From the Corporal Works of Mercy to Board Certification From the Corporal Works of Mercy to Board...

From the Corporal Works of Mercy From the Corporal Works of Mercy to Board Certificationto Board Certification

National Association of Catholic ChaplainsKansas City, Missouri

March 16, 2004

Chaplain Mary E. JohnsonChaplain Mary E. JohnsonMayo ClinicMayo Clinic

Rochester, MinnesotaRochester, Minnesota

The look in his eyes when they met your The look in his eyes when they met your eyes revealed the man’s soul. His eyes revealed the man’s soul. His renewing sympathy restored your renewing sympathy restored your

confidence in yourself. Just to speak to confidence in yourself. Just to speak to him made you feel better. You knew he him made you feel better. You knew he

was listening to you and that he was listening to you and that he understood you.understood you.

DeChardin’s Biographer

Although science is a powerful tool the Although science is a powerful tool the kind of knowledge science conveys is not kind of knowledge science conveys is not the only kind of knowledge there is. The the only kind of knowledge there is. The

other essential kind of knowledge other essential kind of knowledge involves our humanity.involves our humanity.

The way in which our humanity is The way in which our humanity is brought to bear on our relationships brought to bear on our relationships

with patients who hope for more than we with patients who hope for more than we can give is an important, and most often can give is an important, and most often more important, than if the offering of a more important, than if the offering of a

pretended science.pretended science.

Martin Adson, MDEmeritus Professor of SurgeryMayo Clinic

The hospital chaplain walks between two The hospital chaplain walks between two worlds: religion and medicine…worlds: religion and medicine…

Often these worlds are complementary; Often these worlds are complementary; sometimes they are in conflict.sometimes they are in conflict.

Always their interaction requires careful Always their interaction requires careful exploration.exploration.

Holst, Lawrence, Hospital Ministry, Crossroads, 1985.

Corporal Works of MercyCorporal Works of Mercy

To feed the hungry,

To give drink to the thirsty,

To clothe the naked,

To visit the imprisoned,

To shelter the homeless,

To visit the sick,

To bury the dead.

Modern Ministry Ground RulesModern Ministry Ground Rules

• We are called in the context of the community of We are called in the context of the community of faith.faith.



• We go to where the people are.We go to where the people are.




• We meet each one at her/his particular point of We meet each one at her/his particular point of need.need.





• We respect and accept each one.We respect and accept each one.






• We advocate for the weak and the disenfranchised.We advocate for the weak and the disenfranchised.







• We advocate for the restoration of autonomy.We advocate for the restoration of autonomy.







• We advocate for the restoration of autonomy.We advocate for the restoration of autonomy.

• We are faithful.We are faithful.

18 35.5 45 75 80

Prehistoric 1789 1900 1980 1998

Life Expectancy (Years)

Biomedical DiscoveriesBiomedical Discoveries

• AnalgesiaAnalgesia

• Sterile TechniqueSterile Technique

• PenicillinPenicillin

• The Structure of Deoxyribonucleic Acid The Structure of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)(DNA)

• Life-Sustaining TechnologiesLife-Sustaining Technologies

• The Human Genome ProjectThe Human Genome Project


• Analgesia (2100BC)Analgesia (2100BC)

MorphineMorphine

“perfusa papavera” may still be useful in pain control in inducement of “laetheo somno,” a sleep that may soften troubles and discomforts and allow one to forget unpleasant facts.

Surely the more you carry on your studies and Surely the more you carry on your studies and research the more you come to recognize that research the more you come to recognize that

suffering is a mystery which is inseparably joined to suffering is a mystery which is inseparably joined to the human condition. Even though every morally the human condition. Even though every morally

legitimate effort must be made to relieve and legitimate effort must be made to relieve and eliminate physical pain, nonetheless we are acutely eliminate physical pain, nonetheless we are acutely aware that suffering in a wider sense will always aware that suffering in a wider sense will always

accompany man as he travels through this world. In accompany man as he travels through this world. In deed, it can be a means of his salvation.deed, it can be a means of his salvation.

Pope John Paul II, 1987, Forward to Advances in Pain Therapy and Research, Vol. 14.



• Sterile Technique (1860)Sterile Technique (1860)

Sterile TechniqueSterile Technique

• Crimean War (1854) revealed primitive sanitation methods

• Florence Nightingale’s efforts at teaching sterile technique greatly reduced mortality among the sick and wounded



• Sterile Technique Sterile Technique

• Penicillin (1930)Penicillin (1930)

PenicillinPenicillin

• First observed in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming

• Kills or inhibits bacterial growth

• Has been successfully used to treat such deadly diseases as endocarditis, septicimia, gas gangrene, gonorrhea and scarlet fever





• The Structure of DNA (1953)The Structure of DNA (1953)

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

• The genetic material of all cellular organisms

• Carries the information needed for the cell to do its work

• First described by Watson and Crick in 1953 in the journal, Nature

• Helps with diagnosis and with development of new treatments






• Life-Sustaining Technologies (1960’s - Life-Sustaining Technologies (1960’s - present)present)

Life - Sustaining TechnologiesLife - Sustaining Technologies

• Dialysis

• Platinum

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

• Transplantation






• Life-Sustaining Technologies (1960’s - Life-Sustaining Technologies (1960’s - present)present)

• The Human Genome Project (1989-2003)The Human Genome Project (1989-2003)

The Human Genome ProjectThe Human Genome Project

• Alfred Sturtevant created the first Drosophila gene map in 1911

• Begun in 1986, completed in April, 2003

• Between 30,000 and 40,000 human genes

The Human Genome ProjectThe Human Genome Project

““It’s a history book--a narrative of the journey It’s a history book--a narrative of the journey through time. It’s a shop manual, with an incredibly through time. It’s a shop manual, with an incredibly detailed blueprint for building every human cell. And detailed blueprint for building every human cell. And

it’s a transformative textbook of medicine, with it’s a transformative textbook of medicine, with insights that will give health care providers immense insights that will give health care providers immense

new powers to treat, prevent and cure disease.”new powers to treat, prevent and cure disease.”

Francis Collins, MD

Modern Ministry ChallengesModern Ministry Challenges

• Spiritual distress



• Going to where the people are




• The discovery of needs





• Respect and acceptance






• Advocacy






• Advocacy

• Faithfulness

You heal sometimes;You heal sometimes;you relieve often;you relieve often;

you comfort always.you comfort always.

Camus

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