| Pagan
Hospital Chaplaincy |
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Pagan
Hospital/Hospice Groups
On this page:
See also Dying/Death pages
- Death Midwifery and Burial Options
Pagan
Hospital Ministry Yahoo group
-
Home page (and sign-up)
This group is for Pagans who
serve in hospital or hospice ministries, and/or who are working
on issues of concern for Pagan patients - spiritual needs
within a health-based institution, but also including death
midwifery and burial rites. Members
are primary from Canada and the U.S., but Pagans working in
this field from other countries are also welcome.
Hospital/hospice ministry can
be harder to develop than other institutional ministries,
for a number of reasons (for Pagans, but other religions as
well)
Many hospital chaplaincies are more spiritually than 'religiously'
focused , in the modern age of religious diversity, but the
progressive secularization of these institutions (and cuts
to their funding) makes it more difficult for chaplains to
identify the specific spiritual/religious needs of their patients.Also,
Pagans tend to operate in small groups which may not be connected
to an organization that would be recognized as authorizing
'clergy' or 'pastoral visitor'.Furthermore,
Pagans are not used to being accepted (if, in fact, they are
- in the institution) and often are uncomfortable identifying
their religion if asked.
This group is sponsored by Pagan
Pastoral Outreach, but open to Pagans from any group.
Groups
in Canada
Pagan Pastoral
Outreach - see other pages
in this section
Groups
in the U.S.
Washington-Baltimore
Pagan Clergy Association website
extensive
excellent and in-depth resources - Pagan counselling (including
Pagans and Hospitals: Chaplaincy Education Slideshow - see
sidebar)
Guild
of Water - ATC - hospital
ministry
Groups
in the U.K. and related articles
Pagan
Federation Community Work -
plus
  U.K.
Pagan Healthcare Support Network
- advice on hospital or hospice visiting
U.K.
Pagan Chaplaincy Blogspot -
various article on issues of Pagan chaplaincy
Caring
for the Pagan Patient
by CLARE SLANEY-DAVIS
(Pagan
chaplain)
From the Introduction
The
number of people who identify themselves as Pagan is growing.
Whilst we can only make guesses as to the actual numbers of
Pagans in Britain, Pagan organisations find that they have
a greater membership and more people asking for information
than ever before...
...the
negative connotations surrounding almost all Pagan groups
is all-pervasive and blatantly discriminatory, but this is
changing.Health
care professionals and Government bodies want to know more
about Pagans so that they can recognise our needs.Religious
groups are interested in finding out the truth about Paganism,
recognising us as a religion and welcoming our voices into
religious debate...
You
might find this book challenging…It
is not meant to make you want to become a Pagan. It does not
suggest that Paganism is the only way, or that other religions
are bad.It
is simply for your information, so that you can deal professionally
with any Pagans whom you meet through your work.We
do not ask you to like Pagans or to agree with our beliefs
and practices, but we hope that by letting you know what Paganism
is all about you will feel more confident in dealing with
Pagans at least in your professional life.
On Admission
... some
nurses and doctors thought that "Pagan" meant "no religion".Some
became suspicious...
Please
use a capital "P" in Pagan.As
a proper noun, this is correct and you would not write "christian"
or "buddhist"...
The Beginnings
of Life / Abortion
... we
believe that decisions should be made after thought and discussion.Every
one of us is a unique individual and what suits one will be
inappropriate for another...
Pregnancy
and birth
... Planned
pregnancies are very common in Paganism...Midwives
are very special within our faith...A
pregnant woman is a reflection of the Goddess.The
labouring woman is powerful and to be treated with respect
and reverence.Modern
research shows that labour is most effective when the woman
is left to do whatever she feels like doing... however, analgesia
is certainly an option for the Pagan woman if she wants it.If
the Pagan woman has or develops a condition that requires
extra help, e.g. diabetes or pre-eclampsia, then of course
she will accept that care, but she will want to be informed
and involved.
If
the pregnancy or delivery does not proceed normally, then
everyone has to adapt....
Children's
illnesses
... The
children of Pagan families are not forced into acceptance
of their parents’ beliefs, but encouraged to make their own,
informed choices.No
child wants to experience painful treatment, but we can help
them to face it with as many helpful tools as necessary...If
a child is extremely ill and expresses the wish to die, we
will take this seriously.This
does not mean that we will remove our child from medical care
but that we will listen and talk to nurses, doctors, self-help
groups, our peers and the child and together make a decision
about the child's treatment.
General
illness
... Some
Pagans believe that if their body gets ill it must make itself
better.Some
will be able do to this and some will not.This
is a concept that is completely alien to modern western thinking,
but it is a perfectly valid choice.
If
the person is admitted to hospital because they are too ill
to prevent it, you will be quite correct in helping them get
better.You
might even find that after educating them about their condition
they will feel prepared to live with and control it.But
some will not and authorities will have to accept this as
a choice.Choosing
to die is not madness and it would be wrong to attempt to
section (take into enforced mental health care) these people.They
should be supported in their choice, not by helping them to
die, but by providing the support services they require: Symptomatic
control, good pain relief, family support networks, medical
and nursing care.
Psychiatric
care
... Pagan
beliefs are not an indication of psychiatric illness!Pagans
are no more or less susceptible to psychiatric illness than
non-Pagans.It
is important that carers are able to differentiate between
real illness and Pagan beliefs.Clairaudence
... using a spiritual system to relieve psychiatric illness.
Other
subjects -
Organ donation and reception... Unconsciousness... Death...
Complementary therapies... Potential misunderstandings...
Pagan festivals in hospital... Hospital chaplains...
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