PRESENCE OF THE CHURCH IN THE HOSPITAL

Sister Nicole on a mission as chaplain at the hospital in Douai. 

In this difficult time with COVID, I have been able to continue to live my mission as chaplain at the hospital in Douai. I am called to accompany people in prayer at the end of their lives, dying of this terrible disease, and to support the families who are present until their departure.

Care givers with a lot of humanity are always there, listening to spiritual requests. The most painful thing for them is, at the time of death, to put people in a bag knowing that the families can no longer see their loved one.

Luckily not all of them die due to COVID, I can, with protective equipment, identical to the caretakers, visit people, listen to them, pray with them.

But there is also the visit of people in palliative care, (to be able to give viaticum, to listen to them) in the other services without the precious help of volunteers who can no longer visit since March. The links with external people (priests, family, friends) call me to visit a loved one who cannot visit, to support him humanly and spiritually. 

It's a beautiful mission to be a hospital chaplain! It is also to visit a sick person at home, in an old age home, in a clinic (not allowed today)...

It's almost Christmas time! Odette Vercuysse, a nurse, composed this song: "It's Christmas, every day every time... that I say 'yes' to the calls to make life grow, love, fraternity, sharing...

Sister Nicole