BY: SR. BARBARA McMULLEN, CDP
Call to Prayer
| Leader | God of all, you have loved us so well and have given us so much. |
| All | When we find it difficult to trust others, help us to remember that we are all one people, beloved of one great God. |
| Reading | Until recently, most health care providers enjoyed a degree of independence from one another. In ever-increasing ways, Catholic health care providers have become involved with other health care organizations and providers. At whatever level, new partnerships forge a variety of interwoven relationships. New partnerships can be viewed as opportunities for Catholic health care institutions and services to witness to their religious and ethical commitments and so influence the healing profession. New partnerships can help to implement the Church's social teaching. New partnerships can be opportunities to realign the local delivery system in order to provide a continuum of health care to the community; they can witness to a responsible stewardship of limited health care resources; and they can be opportunities to provide to poor and vulnerable persons a more equitable access to basic care.
(National Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Forming New Partnerships with Health Care Organizations and Providers," , U.S. Catholic Conference, Washington, DC, 1995, p. 25.)
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| Response | (Please respond after each reader)
Divine mystery, make us open and receptive to new ways of collaboration. |
| Reader 1 | When we meet unexpected barriers in ourselves or others, we pray . . . |
| Reader 2 | When growth in partnerships and relationships is impeded by "old baggage," we pray . . . |
| Reader 3 | When being a catalyst for change demands new courage and vision, we pray . . . |
| Reader 4 | When carrying out the healing mission of the Church means emptying and filling across boundaries of various organizations, we pray . . . |
| Let Us Pray | |
| All | O divine mystery, draw us all into your heart. Give us the strength needed to be truly vulnerable as we work together in this ministry of healing. Reawaken in us a spirit of collaboration and deepen our trust. We ask your guidance in all things. Amen. |
| | SUGGESTED MUSIC
"All One People," by Dan Schutte, in Drawn by a Dream, OCP Publications, Portland, OR.
"Pilgrim Companions," by Dan Schutte, in Drawn by a Dream, OCP Publications, Portland, OR.
"Know That the Lord Is Near," by David Haas, in Where the River Flows, GIA Publications, Chicago. |
This prayer service focuses on the importance of partnerships and collaborations in the healthcare ministry. You may use this service at meetings or on any occasion when you wish to take a moment to reflect on the mission of Jesus. Feel free to adapt the service to suit your own needs.
— Sr. Barbara McMullen, CDP, senior associate, Sponsor Services, Catholic Health Association, St. Louis
"Prayer Service," a regular department in Health Progress, may be copied without prior permission.