June 11, 2004
Dear Fellow Colleagues,
As we enter the summer period, many of us will be going on vacation, while
others of us will remain on call to care for those who have been committed
to us. This year, the Eighth Consultation of the European Network of
Health Care Chaplaincy will mark end of the summer period, a time when all
of us will be together. This will be a good way to end the summer to say
the least, and a better way to begin a new season.
Over the past few months all of the Network Committee and the Organizing
Committee have been in close contact so as to iron out the program and the
various needed details. Kathleen O’Connor and her staff have been working
hard to make this upcoming consultation one of the most successful in the
history of the ENHCC.
If you have not registered please do so as soon as possible!
This “Coordinator’s Report” will be the last until we meet in Dublin. When
we meet in Dublin, I will be giving a summary of all that we have
attempted to accomplish over the past two years. I would suggest that all
of you read the guest editorial of the Spring issue of the Journal of
Pastoral Care and Counseling which I wrote. This article fully describes
the history of the Network and touches on the issues that we will discuss
in Dublin.
In expectation of our deliberations, I would like to remind you to review
the copy of the draft of the constitution that the Network Committee will
propose. This will be a major step in the future of our Network.
I would also like to ask that you begin thinking about the direction in
which the Network should now go. The Network has acquired a good amount of
recognition both within the Churches and organizations represented as well
as ecumenical and chaplain bodies outside of our own “family”. In order
for it to grow and in order for it to facilitate the needs of European
Healthcare Chaplaincies, we need to become more focused. The members of
the Network Committee discussed the future to some extent in our meeting,
which took place in September 2003, but it is something we all have to
talk about in Dublin. So, come prepared!
My deep desire is to meet with all of you on an individual basis in Dublin
so that I can hear from each of you how your Chaplaincies are doing, both
the difficulties you face and the achievements you have made.
May I take this opportunity to wish you a good summer and a good trip to
Dublin. I am sure that all of us are looking forward to our meeting.
With much fondness,
Fr. Stavros Kofinas