This past week, the Nazareth Trust hosted a digital consultation on Pastoral Care with Christian leaders from Nazareth. The theme of the meeting was Hospitality as Holiness and provided a compelling framework for our discussion as we reflected on the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, who brought healing, wholeness and holiness to people as a sign of the hospitality of God. 

The challenge this poses for us as Christ followers in the midst of COVID-19 is how to extend the hospitality of God, which we have received through Jesus, to those who are sick and suffering from the physical, social, emotional and spiritual impact of this pandemic? 

We enjoyed a fruitful time of discussion on how leaders from the Church and Religious Institutions in Nazareth and surrounding areas can strengthen and support the pastoral care of the Nazareth Hospital, as well as the French and Italian Hospitals in Nazareth. It was agreed that pastoral care to the sick provides a wonderful opportunity to express our unity in Christ as we seek to minister with his love and compassion to all those in need at this challenging time for Church and Society. 

We agreed to follow-up this discussion with a list of actions to give practical expression to our reflections and are hopeful that this will result in a fruitful ministry of prayer and presence across the three Nazareth Hospitals, as we seek to extend the hospitality of God to all those who need healing and wholeness in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus of Nazareth! 

On behalf of the Pastoral Care Team,

Frank Kantor

Spiritual Director