My Ministry - Sr Zita Teixeira 

I work at two hospitals in Brisbane and at Redland, as part of the Pastoral Care Team.

A question is frequently asked of people of how much external and internal time they think they spend in a day. The answer is often 90% external and 10% internal. When someone comes into a hospital, the reverse tends to happen to the person. Patients find that they have time to: think, reflect, remember…

It is this often challenging and confronting time which provides an opportunity for Pastoral Care Workers to offer patients listening and support. We do so in a variety of ways.

We visit the patient always aware it is the patient who sets the agenda; they are the expert of their own experiences and lives.
We provide a friendly visit.
We support patients/families in times of grief and loss.
We pray with them when they request prayer.
We offer communion to Catholics on request.
We arrange for the reception of Sacraments again at the request of patients/families
We contact both Ecumenical and Inter-faith group representatives on behalf of the patient.
We offer prayers of blessings for babies and mothers
We also work alongside all staff.

Ritual can be powerful in allowing people to connect with their emotions and experiences on deep and profound levels.

According to Brenna Niemanis who works at a juvenile justice residential facility for girls between ages of 14-17, “There is such power in simply being present, simply being open to listening to someone's story without looking for the perfect response or advice to give, just being”.   Global Sisters Report/globalsistersreport.org Mar.16.2016

I have had patients say to me, “you are the first person I have ever shared this with”. It is an honour and a privilege to journey with people at different times in their life journey.