Pastoral News Issue No. 2

31 August 2016

OUR LADY OF MARYKNOLL HOSP ITAL Pas to r a l M in i s t r y Depa r tmen t

Some Reflections on my Involvement with

Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital's Pastoral Ministry Team

Fr. Jack Sullivan, M.M.

My memories of involvement with the PM team are both old and

very much alive. I believe I began meeting occasionally with this wonderful pastoral team soon after I returned to Hong Kong in 1982; and continued doing so until 2002 when I returned to the US for an assignment with the Maryknoll Affiliates. I also remember a few meetings on brief visits to Hong Kong over the past 13 years.

You were, I believe the first team of hospital ministers in Hong Kong.

You worked with each other to visit and give pastoral care to all the

patients of OLMH, and not only Catholics. You complimented each

other with your individual gifts and often helped each other with limi-

tations of time and personal challenges. You trustingly ministered to

each other as you ministered to the patients and staff.

When possible you contacted and remained in contact with many of

the patients' families, especially when there was clear need of medical

or pastoral follow up. You made sure that the Sacraments were availa-

ble to Catholics, but most of all that they and all the patients had the

comfort of your visits and sometimes advocacy. Your example and the

response of the patients influenced the spread of pastoral teams in oth-

er Hong Kong Hospitals. In so many ways you became, at least for a

time, part of many patient's families.

You rejoiced with those who were able to leave hospital in good health; accompanied those with

chronic needs requiring more frequent visits to the hospital; and grieved with the families of the

deceased, especially at the monthly memorial service in the hospital chapel. I was blessed to be

able to support you and sometimes accompany you in some of these pastoral activities.

In meeting with you, I met with committed Christians who were revealing the living, loving Jesus

Christ by their care and constant love to the patients, their families and to me. I do believe that

your presence, ministry and example is an integral and creative part of what has made and contin-

ues to make your hospital on Shatin Pass Road a hospital named after and revealing the love and

presence of Our Lady, Mary...our Holy Mother's Hospital.

Those Good Old Days ~Teresa Tsow

Page 2 Pastoral News

I first came into contact with the Pastoral Ministry Department (PMD)

in 1987, when I was working in our hospice services. At that time it was still called the "Palliative Care Team." However, patients, and even hospital colleagues were often confused about services rendered by the PMD. Both departments had minimal staff, but both were able to visit in-patients in the hospital wards. One differing factor was that the Pastoral Ministry Department offered services for all patients and hos-pital staff, while we, in hospice took care of terminally ill cancer pa-tients and their families. The PMD was included as a member of our hospice multi-disciplinary team. The relationship between the two ser-vice teams was incredibly close because we shared a very special con-nection!

In those days, the concept of hospice was new in Hong Kong. In fact, we were the pioneers in providing this type of care in the ter-ritory. As Team Coordinator, I was under a lot of pressure. I needed to do my utmost to promote the service to the public even though the concept of hospice care in Hong Kong was still at an exploratory stage. Fortunately, I was blessed with the support and encouragement of three experienced people, Sr. Marilu Limgenco, Sr. Catherine Rowe and Ms. Rose Wan. The scope of the service was then greatly expanded from inpatient care, to home visits, to volunteer services and to bereavement care for families. My col-leagues and I often had to confront the deaths of our patients and provide counseling for their bereaved families. At times, we were so exhausted from our work but would be re-energized as we were taken up by this meaningful cause. Throughout our work, the sis-ters and fellow colleagues in the PMD were our greatest supporters – they kindly shared their experiences and listened to the sorrow we experienced with our patients. Weekly, at a Team Conference, we shared case histories and our previous seven-day undertakings. Every two months, we joined in celebrating a Memorial Mass of-fered in our hospital chapel for the deceased patients and for the comfort of their families. For many years, the PMD and hospice has worked closely and harmoniously together. We have laughed with the patients’ in their happiness; we have wept with the pa-tients’ in their sadness. We have accompanied bereaved families

when they were frustrated, assuring them that they were not alone in this time of grief. And finally, we provided specialized training for our volunteers, witnessed their personal growth and rejoiced in it.

The Sisters of the Pastoral Ministry Department gave warmth to people reflecting the healing Caduce-

us, the symbol of our hospital. Later on, the Sisters gradually retired and new colleagues joined us,

who proved equally gentle and caring! Although I left the Palliative Care Team, and joined the medi-

cal and geriatric services, I remain connected with my Pastoral Care colleagues. Needless to say, we

all meet in the wards still working closely together.

Teresa (Left), Rose, and Sr. Marilu

Teresa with PM staff, and her participation

in the Christmas activity in the ward

Members of the Pastoral Ministry Department (PMD) and the nurses used to call her "Ah Kam",

while the in-patients gave her the nickname: "Lady Kam". After her retirement, in February of 2016, some patients were still asking: "Where is Lady Kam? She was so very kind to me during my stay in Maryknoll hospital years ago.

In May we had a brief interview with Lady Kam to talk about her experiences with the Pastoral Minis-try Department over the last seventeen years.

The Beginning of the Romance ~ The role of companion and patient

In 1978, Ah Kam's brother was diagnosed with cancer and was admit-ted to Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital for treatment. Her eyes were captivated by the sincere care offered to her brother by the Pastoral Care-giver. In 1996, Ah Kam herself was diagnosed with cancer by her family doctor. She met the then Medical Superintendent, Dr. Yu Wing Kwong, who personally took up her case. During her hospitali-zation, Ah Kam was accompanied and comforted almost daily by Pas-toral Care-giver. This companionship offered her meaningful support and encouragement. It deepened her understanding of the importance of the spiritual care being offered to the patients. She firmly decided to give back something of what she had received by becoming a Pas-toral Care-giver herself.

Pastoral Care-giver

In 1999, after recovering, Ah Kam joined the PMD Team. Working on an up-coming festival ceremony and in charge of buying the gifts, she recalled: "At that time, at Christmas, we were allowed to do caroling in the wards." Later on, Ah Kam fixed her service on a weekly basis at the E3 Surgical Ward. She wanted to share with the patients how to face their illness, how to confront the aggravation and unrest brought on by illness.

Be Grateful and Joyful

In sharing her life journey with us, Ah Kam emphasized the im-portance of being Grateful, Joyful and Prayerful. The greatest happi-ness she had, in the Pastoral Ministry Department, was to facilitate for the patients and their relatives, the experience that they had a companion who will journey with them. Ah Kam admitted that she also benefited from giving of herself by becoming more Generous-- with No Clinging to things.

An Endless Romance

In name, Ah Kam has retired, in fact, she still joins the monthly Memorial Mass which is organized by PMD and offers up prayers for the deceased. Actually, Ah Kam is “Retired yet Active…. the Romance with the Pastoral Ministry goes on.’’

Ah Kam—Our Special Pastoral Care -giver ~ Cheng Wai Kam/Mark Lee

Page 3 Issue No. 2

Dr. Nancy Fok (Right) and Sr. Marilu (Left)

presented the gold medal to Ah Kam for her

retirement.

Ah Kam visited a patient

This book, published in the 1970’s, was jointly written by Father Henri

Nouwen and Mr. Walter J. Gaffney. “Aging” takes a non-traditional approach, looking into the plight and the reasons for neglect in the caring of the elderly in today’s world.

Modern culture emphasizes individual contributions and wealth. Those who no longer can achieve may be alienated leading to Isolation and even Abandon-ment by the Community. It might explain the reason why some older people tend to use violence to hold on to their power. A decline in social life, caused by death or immobility makes the elderly feel like they are being deserted. They have to face a nonchalant and cold world, yet they are unable to call out to get the help they need.

Isolated from People We call it Loneliness

The most devastating response is Self Abandonment or giving up on one’s self. If elderly people believe the measure of their self worth is in the hands of others, they are actually being imprisoned, being stifled in finding a way to face being lonely. Being a pastoral ministry giver, and after reading Aging, it clarified my way in caring for our older gener-ation. I needed to make Contact with Myself, admitting that I, too, will grow old someday. I needed to fully experience and appreciate the journey of my life, and to share it with my patients. This sharing may help others to find the freedom in aging. Contact Others make me a healing instrument for others. Ac-cepting while understanding the hardships of the elderly enables me to be more compassionate by par-ticipating in their sufferings. To Confront the false idea of an everlasting physical life, of living forever here on earth. The value of human existence lies in living the present moment fully and most certainly not in personal achievements, possessions, and prestige.

Book Sharing: “Aging—Fulfillment of Life”

~ Mark Lee Page 4

Pastoral Ministry Department, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon. Tel: 23202121 email: pastoral.olmh@gmail.com

Sharing with Fr. Peter Leung: The Image of Our Lady

Speaker: Fr. Peter Leung, P.P

(St. Teresa’s Parish).

Date: 15 October, 2016

Time: 10am to 12 noon

Venue: Pastoral Ministry Dept.

Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital

Participants: Staff/Family and

Out-patient/Family of OLMH

Registration: Contact Ms. Angela Ho or

the pastoral caregivers in OLMH

Contact No.: 2320 2121

(Refreshment will be provided after the sharing).