Sr. Maria Helena Bernadeta Naif, SSpS, reflects on her spiritual service in Australia, beginning with Clinical Pastoral Education in 2006. Through pastoral care in hospitals and collaboration with the Divine Word Fathers, she shares experiences of compassion, and healing, underscoring the power of listening and being present for the needy.
In 2003, I received a permanent mission appointment to the Australian province after making my final profession. The question on my mind was how I would contribute to such a fast-moving, developed country. What would help me live a life of purpose for others and myself? In 2006, while studying at a theological college, I came across a brochure about Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and felt drawn to this ministry. I began my CPE journey at a public hospital in Melbourne, where I encountered ecumenical educators, supervisors, and patients. Here, I entered the healing ministry of Christ, learning to integrate my theological knowledge with the raw, lived experiences of those I met—the “Human Document,” as Anton Boisen called it in 1925.
As a CPE intern, I faced the challenge of a language barrier, but my commitment to following Christ outweighed this limitation. I visited patients in hospital wards, sitting at their feet, listening to their stories, and holding space for them to voice their deepest questions.
One profound moment came when an Iranian Muslim mother, facing breast cancer surgery, asked me through tears, “What will happen to my boys if I don’t make it through the operation?” Though I had no answers, I held her in that painful space, and she later asked me to pray with her. We united in a moment of shared faith, trusting in God’s mercy. Her surgery went well, and she was discharged two weeks later.
This experience fueled my desire to pursue the CPE Supervisory Training, which I began in 2010. By 2014, I was employed as a part-time pastoral care worker at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, co-supervising CPE courses for a diverse patient population—multicultural, multi-faith, and from various walks of life.
One Wednesday, I entered the hospital chapel and saw a father weeping. He noticed my crucifix and immediately asked, “Are you a nun? Please pray for my sons.” One son was dying in the ICU, while the other had been arrested for causing the injury. I sat with him, offering silent prayer.
Days later, I visited the ICU, where the younger son remained unconscious. I quietly said, “If you don’t wake up, your brother will be in prison, and your father will be heartbroken.” Miraculously, he moved his toes, and soon after, he woke up. The family returned to Ireland together, their faith renewed.
However, not all encounters involved faith in the same way. I once met a patient in the Palliative Care Unit who was an atheist. He dismissed me, telling me to take my Bible and leave. Yet we continued to visit him without mentioning God. Eventually, he asked to be baptized just days before his death. Encounters like these, too numerous to recount, reveal the living presence of Jesus in the most unexpected places.
In 2016, I became a full-time CPE Educator and Supervisor, a role that allows me to guide others in developing pastoral relationships and personal transformation through reflective learning. The students come from various backgrounds, faiths, and lifestyles, which enriches the learning environment. CPE has proven to be a transformative ministry, not only for those in healthcare but also in education, the defense force, and religious formation.
Another meaningful part of my ministry involves working with the Divine Word Fathers (SVD) as part of their Aged Care Committee. From them, I’ve learned the transition from “doing” to “being.” Listening to their life stories and reflecting on their missions reminds me of how precious life spent in service to others truly is. At a time when their physical activity is limited, their spiritual mission deepens, and they embrace the sacredness of simply “being” with God and others.
Eckhart Tolle once said, “Listening is giving the other person space—space to be.” In this space of listening, we find God’s presence, the giver of life, and the holder of every mission.
Sr. Maria Helena Bernadeta Naif, SSpS, Australian Province
Sr. Maria Helena Bernadeta (second row, fourth from left) with the New South Wales College Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisors,
Educators and Consultants.
