Thursday, July 11, 2013

Exemplar of a Church Run Operation

St. Mary's Hospital, managed by the diocese  of Seoul, was selected as the number-one  hospital in the country for the outstanding services provided to its patients. In giving the award, the Korean Standard Association considered all business enterprises, not only hospitals. And this is not the first time for such praise, as the the editorial in the Peace Weekly points out, as does an accompanying article. Over the years, they have received other awards for the extraordinary care shown their patients. The credit belongs, say hospital personnel, to the respect they have for life, which is the motivating force behind the running of the hospital.
 

"The hospital that doesn't satisfy the desires of its patrons will not continue to exist" is their motto. St. Mary's has made it a regular part of their service to patients to listen carefully to those who come to the hospital, and has done everything possible to please them: doctors monitor patients around the clock, nurses follow the angel system of nursing, and first-time  patients are accompanied  by hospital personnel  while at the  hospital, and there are  many other ways they try to satisfy the needs of their patients.

Another reason for welcoming the award, the editorial cited, is that the hospital is following the teachings of Jesus. Our Lord told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the  reason the Church exists and the reason for all its works. Of all the works managed by the Church, hospitals especially, and other places that care for the sick, should be model examples of this kind of compassion.

The editorial notes that though there are many different operations run by the Church, too many to count, if these operations do not show the compassion of Jesus, there is no reason for their existence. The reason the Church is running these operations is not to make money, it goes on to say, but to express and share the love of Christ.
 
When customers are happy dealing with a Church-run organization, such as St. Mary's, it's a sign the organization is acting in a Christ-like way. The editorial expresses the hope that St. Mary's will be the model for all operations of the Church.