Wednesday, October 14, 2009

New chaplain felt called to La Grange


10/12/2009

La Grange – When hospital chaplain Colleen Narbone moved to Western Springs, she knew immediately she wanted to work for Adventist Midwest Health.

“I felt the hand of God leading me here,” Narbone said. “My grandmother passed away at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital in 2004 and I was very moved by the spiritual care our family received there. The nurses and chaplains prayed with us during a very difficult time.”

Narbone became a chaplain at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital on Aug. 31, following the deployment of hospital chaplain Garry Losey to northern Iraq to support the troops of the 90th sustainment brigade. Losey is a U.S. Army Reservist.

From 1998 until 2005, Narbone worked as a paralegal in California and Chicago, but gravitated toward ministerial type projects in her community and church. In 2005, while continuing to work as a paralegal, Narbone enrolled in Loyola University Chicago’s pastoral counseling program and served as a chaplain intern there.

She earned her master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola in 2007 and stayed on there as a student chaplain and became a member of the organization’s “on-call crisis response team,” which she found very fulfilling. She also is a licensed professional counselor.

Narbone praised Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital’s cooperative and holistic approach to patient care and is eager to further her education in pastoral counseling as she learns the nuances of hospital ministry from her colleagues.

“It’s profoundly moving to see people come together like this in a time when people are hurting,” Narbone said. “I plan to care for each individual and help them in whatever way I can. I know everyone has different needs, but I pray I can be a hint of God to them while they are in the hospital.”

John B. Rapp, regional vice president of ministries and mission at Adventist Midwest Health, welcomed Narbone to the hospital’s pastoral care team.

“Chaplain Narbone brings a strong academic background and rich experience in ministry from her time in the ministries department at Loyola University,” Rapp said. “Her certifications and extra training she has received over the years will add another component to our already talented regional pastoral care staff of Adventist Midwest Health.”


Source:http://www.keepingyouwell.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/191/ItemID/3169/srcmid/71292/Default.aspx
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