September 30, 2011
Prayer pals — Students in Jasper pray for patients in hospital
Staff members from Memorial Hospital in Jasper join students from Holy Family School in Jasper for the kick-off of the Prayer Pals program. They include, front row, John Paul Hoffman, Owen Franks, second row, Rebecca Strange, Suzanne Burgess, Larry Burgess, Benedictine Sister Rosemary Rexing and Sally Sternberg, principal. Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Students in the three Catholic schools in Jasper have be-gun a partnership with Jasper Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center. It’s call “Prayer Pals,” and the students are from Holy Family School, Precious Blood School and John Paul the Great Catholic High School.
Sally Sternberg, principal at Holy Family School, explains. “Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me.’ We are asking our school children to do just that —to go to our Lord in prayer for other children.
“Each week, Memorial Hospital will send information re-garding the number of children and what unit of the hospital they are in, all in compliance with HIPPA requirements.
“The students at our Catholic schools will pray for these children as we are walking. We walk as a way to remind ourselves of the blessings of our own health and in turn ask our Lord through prayer to be with those children who are in need of health.”
She said the program kicked off at Holy Family with a visit from Suzanne Burgess, director of Post-Surgical and Pediatric Services, Rebecca Strange, clinical nurse manager in Pediatrics, and Benedictine Sister Rosemary Rexing, executive director of Mission Integration.
“They presented us, as well as the other two schools, with a framed picture of Jesus and the prayer. They will also have a framed poster in each of the units of the hospital, Nursery, Pediatrics, Surgery and Emergency, where children will be for whom we are praying.
Sally added “we are proud to display our framed poster in our halls, where it serves as a reminder of the importance of praying for the needs of others and how powerful that prayer can be!”
Elizabeth Flatt, principal at John Paul the Great, said the program is a “new adventure” for the Jasper students.
“It enables our students to pray for specific children at the hospital and the doctors and nurses that care for them.
“A representative from Mem-orial Hospital sends a list of specific prayer intentions for patients at the beginning of each week and each student prays specifically for these patients. For example, we might pray for the newborn babies one week and pray for the children on the pediatric floor another. We also plan to pray for children having surgeries and being treated in the emergency room.”
She said the prayer, which was “brainstormed” by the JPGCHS students, is used at all of the schools and is also displayed in the school and the hospital as a constant reminder of the partnership they share.
“At John Paul the Great, students pray this prayer on their walk each morning to daily Mass as they also thank God for the many gifts He has blessed them with.”
She added, “What a great experience it is to have kids praying for kids! Also, what a wonderful blessing for those being treated at Memorial Hospital and their families to know that so many (375+) students are praying specifically for them!”
Prayer for the needs of others
Jesus, You are a healer and a friend to the young.
May we praise You with good deeds and kind words from our tongue.
Come be with all the sick and the suffering children who enter the doors of Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center.
We pray for the doctors and nurses, the family and friends.
Guide all those helping these children, so they can quickly mend.
Jesus, please hear all our prayers and guide our day.
May our walking and our praying help us not to stray,
For You alone are the truth, the life, and the way.
Amen”