By PAUL WIRTH Diocesan Communications Staff
Every Sunday, when Deacon Christopher May finishes with his duties at one of his two assigned parishes, either Holy Rosary in Reading or Sacred Heart in West Reading, he heads to Wernersville State Hospital to deliver Communion to the patients on the wards.
As one of the psychiatric hospital’s chaplains, Deacon May’s ministry complements the work of the psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and others who care for people with serious mental illnesses.
“Much of it is just a ministry of presence,” he says, “being with people, being supportive and affirming and being available to them.
“I let them know that they are valued, that they are made in the image and likeness of God, that their lives have meaning and are worth living, and that they are loved by God.”
Service to the poor and disadvantaged is an integral part of a deacon’s ministry, says Deacon May.
“I think helping others is somehow ingrained deeply in those who have been formed by the Church,” he says. “Little acts of charity like this are possible for all of us in our everyday lives.”
“Because We Are Catholic” tells the stories of how the people of the Diocese of Allentown make a difference in the lives of others, bringing the Light of Christ to each other and to our community.
