Sr. Kathy Stuttgen and Therese van Oss are pastoral ministers who work with our senior members.
Silver Circle
Our Silver Circle group are friendly, welcoming people who enjoy time together. Call Sr. Kathy to ask about getting involved!
Health Care Decisions and Documents
A great gift that you can give your family is to clearly state and properly document your wishes regarding health care in the event that you become unable to make decisions yourself. Perhaps there are specific procedures that you do or do not want, or you would like to name a particular person to make decisions on your behalf. Whatever your wishes may be, it is important to discuss and document them. Without this, your family might face very painful decisions or conflicts. Sr. Kathy is trained and certified to help you with the whole process. She can help you understand and sort out your choices, then properly and legally document them. She can also answer your questions about how the church views end-of-life issues.
Homebound or in a Care Facility
Our pastor celebrates Mass at the Hillview Healthcare Center is on most Thursday afternoons at 2:30.
When you or a loved one are in the hospital, please tell the Pastoral Care Department to call MMOC.
Because of federal laws on privacy in health care, the hospital will not notify MMOC unless you ask them to do so. Our pastoral staff (Fr. Konopa,
Sr. Kathy, and Therese van Oss) would like to visit you in the hospital if you wish, to pray with you and to bring you the sacraments.
Free Care-Giving Equipment
If you know someone who could use an electric wheelchair or an electric
hospital bed, please call Sr. Kathy at 788-5483 ext 5. She can help you.
Advocacy for our Elderly
Sr. Kathy is an energetic and experienced advocate for the interests and rights of our elderly. If you are aware of any senior who may need an advocate or simply a friendly ear, please call Sr. Kathy.
Loss and Grieving
Sr. Kathy and Therese van Oss, our pastoral ministers, offer extensive support for people in grief. Please visit our Grief Resources page.
Sr. Kathy Stuttgen wrote this in February 2011:
Sometimes people ask me where I am going today. I often say, "I'm not sure—ask me tonight and I'll tell you where I've been." The days and weeks go something like this.
● trips to the hospital supporting two families with dying relatives.
● making the connection between a family with a small child to a new mom with a premature baby that I met at the hospital.
● assuring several elderly it's ok that they are missing Mass on Sunday because of the weather. "God doesn't expect you to be out in weather like this. He can hear you pray from home."
● listening to the stories about how they miss their wife or husband who died after 50 or 60 years of marriage.
No two visits are the same. No two phone calls are the same. Often I feel I am led or sometimes pushed by the Spirit to go or stop somewhere. I feel privileged to share these sacred moments with those to whom I minister.
Sr. Kathy.
