Another Remarkable Woman

This past June, the American bishops issued instruction to Catholic hospitals on how to be Catholic. The document insists that the issues of life ranging from abortion and sterilization to euthanasia be fiercely condemned by the administration and staffs of these hospitals.

That is laudable.

What would have been equally laudable if they had taken a revolutionary step backward and reinstituted the mission of the Catholic hospital-to take care of poor people.

As you know, only very wealthy people can get sick or hurt and not worry too much about how the hospital bills will get paid. Folks like us are frighteningly dependent on the health insurance benefits that come with employment.

I know in my job negotiations, the health-care benefits have been paramount. But what of the poor, the destitute, the homeless, the migrant worker-the people who have no visible or invisible means of support-where do they turn?

In the full Catholic tradition, they would run to the Catholic hospital. They could find comfort there. They would find places where Catholic ministry would flesh out Christian mercy.

The document has no listing of 800 numbers where those places are open and welcoming. Perhaps they don't exist.

This mission call to take care of the poor has been answered by a remarkable Sister of Mercy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is Sr. Cynthia Serjack, a noble woman who gives time and talent to three centers for the homeless in Pittsburgh.

No, she doesn't counsel addicts. She doesn't sling hash. She does what she does the best-she makes music.

For example, at one of the centers she ministers in what I would like to call "vocal therapy." She has developed a theory with which she assumes that each person has a voice; the voice may be dormant, the voice may be traumatized, but there is a voice. She calls it "Finding Your Voice."

She wakens the voice with care and attention given to the person as the person is-not the person one would like the person to be. She elicits music.

At another center, she has moved some of the women into a singing experience that has matured into a singing ensemble. Another success story is when she surfaced some former jazz musicians who frequently dropped into the center, who now play together regularly and have even prepared a cassette recording.

It is music ministry at its highest level. She has taken seriously the call to minister to God's special people.

Rather than waiting for an NCCB set of guidelines on how to take care of the poor and the needy, Sr. Cynthia launched her effort armed with profound charity and an unquenchable thirst to help the helpless, but in a manner that reverenced them and gave them hope.

The making of music does many things, not the least is to demonstrate what happens when two or three or more are gathered . . . miracles can occur. What a noble calling.

You can reach Fred Moleck via email at fmoleck@earthlink.net