Bishop to preside at Oct. 9 Mass honoring health care professionals

All health care professionals, physicians and medical personnel are invited to a Mass at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, celebrated by Bishop Donald Kettler at the Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph.

During the Mass, Bishop Kettler will offer a special blessing for the hands of health workers, because hands symbolize the caring outreach practiced by those in medical professions. There will be a light reception in the Sacred Heart gathering space following the Mass.

hcmThis Mass is not just for Catholics. Health care workers from all faiths are welcome as well as family, friends and spouses.

“Health care is sacred work. It is soulful work,” said Bret Reuter, director of mission and spiritual care at St. Cloud Hospital. “We need grace — God’s grace — to be present to patients, families and our colleagues in a manner that, as our mission suggests, reflects the healing mission of Jesus.

“The Mass for health care professionals,” he added, “celebrates the sacred work of caring for the sick among us and calls upon God’s grace that we may be vessels of God’s loving, healing presence to all those we serve.”

Masses honoring health care professionals are sometimes called “white” Masses, taking their name from the white coat most commonly worn by those in the medical field. The tradition of the White Mass in the U.S. finds its origins in the development of the national Catholic Medical Association in the early 1930s. Last year, the tradition was reintroduced in this diocese. The Mass takes place several days before the feast of St. Luke (Oct. 18), the patron saint of physicians and surgeons.

This event is sponsored by the Dioceseof St. Cloud, Sisters of St. Benedict, St. Cloud Hospital and St. Benedict Senior Community of CentraCare Health in partnership with the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.

For more information, including photographs of the diocese’s first White Mass celebrated in 2015, visit stcdio.org and click on “Events.”

  Share:

Author: The Visitor

The Visitor is the official newpaper for the Diocese of Saint Cloud.

Leave a Reply

*