An answer from a systematic exercise (theology)

Systematics Exercise Question 2 Silva Redigonda Summers ago I served as a chaplain intern at a Catholic hospital. I chose to work on a floor with those suffering from HIV and cancer. I did not select the floor because of any interest to work there or noble cause. I selected it because no one else wanted to work with HIV patients. We had completed a tour of the floor and the Head Nurse told us how important our work was there. I also spent two weeks in palliative care. I felt through that whole time as if I was impersonating a real chaplain and felt so ill equipped for all the suffering I was about to see. I was to deal with patients of various religions, some recognized as a religion and some not. With all this suffering, I saw their struggle and I became to some, a source of strength. I could no longer pray outside of the hospital. I could only gain strength from the nature around me in my garden. I marvelled at the roses and the birds and squirrels. I became my patients’ connection to God and I was so ill equipped. This is about being with a family at the bedside of a cancer patient. How many times was there no family? Now, I know how I can link the Trinity to being with a family at the bedside of a cancer patient, how I can relate to a scripture and conciliar materials from the course. One of the things I learned about Augustine, Aquinas and Lonnergan that separates them from others is that they provide direction. Act, Act, Act plays on my mind as does the Holy Spirit. There is that sense of spiritual direction, that guiding which was perhaps working intrinsically within me, though I was unaware at the time. I often ask for grace and perhaps I received it to help me to respond to the needs of my patients. Gilles Mongeau in class said you cannot understand the Trinity unless you are more like the Trinity. Perhaps is some small way I am there, on the right path. I was working one afternoon at the hospital when a nurse who seemed very upset informed me that a woman had just been informed that she had brain cancer and she was taking it badly. I rushed to her side and introduced myself as the chaplain intern. She grabbed my hand and tears flowed from her eyes. She was scared and asked me to help her pray. “I forgot how to pray!” she cried out. She started to recite the “Our Father” and I helped her. She slowly began to remember and found some comfort. She told me her fears as her husband quietly left the bedside and went to sit behind a curtain away from my patient’s view. He held his head down in grief as his wife wanted to know why this was happening to her. She was a good person, why would God do this to her, she asked? My heart ached for this family. Tears flowed from her as mine remained within my heart. I stayed with her, listening to her, praying with her, being with her. Later I spoke to her husband and he broke down in grief asking me why God would do this. I think I said that God does not do this and there is a lot we do not understand. Kelly’s “The Trinity of Love” p 117 speaks of symbols as “affectively – charged compact presentations of the mystery, be they deeds, gestures, events, words or persons.” I apply this to my being with this family. There was so much love in that room that fear only increased the forcefulness and power of that love. Not only did this family love God, they accepted though terrified what was happening to them. I did not give this family a rosary because they were not Catholic but I did give Rosaries to others who would wear it lovingly around their necks, or near their person. This presentation of the mystery has been a new learning theory for me though I practiced it unknowingly. Thomas did not try to prove the Trinity. His aim was to provide a theological wisdom: “an overall intelligible coherence in the data of faith” (Kelly, p 121). That is what happened to me that day with that family. I could not prove my Trinity or my faith and there was no need to prove anything nor could I. There was an acceptance of mystery, a presence of God, Son and Holy Spirit. There was perhaps a theological wisdom in being a support, a source of love for that family as God is a source of love for me. Kelly describes “The loving principle” as the Father and the Son being one as the source of love, though distinct as Father and son (p128). Thomas was an unidentified guide to me because it was love that so inspired me in that hospital and it is the theme of love in the Trinity that so comforts me. “Each of the divine persons is God, knowing, willing, acting in a divine way…the Father is the unoriginated source of the Son and the Spirit, the Son by being begotten of the Father, and with the Father, breathing for the Spirit; the spirit by being breathed forth in love.”(Kelly, 130). I have a better appreciation of this phrase after being in the service of so much suffering, yet so much love, that I can more fully appreciate the spirit of love. But love was not always there for all my patients. I know we are speaking of cancer and I shall risk it and speak of a HIV patient because he may have had cancer too but the HIV was killing him. He was delirious and I would see him on his stretcher in the hallway. The hospital team was just waiting for him to die. He was not responsive I was told. “He does not know you are there”. I would speak to him whenever I saw him and did see a response. One day I went into his room and he spoke. He was coherent. He told me that when he was 12, his step father forced him out of the house because he was gay. This boy had lived on the streets after that. He told me he had no friends as they had all died from HIV. He had no visitors. He also told me he was Catholic. I spoke to the Head Nurse about him who could not believe he was actually lucid. “It is miraculous” he responded “if that is true”. The miracle soon faded, as my patient’s responses became more routine. I learned from the Head Nurse that he had contacted my patient’s mother and she had no intention of visiting him but was hopeful that he had some life insurance. I brought my patient a rosary and his eyes lit up. Those beautiful, big blue eyes, was all that was left of the man he may have been. He reached out and our fingers touched and I don’t think I have ever felt so much contact to another person with such a light touching of fingers. If the Holy Spirit was not at work with us that day, I would not know what to describe it. His mother did tell his sibling about this brother dying and the relative took the trip to Toronto to visit him. I was so grateful that one person went to visit him. I also asked a visiting priest to visit him. “Is this routine, the priest asked”? No, I replied. He did not ask for a priest but I think you should visit him. He is a Catholic. I felt that I did my job. The priest later told me, he did visit him and I was pleased. But the response from clergy was not always affirmative and that made it more difficult for me. The Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions in 1965 (D’Costa, p. 101) was a much needed reformation of thinking. One chaplain of another faith told me how much of a disdain she had for Catholics. She told me that a nun from Africa had told her she would go to hell because she was not Catholic. I told her that the nun was stupid and she should not take that seriously. It is too bad that I was unaware of Fr Feeney at the time. I could have supplied a more informative response. I could have said that this priest was punished by excommunication for not being able to say otherwise but that it was also good because it forced the traditional teaching of “extra ecclesiam nulla salus” interpreted as outside the church there is no salvation to be re-examined. It was never formulated or applied to non-Christian religions in the technical sense in which they are understood. There is no doubt that non-Christians may be saved (D’Costa, pp 101-102). I am always surprised when I hear such a statement that you have to be a Catholic to be saved, especially one evening from a student in a class. I have never thought of myself as being more special to God as a Catholic than anyone else on this planet. I enjoyed reading D’Costa because I see how religion also damages, “..the best of the Enlightenment within the Roman Catholic tradition. Equality will become the equal and inviolable dignity of all persons.” The one person I could not help was a Jehovah Witness woman who was dying from cancer. Try as I might to help her deal with her approaching death (she had refused a blood transfusion) I could not get her to talk about her feelings. Her husband stopped me. My patient told him that she would probably feel better talking about this but she would not contradict her husband and her husband would not contradict his God. I was helpless and for the first time, I had to accept defeat. I could endure his wanting to convert me (which the other chaplains found amusing) but I had to stop trying when he told me that I understood his position. I did and said that they could contact me if they wished. It was the first time I had a wall placed between me and a patient that I had tried to penetrate and failed. “It is God’s will” he would constantly say and this phrase has become a nightmare to me and now I remember why. This patient would have died anyway, but at least a blood transfusion could have extended her life and who knows. This patient had the “Kingdom of God” in the form of attractive men in suits forever visiting her. Though my visits were tolerated I realized that I was doomed for hell and they were trying to save me. Fr Feeney was in that room that last day, when I had to accept what he had believed that everyone that does not believe as they believe will be doomed to hell. I understood Fr Feeney as I connect him to them. Where is the compassion and the love of God when one person or religion believes that all others are doomed. It saddens me that people of my own faith sometimes believe that. I have no allusions anymore that clergy are all wonderful. My cancer patient who had the cancer in her brain remarked that she had spoken to an Anglican priest whom she had found comforting. That evening I saw the duty chaplain. I had been told that she had been a Roman Catholic but had become an Anglican to be a priest. She always wore her priestly attire and I was pleased to tell her that she had such an impact on my patient. I asked her to visit her because she had just been informed that her cancer was in her brain. I was so disappointed when she remarked that she did not remember the patient and she was too busy. I was stunned. “But she is dying and she was just informed?” I repeated. My shock must have been evident because she came to me later and asked if I really thought she should visit the patient. “It is up to you” I replied. Where was the love? Where was the Trinity in that hospital which bore the insignia St. Redemptoris Missio 29 reveals that the Pope sees the natural questing of men and women related to the action of the Holy Spirit (D’Costa, p 107). I am on a quest and I am so totally open to be guided. When I was debating to go to a Theological program or continue in psychology, I was in my living room. I said out loud, God I have done what I wanted to do all my life. Now it is your turn. What do you want me to do? My theology contact called me and interviewed me right away and said I was accepted. I contacted the Director for the Psychology program and informed him of my decision. I sometimes wonder if I have made the right decision, but then I realize that the decision was made for me. When I now counsel and find my clients who have suffered so much that their views of God are so twisted and unhealthy, I find solace in remembering what Augustine taught that God is known to each person within them. I now think of God being imprinted in the soul of each person I see. I pray that the Trinity remain alive within me as it is at this moment and that I am given the grace and guidance to do what is right for each client that comes to me. “There is, the harvest of the Spirit and it is experienced interiorly and personally as”love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness, and self-control (Gal:5:22) [Crowe, p 331] . Back to the present: It has been a very busy time for me so I thought I would cut and paste the answer to a question I was given in grad studies. As I look back now, I remember how much I was surrounded by suffering. There were quite a few incidents that were similar and amendments and omissions were edited to paste this and protect the identities.

BYOB: Bake your own bagels

Adjusting to COVID 19 in my private practice and tid bits about my opinions

COVID 19 has kept me busy. First I have to keep up with the latest and then I had to decide how to open face to face once again. When the government opened to stage two, then the pressure to open started, not by the college but by the people. As you know I started an on line practice with the best I could find which costs me more than I need to pay if I chose another. But nothing electronic is ever guaranteed to ensure privacy. Neither is the telephone or cell. There are so many hackers out there. The only way to ensure privacy is face to face with my double brick office and windows closed. So, when I began to receive calls for face to face again, I continued to educate myself from reliable resources. I did not know that the virus could live on my fibre sofa for two weeks unless I used a foam soap to clean it. I do. However, it is not practical in between clients. It takes time to dry. So then it was recommended that I use wood, by Public Health and use cushions I can wash. How many cushions would I need? I do have one chair made of wood. Lysol 99.9% was recommended. I got one spray bottle, one arsenal bottle I already had for the air. Now it can linger in the air shortly it appears. I also had many wipes. So, I moved the sofa for my own personal use and left my favourite worn out chair on the sidewalk where a boy decided he liked it and dragged it down the street. I never would see my favourite chair again. Next I moved all fabric chairs into different rooms for personal use. Again I placed an antique chair outside with a broken arm that sits neglected waiting for the right garbage day. Antiques are no longer appreciated it seems. Then I called Lysol because I was trying to decide on a leather sofa or synthetic one. I had been advised by Lyons not to spray Lysol directly to the sofa and I wondered if it would lose its effectiveness. The Lysol man had a distinct American accent and he was wonderful. If I used Lysol on leather or synthetic it would damage and begin peeling off and once it did, there would be no protection from the virus. He told me about his dentist replacing everything with metal seating. So, I thanked him and ordered chrome chairs with wooden seats. In the meantime I am using a synthetic chair and my wooden chair and if there is a couple, I can drag out another synthetic. I taped off the chair six feet from where I sit. Family Therapy at this time can only be done on my computer. I can have more than enough spaces where we can all see each other from anywhere. I am waiting for my chairs from Costco and then I shall return the synthetic chairs for private use. It was a great sale and budget friendly at the time. I removed an enormous amount of books and kept one book case on my side of the office. I placed books I have still to read in my “books” office. I will be donating all my books to a professor of mine who is now in a retirement home and who has already asked me to order one book for him. Once, I am able to see him, I have bags of books for him to keep busy. The books are scholastic and I suggested he place what he thinks is suitable in their library once he his finished reading them. I made sure the books he has written is not in the batch. When my office looked empty I returned a few things I like. My objective is to have myself and my clients safe. I am not opening up to everyone. I consider each case individually. So, now I utilize three systems for clients. I space clients apart even more than before and I disinfect all spaces right after the client leaves. So, it has been busy and I am behind in my paperwork once again. However, I am all set in my practice. I do prefer seeing people on line during the pandemic. Please be careful out there. This pandemic is killing people of all ages. I see that people are still not social distancing as much as they can. Though patios are now open, I did stop once at Harvey’s and noticed that they did not clean the tables or chairs while I was eating outside. When I asked about taking the tray out and how it worked, I was told there was take out only. I suppose they were advised that if they say it is take out, than they are not further responsible. I beg to differ. At no time was I cautioned about their tables and chairs outside not being cleaned. A man also walked near me while I was eating. There were no rails to separate. I understand that all businesses have suffered but there has to be a responsibility to do your outmost to keep people safe. If you do not want to clean the tables and chairs, keep them in. I don’t think it is enough to say “take out.” If a lawyer advised them of that, perhaps a second opinion is warranted. Hang in there. The world is trying to find a vaccine for this pandemic. I also think it would be nice for communist countries to join us rather than try to steal from us. This is not the time. We need to seriously take the time to keep each other safe. Have faith. Next week it is back to theology notes.

Trend of Male Violence- Video “Rapist, Can they be Stopped?” Social Science - Man and Masculinity

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING MAY BE DIFFICULT TO READ, please skip if you find you are sensitive to violence. The cases described is not suitable for youths. Therefore, I will not be posting it elsewhere as I usually do. Just because someone doesn’t act out doesn’t mean that the person has morality. Surplus aggression is surplus aggression. Guilt is a revolving door. Book - Care of the Souls (I haven’t read it yet and now that I see it in my notes, I have recorded the name to find it). Eliminate violence by violence. One person - rather than deal with negative in ourselves, direct it to the other. The other is generally inferior. Eg. female in male discontent for feminine qualities and sees that in female or gay male. Instead of dealing with the inner, he attacks the other. No one wins. Be comfortable with our fears. Choose romantically. One of five will be sexually assaulted. On this course it was also stated that there 99% success rate of rapists in that particular study of treatment. - regain power/eroticizes/anger - explosive assault. Two out three rapes are directed at girlfriends or wives. In one case study: one former army ranger married with one child was angry- wanted high excitement - in army. He does not know where anger started. He was poor in a close knit family. He reinforced macho. Made it to Corporal and then was demoted to Private so he quit. He grew excited thinking about rape when he followed a woman driving a van. He stopped her and cut her shirt in two or three places to let her know he was in business. His therapy (at that time) was when he gets excited an electrical charge was sent to his private part (trying to be sensitive to who is reading this) - aversion therapy. After one year he was no longer excited. Justifies to himself that the woman will get over it. Another case, one killed his mother. His IQ- genius, in his teens he did poorly in school. He was in full rebellion against his dominating Army Colonel, step father. His mother was submissive. His first rape was at 16 years of age. Self disgust event to hospital. He attempted to rape his mother and killed her. He felt his mother had encouraged his child abuse by not interfering. He was still excited after his aversion therapy until it was interjected with therapy. The therapist does not trust him. Over 60% of men at this centre were sexually abused as children. Within 6 months to four years these men will be back in the community and that is the only reason why the therapist works with them. Next case: The only son of an accountant, this person was loved by his mother and sisters. When he developed acne he felt ugly. He felt like a freak. He started by becoming a peeping tom, looking at bodies and that escalated after watching a woman for three weeks. He attacked her in her home. He felt a sense of power. He hit her with a club and dragged her to the bedroom. She pleaded that she had just had a baby and couldn’t have sex. The subject compared himself to how a leopard feels at night, “I have to do this”, as he raped the woman he had killed. He did not feel bad. He was 17 years of age. The social worker was 27 years old at the time. The subject had fantasies of rape, torture….etc. He continued…..He married and had fantasies of rape which continued until he raped his child step daughter. The therapist feels he will do it again. Arousal - women no longer excites him, young girls do. Advise to women from a Rapist: Keep defensive perimeter around yourself. Be aware of your outside. Don’t leave windows open. He killed a woman who left her window open before going to sleep. He cries when he watches the mother of the raped dead child. Talks about her. Another case study: Ex Cop - dutiful son - grew up on a ranch- Protection of women - Military Policeman. Father died and he was angry at the world. “I needed someone. Someone had to be responsible for my father. He raped and sodomized a girl (and more which I won’t state). He was given 15 1/2 years but served 2 1/2 years. He feels it was temporary insanity. He remarries, has financial problems and began fantasizing of rape. He finds and handcuffs a woman to the steering wheel of her car, and got rid of the dog. He raped and sodomized the woman. He informed her of his full name. After again serving 1 1/2 years he went to the clinic. He is self-centred and does not feel anything for his victims. Another case study: When 13 years of age, he tried to rape a six year old. As the son of a respected business man, it was dismissed as adolescent. Later, he raped a girl while on a date. She was a virgin. He went to college and joined the army where he continued to rape and none of the women reported it. He went from bad to worse, turned to victims easier to control - even a seven year old blind girl. She reported it to her mother. The therapist reports they feel powerful being in control. Power rapists don’t kill victims and don’t understand the pain induced to victims. 1/20 in six years re-committed rape. This is the end of my first notebook. I have my notebook 3 & 4, which I shall continue to provide for you. Notebook two may pop up, or I may have given it away. As you know I am typing all my notes and then cut and paste them for you here. Remember that when I wrote these notes, I was in my undergrad years. In our first year we were required to take one social science, one natural science, one writing with reason and one in thinking with reason or words to that effect. This is my social science Man and Masculinity. I enjoyed this course. I will not be proofreading these notes so I hope it has made sense. I have also tried to be as sensitive as possible without being graphic. There are many women and men who do not report being sexually assaulted. Many if not all blame themselves and feel shame. The shame and blame is not on the survivors. The shame and blames lays entirely on the one’s who commit these acts. Some feel abandoned by God. We all have free choice. If you have read anything that has triggered something here, please get some help. I have decided to continue to record my theology notes here and continue with my undergrad notes. I have neglected my books and so will add that to the agenda every third week. I will talk about my writing seminars, books I am working on and my three books I have self published which you can buy at www.silvaredigonda.com Please take care of yourselves. Social distance and wear your mask if you need to. This covid 19 has taken a toll on the entire world. Please listen to the disease medical experts. Politicians are not physicians. Thankfully, Canada has proven it can work with each other as we should be, during this trying time. They are listening. Tomorrow, we in Toronto must wear a mask in all public places. Though I have difficulty with this, I understand that it is required. Not all take this seriously enough and therefore spread it without them even knowing it. Unfortunately, some are leaders of countries which are responsible for more deaths than necessary. Hopefully, they will be voted out where there is a democracy. Take care; keep safe. What do you think?