Mary Catherine Redmond is a Sister of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She has ministered in various aspects of health care and is presently serving as chief physician assistant in hospital emergency medicine, serving the underserved of New York City. She has worked also in her congregation in vocation and formation ministry. Her formal training in counseling and in facilitation has also led her to do spiritual direction, retreats and small group faith communities, and to facilitating groups around the topics of new membership, leadership and "new member" gatherings.
Not one person has escaped the effects of COVID. The isolation, fear, lack of support as many were in survival mode dealing with the unknown, has left all broken, vulnerable, searching.
Those of us who ministered in health care during this past year are forever changed. I have felt a continued connection with the deafening silence of Holy Saturday, waiting for word to spring forth that Jesus had risen.
We recently had the last meeting of the Palliative Care-COVID Support Care Team, which had been put in place to answer the needs of patients and their families. I left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude, relief and loss.
The days continue to bring new lessons to medical providers fighting for our patients. Alleluia will be different this year, and I pray that this time will bring us to a greater understanding of who we consider as "other."
This is a new reality for me, a physician assistant, as I have always prided myself on doing the very best for my patients and really going the extra mile. I have advocated for patients who have nothing. Now there are times I feel like I have very little to offer.
