Diocesan Healthcare Ministries Formation Community: Vocation of Healthcare Formation (23 November)

Event Details

The Diocesan Healthcare Ministries Formation Community is holding a Formation session on ‘The Vocation of Healthcare’ at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Winston Hills on Saturday 23^rd November 2024 from 10:00 to 12:30 p.m.

This session will focus on our vocation to care for the health of others, including the prevention of ill-health, and the care of the sick and the dying.  This is a basic call to be missionary disciples, arising from our baptism.  Through baptism, we are sent to care for the health of others, including the sick and the dying in the name of Jesus.  Through our missionary discipleship, we become instruments of the love of Jesus for our neighbour in need.

Our vocation emerges in various ways to meet the various needs of human history.  Some of these ways will be explored through a review of being called in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  Just as we are called in many ways, our response will also be expressed in many ways.  For example, the response to the needs of the sick and the dying in the first century of the Church’s existence will be very different to the world of today, where modern medicine offers possibilities not available during the first century.

However, our vocation does not depend on the circumstances of the world of the time.  Jesus sends us out on mission together as the People of God, the Church, called to continue the ministry of Jesus in the world of the time.  In today’s world, this call has Professional, Pastoral and Sacramental dimensions

During the session, there will be a sharing from Catholics involved in lay pastoral Ministry in a Hospital, as well as a Oral Hygienist.  Deacon Dr. Michael Tan will share from his wealth of experience from his background of 30 years in General Practice and Palliative Care of the dying.

All are invited, including students considering entering a Health Profession after they leave school, University students, Health Professionals, people working in Aged Care, Pastoral Associates, volunteers taking communion to the sick, Seminarians and Clergy administering the Sacraments to the sick.

Deacon Dr. Michael Tan is a retired GP.  He has been a member of the Palliative Care team at Mt. Druitt Hospital, where he assisted dying patients to die at home, writing their death certificates.  Before his retirement from clinical practice 9 years ago, he was a member of the NSW Palliative Care Network Executive.

Please register via the form below.

Please direct enquiries to – [email protected]