“It is a gift to be called upon and so I approach each person I meet with reverence, honoring all that they are.”
That’s how Sister Kateri Schrems characterizes her ministry on the Pastoral Care Team at Marywood Health Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“We are allowed, not just asked, to become a part of people’s lives when they are most vulnerable,” says Sister Kateri. “It is a gift to be called upon and so I approach each person I meet with reverence, honoring all that they are.”
“Sometimes our presence may be a nod, eye contact, sharing a thought, or sharing moments in prayer,” she said. “Sometimes all that is needed is someone to share silence with.”
“Our presence here comes from the presence of God in the world; what a blessing that each person is able to be that.”
Sr. Kateri visited regularly with Tom Valle, a patient from Kalamazoo, who was recovering from knee surgery at Marywood Health Center