Chaplains & Pastoral Carers serving in Hospitals, Prisons, Schools, Aged Care, Workplace, Sports, Community, Emergency Services the Military and in local Churches will next weekend come together at St George’s Anglican Cathedral for the WA Heads of Churches Pastoral Care and Chaplains Annual Service of Blessing.
The Association of the Western Australian Heads of Churches includes leaders from many large Christian Churches including Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Anglican Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy AO, Assemblies of Christian Brethren, Baptist Churches Western Australia, Pr Victor Owuor, Christian Outreach Centre, Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Churches of Christ in WA Inc represented by Rev John Hutchinson, Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan District of Western Australia, the Lutheran Church of Australia, the Presbyterian Church of WA, The Salvation Army and the Uniting Church in Australia – Rev Susy Thomas.
Speaking as the Catholic representative ahead of the occasion, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton said the occasion is the inaugural service to acknowledge, honour and bless Chaplains, Pastoral Caregivers, Spiritual Care Workers, Wellbeing Officers and Volunteers in workplace ministry.
“All over Western Australia, across many industries, there is a growing demand and opportunity for trained people to attend to the Spiritual Care needs of patients, clients, youth, students, employees, families and members of the public through offering compassion and support in a real and meaningful way,” Bishop Sproxton said.
“Spirituality is a dynamic and intrinsic aspect of humanity through which a person may search for and find ultimate meaning, purpose, mystery and hope, often in the midst of pain and suffering,” he said.
Chaplains, continued Bishop Sproxton have a unique opportunity to engage a person, often at their most vulnerable time, exploring matters of faith, meaning and purpose in a safe and respectful way.
“Attending to and providing for the spiritual needs of people, is a holistic, person centred approach that has been the practice of the Church for thousands of years,” he said.
The Annual Service of Blessing will be held Sunday 18 September 2022 from 3pm at St Georges Anglican Cathedral, 38 St Georges Terrace, Perth. To book go to https://www.trybooking.com/events