PASTORAL CARE ANNUAL REPORT

The aim of  pastoral care is to maintain the sacramental and spiritual connections between the parish and those who cannot join in our community life due to illness or other difficulties. The pastoral care team ministers by personal visits in the home, other settings, and by phone visitation.

The team, currently seven members, continues to have regular meetings for ongoing formation and sharing. This past year, for a second time, a Jesuit scholastic joined us for the university school year. A new team member will be finishing the 10 week Pastoral Care Training Program.

Members have attended two workshops offered by the Ottawa Pastoral Care Training Program (Pastoral visiting with those who choose to die at home and their families presented by Dr. Louise Coulombe, palliative care physician; Youth suicide), and by the Archdiocesan End-of-Life Issues committee and St. Paul University ( End-of-Life Issues’ sessions with Dr. Margaret Somerville).

Last spring we showed three DVD’s: “The Imam and the Pastor”, highlighting reconciliation between two warring religious factions in Nigeria (to be shown next Lent), “Baby Steps”, showing the stages of pre-birth development (also shown during the Called to Share Sunday), and  “Turning the Tide”, interviews with persons with disabilities, their struggles, their joys and their commitment to life (to be shown in late January 09).

Members were involved in preparing the celebration of the Anointing of the Sick during  Mass on November 1 and the pot-luck supper following the Mass, as well as reading, during Mass for the Feast of All Souls, names of parishioners buried from St. Margaret Mary’s during the past  20 years.

Fr. John continues to celebrate Mass for residents at Billingswood Manor on the 2nd Saturday of the month; as well members preside at a liturgy of the word with communion on the 4th Saturday of the month.

Bulletins are mailed regularly to some parishioners who are in retirement homes and a long-term care facility.

Pastoral Care Team