whose primary ministry is to companion the seriously ill and their families during the final years, months or sometimes even just days of life.

“He walks with us,” said Dr. Musgrave, a former assistant professor and co-director of pastoral counseling and spiritual care at the Fordham University Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, New York.

The conference, which brought together clergy, religious, deacons and lay persons from the Dioceses of Trenton and Camden who are involved in ministries to the sick and dying, was co-sponsored by Via Lucis – Samaritan Mnistry for Catholic Patients and Families in conjunction with the Trenton Diocesan Department of Pastoral Care, and the Camden Diocesan Office of Lifelong Faith Formation.

 “Caregivers are challenged to ask why death and illness has come into their life; why (death) chooses them as friends?” Dr. Musgrave said, and caregivers have to be the ones to ask “what is death trying to teach them.”

Asking questions “can enable caregivers to constantly grow, and be ever aware of loss and its presence in our lives,” she said.

Among the conference participants who appreciated the opportunity to reflect and gain new insight about their special calling was Sister of St. Joseph William Evelyn Galloway, who “wears many hats” around Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Maple Shade. Along with being the receptionist in the parish office, she is also involved in prison ministry, the separated and divorced ministry and she visits the sick and dying.

“I learned about the importance of what it means to be a good listener to the people we serve,” she said. “There are so many people who are touched by the role of pastoral caregivers.

John Kalinowski, director of the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care, said the conference gave participants a better understanding of what is involved for caregivers in hospice. The focus is that we’re ministering not only to patients, but to the families and staff as well in hospice care.

“I think Dr. Musgrave presented the spirituality of how that all comes about in recognition of our Catholic faith in dealing with difficult times in people’s lives,” he said.

In addition to Dr. Musgrave’s keynote presentation, the conference also featured breakout sessions on “Compassion Fatigue: Caring for the Caregiver” and “Presence: Compassion in the Moment.”