In our journey to serve the health needs of our communities, our Catholic healthcare ministries have been beacons of hope and healing, driven by steadfast commitment to our shared mission and values. This service, grounded in our faith and our Catholic moral tradition, transcends what we are legally mandated to report to maintain our tax-exempt status, reaching far into the lives of those who are poor and vulnerable who too often find themselves on the fringes of society's safety net. It is in these margins that our calling to serve becomes not just an act of charity, but a mission of profound love and justice. A mission that our founding congregations have asked us to hold in trust.
Our deep commitment to service comes from our belief that every person is made in the image of God and has equal and inherent dignity. Modeling this belief requires deep humility. The late Sen. John McCain tied dignity and humility together in one of my favorite quotes: "Humility is self-knowledge that you possess as much inherent dignity as anyone else, and not one bit more." And for the deeply humble I would add, "and not one bit less."
However, humility often leads to quiet service — and in that quiet, the work of making the world a better place for everyone can go unseen or be taken for granted. In fact, humility, integral to our ethos, can create tension when faced with the need to share our contributions. It's an understandable dilemma: How can we talk about the breadth of our work without seeming like we are bragging? How can we do it without looking like we're merely trying to sell more services or attract commercially insured patients at the cost of those with little or no insurance? Yet, in remaining silent or communicating ineffectively, we miss the opportunity to inspire, educate, advocate and ultimately expand the reach of and support for our mission.
In 2009, I was discerning my future in Catholic healthcare and interviewing for a communication role at what was then Providence Health & Services. I'll never forget my interview with Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Burton. Knowing that, along with charity and simplicity, humility was one of the three named virtues of the Sisters of Providence, I flat out asked her if Providence's culture would be open to showcasing our stories in new and different ways that would get attention and hopefully reach more people. Without missing a beat, she told me: "Yes, because you won't be bragging — you'll be telling the truth louder! Who can be opposed to that?"
Telling the truth louder isn't about seeking praise or recognition — it's about transparency, education, advocacy and most importantly, it's about inspiring action. It's about celebrating the value and necessity of Catholic healthcare in transforming lives and the health of our communities. It's about giving voice to the voiceless, sharing the stories of those whose lives have been transformed, and animating the profound ripple effects that arise from compassionate and excellent care.
By sharing the truth of our work in new ways, we inspire and invite others to join us in this mission. We challenge misconceptions and encourage broader support for systems and policies that foster equitable access to healthcare. We make it harder for single-issue advocates and other detractors to be critical of us — at least publicly. We underscore the pivotal role of Catholic healthcare as a champion of human dignity and social justice through our presence and perseverance in advocating for those most in need.
In "telling the truth louder," we in Catholic healthcare can build bridges of understanding and partnership, rallying communities around a shared vision of health for a better world. Let's recommit to bringing our work to life and sharing our truth broadly and shining a light on our service to ensure that every person, especially those who are poor or vulnerable, have access to compassionate care inside and outside our hospital walls!