1 April , 2005

Dear Fellow Chaplains,

As a European Network, we have the advantage of a wide and broad experience on all levels of pastoral health care. We bring in a wide variety of religious traditions, national identities, cultural experiences, health care systems and pastoral know how together, providing a richness that is indeed unique.

As you know, one of the aims of the ENHCC is to share and learn from one another. In past consultations, many have emphasized the need for “scientific – academic” research in the area of health care chaplaincy.

Apart from sharing and learning from one another, we also have the responsibility of providing our experience to others. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house (Matthew 5:15). In doing this, we in Europe are contributing to health care chaplaincy at large on a universal level.

Responding to the need of sharing, I would like to announce that a special page has been created on the ENHCC website entitled “The European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy Library”. Our new “Library” will include articles and abstracts of articles that are related to our work. You can find the Library pages here: www.eurochaplains.org/enhcc_library/ (note the underscore between enhcc and library and the slash at the end is important). One can also click the “Library” Button on the left hand row of buttons on any page.

Presently there are a few papers and abstracts that can be viewed on the page. I would like to encourage all the participants to submit to this effort. We are all in a position where we are exposed to a variety of material, both on a national and faith level, as well as on an academic level. A short abstract describing an interesting article or lecture can attribute to a wide collection of knowledge and experience to many others who thirst for guidance and professional renewal. An article that you or a fellow-chaplain has written would be even more helpful.

Editing the new “Library” will be Anne Vandenhoek of Belgium, who serves on the ENHCC Network Committee. She will be available to answer any further questions about the new “Library” and accept your contributions. All proposals (according to the instructions in the Library pages) to include articles should be sent to: library@eurochaplains.org

In this effort, we ask that you not worry about any difficulty you may have in writing English. Both Anne and all of us who are fluent in the English language are willing to edit your contribution! DO NOT HESITATE!!!!

The success of our “Library” depends on your participation. It is my personal hope that this effort will blossom into a very reach resource for all of us.

In closing, I send you my best wishes, hoping that your Easter was a blessed one and that you are all well in health.

Sincerely,

Fr. Stavros Kofinas
Coordinator of the European Network of Healthcare Chaplaincy
(Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate)