Zen Buddhist chaplains offer something to modern healthcare

On my other blog, Live a Beautiful Story, I recently posted an entry about the Zen chaplaincy at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. In light of the current national discussion on healthcare reform, perhaps everyone at the table should keep in mind the spiritual dimension as well.

Father Damien's mission continues

In 1873, Father Damien, a Belgian priest, arrived in Hawaii to begin a mission for those permanently exiled from society, patients suffering from leprosy, now known as Hansen's disease.

As the New York Times reports, a community of patients remains in the village on Molokai where the mission began. "Today, just 24 patients are left: 24 people who experienced the counterintuitive twinning of loneliness and community, of all that dying and all that living. Here, you may have grieved over the forced surrender of your newborn; you may also have rejoiced in finding a life partner who understood. "

The story of the survivors is a testament to their dignity, which was first championed by the nineteenth century missionary who lived, served, and died among them.