23 June 2006

peeved

Well, I can understand it, but it still was super aggravating. There's only one Catholic priest at our hospital, and he is available during the day. I was called to see a patient and his family because death was imminent. I saw them and explained that the priest was not available and that the patient had received anointing by the priest (what is often called last rites). I prayed with them and was able to offer some comfort.

So it was a bit of a shocker that after I left, two of the family members went to a nurse and said that they were not satisfied and wanted to see a male priest. Then, some fool of a doctor tells them that there is a priest available to them. After an hour, I'm paged again and have to tell the family that this is not the case, and that the patient has received the sacraments of the church.

I am not a priest. I am not Catholic. I am not a man. Ergo, I am not good enough (for some).

Sometimes, I just want to spit. Pah. And then I do my best to be of comfort when they need me.

(There is a more enjoyable aspect of this saga, which I will post later.)