BY: SR. MARYALINE ZIERLE, OP
Sr. Zierle is director of Pastoral Care, Maryhaven Center of Hope, Port
Jefferson, NY.
In October 1997 the diocese of Rockville Centre, Long Island, NY, established
Catholic Health Services (CHS) of Long Island. The system's many facilities
constitute a continuum of care that includes all aspects of hospital-centered
and ambulance services, care for the aging, a regional home care and hospice
network, and community-based care for people with special needs.
One of the main goals of the founders of CHS was to develop the mission, values,
and vision for the system. The resulting mission statement focused on six values
that were inclusive and highlighted the deep devotion of the founders:
- Compassionate care for all we serve
- Justice for all whom we encounter, including our staff
- Integrity in all our business dealings
- Deep respect for the dignity of each person
- Fidelity to the teachings of the church
- Reverence for the traditions of the women religious that inspire
and nurture our apostolate
Maryhaven Center of Hope, a CHS member agency caring for approximately 2,000
developmentally disabled/mentally ill children and adults, took up the challenge
of implementing the CHS mission among its employees. Maryhaven's range of services
includes a residential school, continuing day treatment for mentally ill adults,
day programs for developmentally disabled adults and group homes for adults.
The staff includes a large percentage of direct care counselors, who hold entry-level,
direct care positions that require a high school diploma and the ability to
demonstrate deep respect for the dignity of each individual.
Encouraged by Lewis Grossman, chief executive officer of Maryhaven, and the
newly formed Mission and Ministry Committee of the Board of Governors, we formulated
an innovative program to carry out our objective. Our program focuses on "days
of reflection," which have now been hosted for the past three years. The Daughters
of Wisdom, the religious community that founded the facility, has donated the
use of a 75-year-old home to host days of reflection each spring and fall. Appropriately
named "Star of the Sea," the house overlooks Port Jefferson harbor and is primarily
a retreat and vacation center for this community of sisters, which founded three
CHS of Long Island facilities: St. Charles Hospital, Maryhaven Center of Hope,
and Good Samaritan Hospital.
In an atmosphere of beauty, quiet, and restfulness, a daylong program is offered
eight times a year to invited groups of approximately 30 employees. These groups
contain a mixture of board members, administrators, office personnel, maintenance,
direct care, support services, and clinical staff. They come together for a
day of meditation, reflection, and companionship. Since its inception three
years ago, approximately 600 staff members have attended the program to renew
their understanding of the CHS mission.
The reflection day itself begins with a creative visualization exercise to
lighten any apprehension and lessen defenses. Then, in the spirit of the CHS
core value "reverence for the women religious founders," Provincial Superior
Sr. Evelyn Eckhardt, DW, presents a history of the Daughters of Wisdom from
their inception in France to the development of Maryhaven in the 1930s. CHS
Senior Vice President Monsignor Dennis M. Regan, STD, presents the values, emphasizing
in particular the value of compassion. After these sessions, the group is released
(armed with a reading by Fr. Henri Nouwen) for a quiet 45 minutes to reflect,
walk the beach, or rest.
Afterwards, in small group discussions, participants learn from their coworkers
about the variety of Maryhaven ministries — from assisting the patients with their
morning care goals to job placement in the community. All participants are given
time to share what draws them to this service and what helps to fulfill their
own personal goals. After lunch, time is spent in a short "loving kindness meditation,"
which inspires each listener to reflect on ways to appreciate our own inner
beauty. This is followed by further reflection on the Maryhaven mission as expressed
by participants during the morning discussion. Emphasis is placed on the six
core values of CHS and how they coincide with the ministries at Maryhaven. Prayer,
a brief video of meditation, and a blessing service conclude the day of reflection.
Participants are left with these closing words: "May God bless the work of your
hands and your heart."
As the program has grown, the staff from St. Charles Hospital, which shares
the same history as Maryhaven, has begun to attend as well. Invitations have
also recently been sent to the administrators of CHS of Long Island and the
mission leaders of the other CHS facilities. In addition, employees who have
participated in this program have expressed renewal of spirit and dedication
to the special people served by Maryhaven Center of Hope. A "Reflection Day
2" has been developed in response to staff requests to revisit the spiritual
grounding experienced at the original retreat. At the end of one recent day
of reflection, a nurse gave voice to her feelings: "When I was a full-time mother,
I had time to work in my church. But when I became a full-time nurse and
mother, I could no longer volunteer at church. What has been made very clear
to me at this reflection day is that I am doing God's ministry here at
Maryhaven."
Copyright © 2002 by the Catholic Health Association of the United States
For reprint permission, contact Betty Crosby or call (314) 253-3477.