Renew Your Vision - Idea for Parish Pastoral Care of the Sick

By Juan Rodriguez

A Parish must always think of its Family. Creating an effective plan to reach the sick and homebound, those in the hospital, those who are about to undergo a serious operation, or those who are near death, in a MUCH-NEEDED MINISTRY! A Pastoral Care Team could be the ministry you need to reach parishioners in need, but you're going to need a Plan for networking the Parish Office (Secretary and Receptionists), the Parish Staff (Pastor, Priests, Deacons, Religious, and Pastoral Associate), and Parish Leadership (Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Pastoral Care Team, and Bereavement Team). Here is a basic way to keep the network together - what matters is that a person who is sick or is close to dying feels and believes that they are loved and cared for during their time of need. In some cases, parishes are failing to create an effective plan to care for the sick and the dying. I believe we can do better for our community and show God's mercy through comprehensive planning and good organization. Let's start with strengthening the Parish Network.

1. Create a book or binder, label it Pastoral Care for the Sick, and place it in the Parish Office. The Parish Office Team, Parish Staff, and Parish Leaders can be better informed about those who are sick within the community or in the hospital.

2. Prepare the Parish Secretary to receive information: Name of person sick, date, language spoken, full address, 2 telephone numbers, comments and notes, and the name and telephone of the person requesting. Information that is received can be a great help to the Parish Staff and Parish Leadership. It also strengthens the network with the family and parish. The Secretary who receives requests should ask the following: Would the person want their name in the Bulletin? Would the person want a home or hospital visit by a priest? Would the person want to receive Holy Communion? Would the person want to receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick? Once the Parish Secretary / Receptionist receives the message, it is important that they inform the Parish Staff and Parish Leadership to respond immediately. A secondary form of communication can be created: Texting, Email, and calling a Cell Phone to keep the Parish Staff and Parish Leadership informed.

3. Comments and Notes help Parish Staff and Parish Leadership with information about the parishioners' needs. Example: Thomas is weak and can't speak on the phone. Please contact Joe @ Tele# 444-444-4444, or Joanne is very ill and is in need of a Priest to visit for Holy Anointing. Please visit ASAP.

4. Stickers with the words - PASSED AWAY or URGENT VISIT give a heads-up to the Parish Staff and Parish Leadership reminders. With the words PASSED AWAY or URGENT VISIT, the Bereavement Ministry can prepare to reach family and friends for special masses for healing, mass intentions, All Souls Day Mass, and pre-bereavement and bereavement meetings. 

5. New ideas can come from receiving the information, like strengthening the Parish contact list. In some cases, parishioners who are sick or have passed away have family members that have strayed away from the Catholic Faith. Parishes that have an Outreach Ministry can help heal past wounds or struggles family members have with the Church. The contact list can help bring people closer to Christ through the Sacraments. Strengthen the Parish Ministry: There are real Spiritual, Social, and Economic hardships our people may be going through. The contact list can give a wealth of information where the Parish Pastoral Council and its Ministries can work in forming or strengthening the Parish Mission to all in need within the Parish Boundaries. What's more important is that a Parish has a strong Mission to the sick and dying. "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me". Gospel of St. Matthew 25:35-36