Welcome to Catholic Health Association of Manitoba
The Catholic Health Association of Manitoba (CHAM) is a voluntary, provincial association dedicated to the healing Ministry of the Catholic Church. Through its Ministries of education health care ethics, spiritual care, social justice and Catholic ownership, CHAM fulfills its mission CHAM fulfills its mission of compassionate concern and respect for all persons.
Our members span the continuum of social services, long term and continuing care, acute care, and seniors’ services across Manitoba. Each year, we strive to foster relationships between our members through regular correspondence and newsletters, formation offerings, advocacy support, and special events.
INDIGENOUS RECONCILIATION FUND
Health organizations with Catholic identity across the country have become acutely aware of the need to better understand and respond to the specific needs of patients and families who are Indigenous. We are called to be in relationship with these communities and have been challenged to do our part to learn and unlearn from mistakes and harms from the past.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund was established to accept donations from Catholic entities across the country, and to advance healing and reconciliation initiatives, fulfilling the $30 million financial commitment made by Canada's bishops in September 2021.
The fund seeks to support projects that are determined locally, in collaboration with First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners. The following documents provide a summary of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund and the grant application form.
- Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Overview
- Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Application Form
Your organization is encouraged to be in communication with your local bishop about the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund, and to assist people who may not have a traditional relationship with Church understand how to access the fund.
Join the Journey - Body, Mind & Spirit
Spiritual Care Training Series - A new offering will be taking place in the Fall of 2023
CHAM is offering a new program to expand the ability of CHAM member facilities and parishes to help people understand the aging journey and the role of spirituality in an older person's life. Participants will develop a holistic understanding of an older person and be able to offer quality spiritual care.
Participants would then have the tools to support people who may be frail, alone and lonely either in their homes, long-term care home, supportive housing complex or even hospital.
The training in this program is excellent for staff who work in a care home or hospital, for individuals caring for loved ones in their home or for people who visit with seniors in their homes or care homes.
The training program consists of the following eight segments:
- Understanding the ageing process
- Spirituality in ageing
- Good Communication
- The Power of Storytelling
- Dementia
- A New Home and a New Way of Life
- Grief, Loss, Death and Dying
- Roles, Boundaries and Self-Care
If you are interested in participating, contact Julie Turenne-Maynard at jtmaynard@cham.mb.ca
"I sincerely loved the Spiritual Care Series course so so much, and feel it has made a tremendous difference in the way I connect with others. I even reference the work book still, and actually ordered the dvds for myself from the website!! You did such a wonderful job facilitating the course, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to take it-Thank you. Bernadette, Participant
“This course was like...God handed it to me on a silver platter, so that I can listen, love and serve people much more deeply, wisely. Look at the timing! In our need, God provided. As before, indebted to you for offering the course.”
Ruth, Participant
Recent News
Each year on February 11, the Catholic Church marks the World Day of the Sick on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This is a time to offer prayers for those who suffer from illness and for their caregivers.
Illness is part of our human condition. Yet, if illness is experienced in isolation and abandonment, unaccompanied by care and compassion, it can become inhumane.
The theme of this year’s 31st World Day of the Sick observance is “Take care of him: Compassion as a synodal exercise of healing”, drawn from the Gospel of Luke on the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Pope Francis urges Catholics to heed the example of the Good Samaritan showing compassion and taking care of the sick in a world that discards the most vulnerable.
We invite you to promote the Holy Father’s message for World Day of the Sick in your organizations, parishes, community, family, and schools. In his message, Pope Francis stresses that “in the midst of illness,” the Church becomes a "field hospital” dedicated to “acts of care.” No one should be alone in times of illness.
SUGGESTED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
We invite you to use the following lesson plans to teach students about the World Day of the Sick:
- Suggested Elementary School Classroom Activity
- Suggested Middle School Classroom Activity
- Suggested Secondary School Classroom Activity
- Prayers for the Sick (For parishes and Any Level Classroom Activity)
Within the lesson plans, you will also find a handout along with colouring pages from a few online sources and a Powerpoint Presentation. These resources have been included below for quick reference:
World Day for Consecrated Life, Feb. 2, celebrates the gift of consecrated persons for whole Church and pray for men and women discerning a consecrated vocation with the global
Catholic Church.
The celebration is attached to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Feb. 2. This feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. Similarly, consecrated men and women are called to spread the light and love of Jesus Christ through their unique witness of selfless service, such as caring for the poor, the contemplative work of prayer, or through their professional careers.
Zoom gathering at 7.00 pm CST
When: Feb 2, 2022 07:00 PM Central Time
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlde-przovGdWoz0Rhmuig3hjQoFPNRiul
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends
toward justice. Martin Luther King
As you may have seen in the news, Bill C7 passed through the Senate last week. This bill allows people with chronic illness (including mental health) or disability whose natural death is not imminent or foreseeable to choose MAID. The Catholic Health Alliance of Canada has developed a BILL C-7 Statement.
Inclusion Winnipeg, who along with Inclusion Canada has also developed a strong position on this topic from the disability lens is also happy to have media directed their way.
Inclusion Winnipeg – Scott McFadyen’s contact info: smcfadyen@inclusionwinnipeg.org or 431-887-1080
Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention has also had initial and then updated position papers on this topic: https://suicideprevention.ca/Statement-on-MAID
CASP - Nancy Parker's contact info: NParker@marymound.com or Ph: 204-336-5290 Mobile: 204-793-4128
CHAM – Julie Turenne-Maynard’s contact info: jtmaynard@cham.mb.ca or 204-771-5585