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Horizons of Hope – workshop on palliative care and end-of-life issues
March 22 @ 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
St. Augustine Parish in Saskatoon will host a Horizons of Hope workshop about palliative care and end-of-life issues Saturday, March 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To register, please contact the parish office: e-mail Jackie St Pierre at jstpierre@rcdos.ca or call (306) 373-3453. (lunch and refreshments will be provided). Everyone is welcome to the workshop at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 602 Boychuk Drive, Saskatoon.
Developed by the Catholic Bishops of Canada, “Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care” is designed to raise awareness and understanding, and to help each of us – parishioners, caregivers, the sick and dying, and/or family members – to find support and concrete assistance.
Background: When confronted with a life-limiting diagnosis, we can find ourselves in an unfamiliar and even frightening situation. These moments are usually marked by having to make numerous practical decisions surrounding care and support for loved ones and ourselves. More often than not, such decisions require moral discernment through the lens of our faith.
We believe in the dignity and sacredness of human life at all stages, from conception to natural death. At the same time, our faith does not demand that life is to be sustained at all costs. As Catholics, our faith in Jesus Christ has much to teach us about living and dying well.
For more information about holding this workshop for your parish or group, please contact Jackie Saretsky in the diocesan Office of Hospital Chaplaincy: jsaretsky@rcdos.ca or (306) 659-5839. (Hospital Chaplaincy is supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal).
Jacqueline Saretsky, coordinator of Hospital Chaplaincy in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon says: “Horizons of Hope is an inspiring and engaging resource, with theological, ethical, medical, and practical perspectives presented together in an accessible way – on a subject that touches us all.”
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) launched the toolkit prepared for parishes in November 2021, with the goal of showing it in every parish:
The resource is presented over four learning modules. Themes include: understanding the human experience of dying and death, discerning and making decisions at the end of life, accompanying those on the journey and supporting and integrating within the wider community.
Each module features two videos. One short film tackles the topic from a medical perspective, while the other explores ethical and theological teachings.
