Lookingback

by Christina Mottram

I had been active in my local parish, Holy Cross in Leicester, including extraordinary minister of Holy Communion for many years, then in 2005, I completed a course in Psychodynamic Counselling, having studied part-time at Vaughan College in Leicester This opened multiple possibilities, allowed me to think about my role and skills, and prompted a deeper discernment into what I needed from a job and what I could give.

In 2007 a friend told me about the role of ‘Catholic Chaplain’ which was being advertised at the University Hospitals of Leicester Knowing me well, she encouraged me to apply, and so I followed her suggestion and was later appointed Catholic Chaplain to Glenfield Hospital in December 2007. With many changes, covering hospitals that were without Chaplaincy provision, and in recent years also serving Leicestershire Partnership Trust (both at community and mental health sites) I have been proud to work in the NHS, as many of my family have done before me.

Finding that I had to learn a lot on the job, I was (and am!) frequently grateful to my colleagues who helped me, a collection of lay leaders and some ministers of other religions too In order to develop my own theological knowledge, I enrolled in the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies with Nottingham Diocese, which turned out to be a brilliant way to learn whilst also engaging with other people working in Catholic contexts As chaplains on the ground, it was a great department to work in We met daily in the chaplaincy office, had regular staff meetings, and hosted training days with our valued volunteers whom we missed very much during COVID

Looking back, I found that God often guided me to be at the right place at the right time, as I engage with staff, patients, and visitors in the corridors, wards, and even outside the hospital I found the Hospital Chapel to be a place of peace in a busy environment, and it was a privilege to pray with and for people, including at the end of their lives, and to share Holy Communion where possible, sometimes with people who had become familiar faces over the years. The events of the past two to three years brought many changes, restricting where and with whom we could meet, but I had a strong sense of being embedded, with the staff, looking after our safety, and as Chaplains also caring for them

I have always known and felt the balance of working for both the NHS and the Catholic Church Chaplaincy is evolving, and I have always been part of a multi-faith team that shares an understanding f eeting the spiritual needs of our patients and staff In the past a Catholic Hospital Chaplain would s as well as pastoral work; but now, we are a much ordained and not, faith leaders and non-religious. We d then naturally patients and staff of the hospitals contexts too, with Prison Chaplaincy and School lled men and women committing to careers in this

As a final note, I would encourage anyone who is interested in this work to explore the possibility of a career in this field, and thank all those I have worked with over the years!

Christina Mottram