Jesus was a healer who looked not at the disease alone, but at the whole person, saying, “Which is easier to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?” (Mark 2:9). Championing the sanctity of life from conception to natural death with intentional caring for our spiritual well being is the goal of health ministry. Too often we when think of someone with a medical condition, we think of them in terms of their condition, not as a person. Health ministry focuses on the person.
Health ministry at the parish level is a compassionate ministry focused on the whole person in the various stages of life from conception to death. In caring for the spiritual well being of a person, we also address their physical well-being. Health ministry has a role for everyone at a parish, not just health professionals. Everyone, including the homebound, can have a role in health ministry, as it has so many different aspects, and it crosses “lines” of family life, stewardship, social justice, hospitality, liturgy and more.
Email us to receive information on how to get involved.
The Iowa Catholic Conference’s “Supportive Care Iowa” - released a webinar to help those seeking guidance on making health care decisions in alignment with Catholic moral teaching. Click here to view webinar.
| Parish: | Nurse: |
|---|---|
| Divine Mercy, Burlington "Health Ministries" group | Sr. Kathy Braun, SSND [email protected] Sr. Peggy Duffy, Pastoral Ministry [email protected] |
| Holy Family, Fort Madison | Kelly Giese Coordinator Ministry of Care [email protected] |
| Our Lady of Lourdes, Bettendorf | Carole Dolehanty, Parish Nurse [email protected] [email protected] |
| Our Lady of the River, LeClaire | Sara Gravert Health Ministry Coordinator [email protected] |
| Our Lady of Victory, Davenport | Deacon John Wagner, RN, BSN, MA, MPTH [email protected] or [email protected] Julie Kilburg (Health Advocate) [email protected] Bonnie Beyhl (Health Advocate) OTR/L [email protected] |
| Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport | Patty Riefe [email protected] |
| St. Anthony, Davenport | Steve Cooley, RN Parish Health Ministry [email protected] |
| St. John Vianney, Bettendorf | Chris McCormick-Pries, ARNP Laura Gizicki, RN Deb Morse, BSN, MSN, RN [email protected] |
| St. Joseph, DeWitt | Karen McWilliams [email protected] |
| St. Mary, Solon | Nancy Upmeyer, MSN, RN [email protected] |