CHA is launching the third season of its book club, called "Living Our Shared Identity," and adding documentaries to the lineup.
The discussion of the first book, The Spirit of Hope by Byung-Chul Han, will take place virtually May 22.
The club will have a slightly different format this year. Participants can register for each session separately and choose to purchase or borrow the books in whatever format and from whatever source they prefer. Later in the year, rather than a book, documentaries will be the focus of some discussions.
The change in format allows members to join the individual conversations they want to participate in instead of committing to the entire series, said Lori Ashmore-Ruppel, senior director of mission services management at CHA. "We hope to offer a variety of topics that can interest people across the ministries," she said.
The first conversation, "Transforming Hurt into Hope," will explore Han's book and the concept of hope as a vital force in countering the pervasive climate of fear in contemporary society. Sr. Teresa Maya, CCVI, CHA's senior director for theology and sponsorship, and Karla Keppel, CHA's associate director, mission services, will facilitate the conversation, offering opportunities to reflect on key points related to the work of the Catholic health care ministry and the call by the church to be Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee year.
The conversation for the next book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katharine Hayhoe, will take place June 26. The conversation, "Acting on Behalf of Justice," will be led by CHA's senior director of community health and eldercare, Indu Spugnardi.
The book club will meet again in September, October, January and February. All the books and documentaries chosen for discussion connect to the values of Catholic health care, based on the ministry's Shared Statement of Identity. Participants will explore topics that inspire compassionate care, foster community and deepen their commitment to the ministry.
"As part of our ongoing commitment to Catholic identity, we recognize the importance of coming together to reflect on the core commitments outlined in our shared statement," said Ashmore-Ruppel. "This book club creates a meaningful space to explore new perspectives on our foundational values and to discuss how they are lived out in our ministry today."
The Spirit of Hope can be purchased here. For more information and to register for the book club, visit chausa.org/events.