by Brad Heidrick
One of the talented deacons of our archdiocese pointed out that the Trinity — God the Father, Jesus Christ his Son and the Holy Spirit — are a community of persons.
Within the Trinity exists a relationship of cooperation and support, and being made in God’s image, we long for community. This is illustrated at Catholic Community Health with our work at Villa St. Francis, in home care and in hospice care. These teams work together toward a common goal of carrying out God’s healing mission to those that we serve in our ministries.
Behind the scenes of this healing mission is our board of directors — we’re blessed to have a team of Catholic doctors, nurses, lawyers, financial advisers, marketing professionals and more who volunteer their time, talent and treasure to ensure that the mission of Catholic Community Health is carried out today, and lasts long into the future.
Father Gary Pennings, a long-time CCH board member, often reminds us that Christ is at the heart of the work that we do. He advises that when we put Christ first and entrust our mission to his grace and will, we are bound to be successful in our efforts.
With the example of Father Pennings and others, we have been committed to being authentically Catholic, carrying out our work according to the ethical and religious directives for Catholic health care services. These guidelines seek to uphold the dignity of the human person as we provide five-star- level care for them.
When I think about all the people that make our mission possible, starting with the outstanding leadership of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, our board, our talented executive team, our benefactors, the many selfless volunteers and the incredible staff at Catholic Community Health, I’m overcome with gratitude.
These people are truly making a difference in the lives of seniors in our community, many of whom would not be able to afford it if Catholic Community Health wasn’t here to provide it. These people make our mission possible, living out that same community of support modeled for us by God in the Trinity.
It is said that “many hands make light work,” and while the work of our staff and volunteers is rarely light, the support of our board and our community make it possible. As you’re progressing through your Lenten journey, I invite you to pray for our residents, those we serve in home care and hospice, and for our staff.
If you would like to get more involved, check out our website at: Catholiccommunityhealth.org; we would love to have you as part of our community.
