PORTIA WILLIAMS
PDT Staff Writer
It was a bittersweet moment Friday, June 1, at Southern Ohio Medical Center, as many staff, volunteers and members of the community gathered for a reception to say goodbye to Sister Marie Glennon, who is retiring after 26 years as a chaplain in the Pastoral Care department.
Glennon was greeted with gifts, cards, smiles, hugs and even tears. Many expressed their gratitude to Glennon for her service and friendship for more than two decades.
“Sister Marie has provided comfort to many, many of our patients and families here at the hospital. She has provided comfort in the time of tragedy, finding out a new diagnosis, all of those kinds of things that many go through in the hospital, she is there to provide comfort,” said Teresa Bryan, director of Social Work and Pastoral Care at SOMC.
“You can never replace Sister Marie, but we do have the job posted. We are hoping to find somebody whose desire is to be a hospital chaplain, one whose passion is to provide comfort. We are also looking for someone who has a degree, some type of pastoral education, and then the CPE training, Clinical Pastoral Education is what its called,” Bryan said.
Glennon said she feels very blessed to have been a part of people’s lives at SOMC.
“As a chaplain I respond to emergency calls, visit patients on a daily basis. I provide interaction with patients, staff, support systems. I serve as a liaison between the patient and their parish or their churches, being available to call their pastors when necessary, or when requested. I have helped to be a support to families during crises, anyone in the hospital that would need extra support,” said Glennon.
Glennon also coordinated the schedules of the volunteer chaplains at the hospital.
“I will miss the people most. The staff have been phenomenal. I will miss that interaction with the staff and the patients. The atmosphere has been awesome, friendly, it’s been wonderful,” Glennon said.
For the next step in her life, Glennon said she will return to Sacred Heart Convent in Fargo, N.D.
“I will return to my community, which is called Presentation Sisters in Fargo, N.D. It is a group of women dedicated to religious life, and we live in community there. Our community is involved in many outreach ministries and projects there. Whatever the needs are there, I will meet some of those needs. I will also look forward to enriching my life with learning opportunities that I haven’t had the time to engage in,” Glennon said.
Portia Williams may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 234 or portiawilliams@heartlandpublications.com.
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