Chaplain's Corner

The Strength of a Caring Community

San Antonio Regional Hospital has experienced some very dark days over the past month. During that time, we lost five beloved employees. Each loss came as a surprise, sending shockwaves throughout our hospital community. Yet even in the midst of profound grief, we witnessed glimmers of hope shining through. I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to those who made those glimmers shine all the brighter.

Thank you to our Hospital Administration for supporting and encouraging care for our staff through Chaplaincy Services, HERE4U, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and for organizing a beautiful Celebration of Life where we could come together as one community to honor and remember our cherished friends.

Thank you to our HERE4U colleagues, who stepped into some of the most difficult situations imaginable and remained steadfast, even when it was evident that doing so came at a personal cost. I had the privilege of standing alongside many of them during those moments and witnessed firsthand how deeply they carried the sorrow of their friends and coworkers.

Thank you to our Human Resources team, who compassionately connected with family members, arranged flowers and memory books for the Celebration of Life, and ensured those treasured books reached the families of our departed colleagues. Thank you also for arranging for EAP representatives to be present before and after the Celebration of Life to offer support and care to our staff.

A special thank you goes to my remarkable team of chaplains. From the very first day, they were relentless in seeking out those who were hurting, intentionally visiting affected units to find those who needed a listening ear, a prayer, or simply a quiet, supportive presence. In their faithful ministry, they encountered scores of employees who needed someone to walk alongside them through their grief. Thank you as well to the chaplains who helped plan, lead, and remain present before and after the Celebration of Life. It was a deeply meaningful experience of healing for our hospital community, and it would not have been possible without your compassion and dedication.

Thank you to our Information Technology Department for training us on the audiovisual equipment and for arriving early on the day of the Celebration of Life to ensure everything ran smoothly.

Finally, thank you to our nursing leaders and department leaders who recognized when your teams were hurting, extended grace when grief made it difficult to be at their very best, and reached out because you genuinely cared about the well-being of those entrusted to your leadership.

One thing has become abundantly clear to me as we navigated this unprecedented season of loss: San Antonio Regional Hospital is a resilient community. We are resilient because of our people, people who instinctively rally around one another during life's most difficult moments with listening ears, shoulders to cry on, compassionate hearts, and unwavering support.

From leaders who offered grace, to employees who brought food to nourish both body and soul, to those who offered prayers, hugs, and quiet conversations, this community came together in remarkable ways. That kind of compassion cannot be taught in a classroom or written into a policy. It comes from the heart. Day after day, we witnessed the very best of who we are.

Individually, we may feel wounded or even broken by grief. Together, however, we remain San Antonio STRONG.

I leave you with this prayer by Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund:

Prayer for Grief's Lessons

God of the sorrowful heart,

We pray for all who never asked to become students of grief.

We pray for those experiencing sudden, tragic, slow, and natural deaths.

We pray for the cries, the sighs, the moans, and the shouts of goodbye.

We pray for the empty, cold, lonely, and hard places where grief hides.

We pray for a softening of grief's lessons.

We pray for a smoothing of the rough edges of broken hearts.

We pray for comfort for the wounded and for those learning to live without the one they have lost.

God of mercy, wipe away the tears of grief.

God of grace, hold us while we are still hurting.

God of love, sustain the bonds of love that death cannot sever.

May our grief teach us new ways to love all whom we have lost.

Amen.

The Spiritual Care Department is available to support any employee Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We are also able to arrange times outside of those hours as needed for grief support and emotional care.

Spiritual Care Department

Ext. 26326

909-920-6326

Our HERE4U Peer-to-Peer Support Program is also available 24/7 for support and consultation:

HERE4U Support Line

909-920-6129

(Request a consult)

Please reach out for yourself or encourage a coworker to do so. One of the greatest strengths of the SARH community has always been the way we care for one another, especially in moments of suffering. May we continue to extend compassion, patience and grace to ourselves and to each other in the days ahead.

I consider it a privilege to serve the patients, families and staff at San Antonio Regional Hospital. We are here to provide a supportive presence during what can often be the darkest hour of their lives. We encourage anyone, irrespective of their spiritual or religious affiliation, or lack thereof, who needs additional support while in our hospital to reach out to the Spiritual Care Department. You can contact the Spiritual Care Department by dialing “26326” from any hospital phone or by making a request through your nurse.

We look forward to serving you!

Blessings,

Rev. Alexander J. Aaron, M.Div, BCC
Staff Chaplain
Phone: 909.920.6326