Inspiration

Building Bridges

Chaplain Sylvana

The most important thing for me in providing spiritual care is to draw my strength from God who gave me the gifts and graces I bring into this ministry. (I also thank my parents for their gift of compassion shown to many strangers as I was growing up.)

With these gifts from God and my parents, I listen to individuals with a compassionate heart and without judgment. This allows me to build a bridge that crosses over to the other person and at the same time allows God or the Divine to join us on our bridge. This becomes sacred space where, with the help of the Divine and the Holy Spirit, I try to connect with the other individual. Within this sacred space, I try to understand the other person’s experience and offer to help explore and reconnect with his or her source of strength, hope, faith and meaning. When I am able to connect with another person in this fashion, we both have the opportunity to discover God in our midst. Such encounters are energizing and renewing for me.