Needs of the poor call for action on behalf of justice

Catholic health facilities are a special representation or incarnation of the Church. Our response to the medically indigent is perhaps the paradigmatic way we can mediate Christ and Christian values. In the last century the Church's social teaching has reiterated the understanding that Christ identifies with the poor and the underprivileged. The fundamental challenge seems to be how to move this "option for the poor" rom theological scholarship and reflection to healthcare ministry. Poverty and the lack of access to healthcare need to be seen not simply as the problem of individuals but as structural problems. Witnessing, education, and acting on behalf of the poor require the whole healthcare community's cooperation. Individual efforts are multiplied when they are a real part of a "corporate culture" genuinely committed to the poor. One such corporate effort was undertaken by the Sisters of Bon Secours when they developed their Ministerial Stand on Care of the Poor in 1984. A task force published 32 recommendations to aid facility managers in carrying out the statement. Mission committees were formed at Bon Secours Health System facilities to oversee implementation of the recommendations. They promote and evaluate innovative programs to address care of the poor initiatives for the local community.