Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Novice Sister Michelle Marie Ozuna reflects on her recent Mission Experience at Good Samaritan Convent, Zanesville, Ohio.
I was grateful to visit Sisters Maureen Anne Shepard, Bernadette Selinsky, and Kay Warning in Zanesville, OH. on my mission experience this year. It was very meaningful to see the impact our Sisters have made on the community of Zanesville over the years, especially in the ministry of healthcare through our establishment of Good Samaritan Hospital which merged with Bethesda Hospital to become Genesis Healthcare System. It was also meaningful to be immersed in such a diverse community of faith, although Zanesville is only 10% Catholic the combined parishes of St. Nicholas and St. Thomas Aquinas are a very vibrant part of the Zanesville Christian community. I really enjoyed visiting the new Cancer wing of Genesis Hospital which provides a beautiful backdrop for cancer patients as they receive treatment and is equipped with very modern technology.
I was privileged to meet a current volunteer at Genesis who was so uplifted by the caliber of care he received while being treated for cancer at Genesis. He returned to the Catholic church and was inspired to become a volunteer and share that love he received which he wore so evidently with his joyous smile and nature. It was a blessing to meet a tangible witness of the fruitfulness of Catholic Healthcare and those who minister in Catholic healthcare.
I enjoyed meeting members of the spiritual care team as well as the mission leader at Genesis. Rest assured the spiritual care needs of the residents of Genesis are well attended to. Although I feel called to healthcare, I still feel a call to spiritual care as well and meeting with others working in the field of spiritual care and so closely with those in the nursing field was a welcomed and helpful experience.
I was able to sit with Sr. Kay during one of her shifts at the patient information desk at Genesis. Many visitors come into the hospital only knowing that their loved one was recently admitted, it was special to see their demeanor change from anxiety ridden to peaceful as they were helped by Sr. Kay or just by the sight of her.
Visiting the archives and helping Sr. Maureen Anne catalogue items was a treasure in itself. I was inspired by a slab of concrete that once was housed at the nursing school ran by our Sisters. It read “The love to do good is the foundation of all service.” Amongst the historical treasures of photos of Good Samaritan over the years, Sr. Maureen Anne was able to paint a picture of the legacy we have had on the city. As the needs of the community of Zanesville grew so did our legacy of service to meet their needs.
It was a joy to be with our Sisters missioned in Zanesville for the week and learn what it is like to live on mission. It was beautiful to see their loving support of one another and their respect for each other’s needs in such a familial way all while living their call to Religious life and being a light to those around them.
