LECTURE IN GEC E 1 - RELIGION, RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCES AND SPIRITUALITY
(Gabrielian Teachings Integrated)
NESTORIO M. MOLAS, JR., MN, PhD(c)
Instructor
The Spiritual Ministry of Nursing
A. Historical Perspective In early 1940's wherein
a Franciscan Sister Mary Berenice Beck has
great nurses during this era.
Historically, nursing was viewed in large part as
a vocation of service to the sick or poor.
A nurse is missioned to be driven by:
1. altruism - feeling to show desire to help.
2. empathy - a feeling that you understand and
share another person's experiences, emotions
and feelings.
In early and middle 20th century;
1. the nurse did not expect much wordy
rewards of her efforts.
2. envisioned her caregiving as commissioned
and supported by God.
Nursing as calling - an earnest purpose to serve
humanity, not only by giving curative care to the
body of the sick but serving the needs of the
mind and spirit.
Matthew 25: 35 - 40
The condition that kept the spiritual ministry
because in early and mid 20 century nursing
education in nursing schools affiliated started
specially with religious denominations.
*Most hospitals sponsored nursing education (3
year diploma program), many of which were
religiously affiliated.
*Capping and graduation were often conducted
to places of worship with the blessings of a
cleric as part of the ceremony.
In later half of 20th century, still with strong
spiritual milieu focuses on the professional
character of nursing.
During 1970 - 1980's, nursing becomes
baccalaureate with masters and doctoral
degree.
*The need for holistic health care
*interconnection of body, mind and spirit
*Balance between art and science
*with equal focus
*Analytic and intuitive (knowledge through
intuition, no proof)
Recently a renewed interest in the spiritual
dimension of caregiving was demonstrated
*More literature / research based articles
related to spirituality and health / illness.
e.g. The Jean Watson Theory - the existence of
virtue of an ethical - moral ideal and
commitments to provide care.
Spirituality and Nursing Practice
Words related to spirituality:
-elements of love
-relationship with God
-compassion
-caring
-connection of body, mind and spirit
-transcendence
As a personal Concept: Spirituality is an
individual's attitude and beliefs related to
transcendence (God) or to the non material
forces of life and of nature.
Religious practice or Religiosity - is a person's
belief and behaviors associated with a specific
religious tradition or denomination.
Spirituality as related to holistic nursing is
described by Dossey (1989) as:
⁃ broad concept that encompasses values,
meaning and purpose
⁃ one turns inward to the human traits of
honesty, love, caring, wisdom, imagination and
compassion
⁃ existence of a quality of a higher authority,
guiding spirit or transcendence that is mystical.
⁃ a flowing dynamic balance that allows and
creates healing of body - mind - spirit and may
or may not involved organized religion.
Pamela Reed (1992)
- Spirituality as an expression of the
developmental capacity for self -
transcendence.
Madeliene Leininger (1997)
- Spirituality as a relationship with the supreme
being that directs one's belief and practices.
O'Brien (1982)
- Spirituality as human need and describe as a
dimension of a person that is concerned with
ultimate end and values.
Three Characteristics of Spirituality
1. Unfolding mystery - related to one's attempt
to understand the meaning and purpose of life.
2. Harmonious interconnectedness - an
individual's relationship to other persons and /
or to God.
3. Inner strength - relates to ones personal
spiritual resources and sense of the sacred.
Nursing is a science, an art and the spirit of
unselfish devotion to a cause primarily
concerned with helping those who are
physically, mentally and spiritually ill.
Nursing is an altruistic vocation.
Nursing as a service to the individual which
helps him to regain or to keep a normal state of
body and mind when it cannot accomplish this
it helps him to gain relief from physical pain,
mental anxiety or spiritual discomfort.
Nursing is a sacred ministry of health care or
health promotion provided to persons both sick
and well, who require caregiving, support or
education to assist them in achieving, regaining
or maintaining a state of wholeness, including
body, mind and spirit.
The Nurse as Healer
When a nurse is described as a healer, one
tends to focus on his or her ability to relieve
suffering. The label healer evokes the concept
of a strong and gifted individual whose ministry
is directed by care and compassion.
The nurse stands as God's surrogate and as a
vehicle for His words and His touch of
compassionate care.
A Nursing Theology of Caring
Theology- comes form the Greek words theos
meaning God and logos or science. Theology is
an ordered body of knowledge about God. Faith
seeking understanding.
Caring - is an active attitude which genuinely
conveys to the other person that he or she does
really matter.
⁃ direct nurturant and skillful activities,
processes and decisions related to assisting
people in such a manner than reflects behavior
attributes which are empathetic, supportive,
compassionate, protective, succorant
educational and otherwise dependent upon the
needs, problems, values and goals of the
individual or group being assisted.
⁃ the central focus or dimension of nursing
practice.
Dimensions of Caring
1. Being with patients in their experiences of
pain, suffering and other problems or needs.
2. Listening to patients verbally express
anxieties or emotions which hinder the
achievements of wellness.
3. Touching patients either physically,
emotionally or spiritually to assure them of
their connectedness with others in the family of
God.
History of Spiritual Care in Nursing
Before we discuss the Christian influence on
care of the sick, health care in the Pre - Christian
Era should be examined briefly.
Medicine and nursing in ancient civilization
provided the foundations on which many of the
healthcare practices of Christian nurses rested.
These ancient cultures also influenced the
concept of Cristian charity in relation to caring
for those who are ill.
Distinct type of nurses during the Pre -
Christian Culture
1. Skilled workers who nursed for hire.
2. Nurses whose positions were those of slaves
in wealthy households.
Contributions of Early Cultures in Nursing
1. Babylonia
Code of Hammurabi - suggested that
nursing care was provided for patients
between physicians visit.
2. Early Buddhist in China - discovers the
curative value of many plants led to nursing
therapeutics employing herbology
3. Hindu in India
⁃ role for male nurses.
4. Ireland
⁃ ancient druidic priest and priestesses advised
on care and healing of illness.
⁃ druidic - priest in ancient British religion.
⁃ priestesses - women who leads religious
activities in some religion.
Four Key Societies whose Spiritual and Cultural
Contributions are Most Frequently cited that
Supports the Art and Science of Modern
Medicine and Nursing
Egypt
⁃ has a strong elements of religious magic.
⁃ practice of embalming was taught.
⁃ First physician in Egypt = Imhotep
⁃ Ebers Paryrus - first medical textbook. ⁃
Concerned about public health problems like
famine and malnutrition
Preventive Measures to solve problems:
1. Offering prayers and sacrifices to religious
deities.
2. Strong grains for future needs.
⁃ School education of Egyptian physicians
existed as early as 1100 B.C.
⁃ A number of practical therapeutic remedies
for care of the sick were developed (instinctive
nursing care).
Greece
⁃ nursing in the Greco - Roman era was largely
the responsibility of members of the patient's
own family or that of slaves employed to
provide specific skills.
⁃ The spiritual rationale for providing nursing
care was duty to and love for a relative.
⁃ the consummated ancient Greek physician
was Hippocrates (460 - 370 A.C.) who instructed
caregivers to use their eyes and ears and to
reason from facts rather than from gratuitous
assumptions.
He also emphasized them to be solicitous to
their patient spiritual well - being and to do no
harm.
Some Hippocrates Teachings includes:
1. Fluid diet only should be given in fever.
2. Cold sponging for high temperature.
3. Hot gargles - for acute tonsillitis.
In Greek Religious Mythology:
1. Aesculapius - God of healing
2. Hygeia - one of his five children = the
Goddess of Health
3. Panacea "cure all" = the Restorer of Health
Rome
⁃ did not offer great advances in nursing
practice but depend greatly on the knowledge
of the Greek physicians.
 ⁃ care of the sick was guided primarily by the
use of natural or folk remedies.
⁃ Roman youth begun to study medicine in
Athens Greece
⁃ prayers to a God or the several Gods was a
critical adjuvant therapy in nursing a sick
Roman.
Israel
⁃ Hebrews nursing care for the ill and infirm
was provided in their Mosaic Law.
⁃ Religious prescriptions concerning general
health and hygiene were classified as rules of
public health:
1. Rules of diet and cleanliness
2. Hours of work and sleep
⁃ Israel is the foundations of public health
nursing which is naturally regarded by visiting
the sick as its religious duty.
⁃ has a specific nursing rules for those with
contagious diseases, care of children and
elderly.
⁃ has a religious tradition in nursing the sick
with a concept of hospitality and charity for
anyone in need which resulted in a system of
houses for strangers. Charity - each citizen
tithing a 10th of his or her possessions toward
charitable work
The Old Testament scriptures contain reference
to the nurses as: servant
companion
helpmate
Christianity and Care of the Sick
A. Early Christian Nurses
⁃ nursing the sick or injured in the early
Christian was accorded a place of honor and
respect which is based on Jesus message: TO
LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR.
⁃ Jesus interacted with the sick not by saying
the word but by:
a. touching
b. anointing - to put oil
c. taking the hand
⁃ nurse was an organized service to society had
its inception and development
⁃ organized group of women nurses existed
Group of Workers whose Main Functions was
to Care for the Sick and the Needy
1. Veronica of Jerusalem = Comforter of the
Afflicted
- a woman who is present during Christ's painful
journey to Calvary and who cleansed His
bleeding face with her vail.
⁃ she risk the punishment of the guards,
bravely broke through their ranks and with
tender womanly sympathy wiped the bleeding
face of Jesus Christ.
⁃ Josephine Dolan asserted that nursing
practice was fostered by the example of early
caregivers like Veronica.
2. Deacons and Deaconesses
⁃ followers of Jesus for whom care of the sick
and infirm was an identified task.
⁃ Deacon is derived from the Greek verb
diakomen meaning to serve.
⁃ these men and women are not only obliged
by their positions to visit and nurse the sick but
brought them into their own homes to be cared
for.
Diakonias - is a setting precursors to the
modern hospitals. This is associated with
diaconate = the work of nursing.
⁃ in the very early days of the church, diakonias
is called Christ rooms suggesting a direct
associations with Jesus teaching.
⁃ Phoebe - is a deaconess known as a woman
of great dignity and social status who spent
many hours nursing the poor in their homes.
2. Roman Matrons
⁃ served the early church around 3rd and 4th
centuries
⁃ uses their power and wealth to support the
charitable work of nursing the sick.

THREE Most Famous Roman Matrons
1. Saint Helena
⁃ or Flavia Helena
⁃ was empress of Rome and mother of
Constantine the Great
⁃ devoted her life to care of the sick person
⁃ started the first gerokomion - the home for
the aged infirm in the Roman Empire
2. Saint Paula
⁃ a learned woman of her time
⁃ founded the first hospice for pilgrims in
Bethlehem
⁃ she also built hospices for the sick along the
roads to the city
⁃ she managed the institutions and personally
nursed the tired and the sick for almost 20
years.
3. St. Marcella
⁃ the leader of the Roman matrons
⁃ a scholar and a deeply spiritual woman
⁃ founded a community of religious women
whose primary concern was care of the sick
poor
4. Early Monastic Nurses
⁃ stay in convent
⁃ it was during this time that the work of
nursing began to become institutionalized
⁃ the monasticism was born out of a desire of
many Christian men and women to lead lives of
sanctity and guided by the vows of poverty,
chastity and obedience.
chastity - a state of not having sex with anyone
- monks daily work consisted of prayer and
manual labor but changes to nursing of the sick.
Most Famous Abbesses (a woman who is a
head of a convent)
1. St. Radegunde of Poitiers
⁃ the daughter of Thurigian King who took poor
patients into her own palace to nurse them.
⁃ founder of the Holy Cross Monastery with
200 nuns.
⁃ established a hospice where she herself cared
for the patients.
⁃ reputed to care lovingly and tenderly to
patients afflicted with leprosy
2. St. Hilda
⁃ a leper
⁃ a cultured and scholarly woman directed her
monastic community in the care of the sick.
⁃ supported a group of associated members of
the monastery called oblates who assisted in
the nursing care.
Oblates - a laymen living in a monastery under a
modified rule and without vows.
3. St. Brigid
⁃ become the most famous abbesses in Ireland.
⁃ the daughter of an Ulster Chieftain
Ulster - a long loose overcoat of Irish origin
made of heavy materials.
⁃ founded the great monastery of Kildare, who
received the ill with charity and compassion.
⁃ known as the Patroness of Healing
⁃ Leprosy became an incurable scourge in
Ireland, wherein the lepers drove to Kildare to
be bathed and treated by Brigid.
Mental Illness in the Middle Ages
Mental illness stigmatized the population during
the middle ages.
Dymphna of Belgium
⁃ an Irish saint during the seventh century
⁃ a patroness of the mentally ill
⁃ devoted her life to care of the sick poor in the
manner of the early monastic nurses
⁃ According to the legend, Dymphna traveled to
Gheel, Belgium to assist the Irish missionaries.
Once their, she focused her compassion and
care especially on persons with impaired mental
health.
 ⁃ the church and small clinic were erected in
Dymphna's honor in Gheel, Belgium which is
offering hospitality to mentally challenged
pilgrims. It serves as a model or example of
community care for mental patients.
Medieval Hospital Nursing (Middle Ages;
European History)
2 Most Famous Medieval Christian Hospital
1. Hotel - Dieu of Lyon
2. Hotel - Dieu of Paris
Hotel - Dieu or House of God - is commonly
chosen as name of French hospital of the era.
- serves as almhouses and orphanages and
facilities to care for the sick
Hotel - Dieu of Lyon
⁃ added the group of men called "brothers"
who also assisted women in the care of the sick.
⁃ the first hospital to separate those with
contagious illnesses from those with ordinary
illness.
Hotel - Dieu of Paris
⁃ begun as a hostel providing care for small
number of the sick poor.
⁃ the Agustinian sisters took over the hospital
after a brief period who gave excellent care to
the patient.
⁃ has very strict rule following profession of
religious vows. Their home is the Hotel - Dieu
from the day of the profession they live and die
there.
Because of wars, an overwhelming wounded
casualties were generated and there is a need
for more nurses whose missions was centered
on the care of wounded crusaders.
Military Nursing Orders
- orders of men of the Holy land who where
committed by their religious ministry to care of
those wounded in battle.
Military Nursing Orders
The Three Major Groups or Orders who are
Committed to Care the Wounded Soldiers in the
Battle / War
1.Knights Hospitallers of Saint John of
Jerusalem
⁃ the largest of the order
⁃ created around 1050 A.D. to staff the two
Jerusalem hospitals:
1. for men dedicated to St. John
2. for women dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene
3.
- this order was originated under the guidance
of Peter Gerard = a deeply religious man; the
order for women was created to nurse the sick
under Agnes of Rome.
- the order was characterized by a specific dress:
a black robe with white linen cross
2. Teutonic Knights
⁃ a German order which was founded in 1191
A.D. at the time of the Third Crusade.
⁃ take charge of many German hospitals which
was separated later under the rule of St.
Agustine
3. Knights of Saint Lazarus
⁃ was originated to care for the lepers in
Jerusalem
⁃ they also admitted lepers in their orders.
The Three General Classes of Members in the
Military Orders were:
1. Knights - participated in the Crusades and
helped to care for the injured.
2. Priest - served the religious needs in camps
and hospitals.
3. Serving brothers - were responsible for
general care of the sick.
All members professed their religious
commitment of their lives as exemplified in the
Rule of the Orders of St. John of Jerusalem,
which is written by its first grand master -
Raymond du Puy
The Orders focuses on 3 Promises they have
made to God:
1. Poverty
2. Chastity
3. Obedience
Two Categories of Knights
1. Warriors
2. Hospitallers - who has a special commitment
to care for those with leprosy.
Medieval Monastic Nursing
During the period of Crusades military nursing
orders cared for the wounded in war, medieval
monastic continue to provide nursing care on
civilians.
Hildegard of Bingen
⁃ one of the most respected healers of
medieval monasticism
⁃ she also described as the Sybil of Rhine
⁃ a German abbess, visionary, musician, writer
and nurse.
⁃ At 8 years old, she was given over to the care
of the Anchoress Jutta who live in Benedictine
monastery in Disibodenberg. At 20, she took the
Benedictine veil and was named abbess of the
small group of women who joined her at the
monastery.
⁃ she broke away from the abbey and founded
two new monasteries for women;
1. Rupertsberg
2. Ebingen - its daughter house
⁃ she was told by God to relate what she saw
and heard.
⁃ Scivias or Know the Ways - her first book of
vision
Two Medical Books:
1. Physica - Anatomy and Physiology
2. Liber Composite Medicine - explained the
symptoms and cure of illness and disease
⁃ she was continually sought out by those with
various ailment and frequently provided cures
⁃ she was taught to perform miracles.
⁃ According to Hildegard diseases and cures
were all associated with the 4 qualities:
= heat, dryness, moisture and cold
= fire, air, water and earth
⁃ also emphasized humors and personality
types associated on these elements
⁃ she conceptualizes the present - day
emphasis on holistic health care (body, mind
and spirit)
Other Outstanding Monastic Nurses of the
Middle Ages
1. Francis and Clare of Assisi (1184 - 1224)
⁃ the founder of mendicant (beggar)
monasticism.
⁃ the patron of those who tend the sick
⁃ best known for his care and compassion for
those suffering from leprosy - the most fearful
and stigmatizing illness of his time
= bathed their feet
= bind - up their sores
= kiss their ulcerated wounds
= bring them care
Clare of Assisi (1194 - 1253)
⁃ a model by committing herself to care the sick
⁃ daughter of the wealthy Italian family who
gave up all to follow Jesus in the way to her
beloved Francis.
⁃ St Clare "Rule" for her original group of poor
ladies mentions only care of the ill within the
community
⁃ Francis sent the discared and deformed to
Clare and her nuns who nursed them in little
huts of mud and branches or little mud huts
where the poor Clare received and nursed the
sick which Francis sent to her.
2. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207 - 1231)
⁃ a distinguished Franciscan tertiaries - a
member of the monastic third orders
⁃ a princess of Thuringia who entered the third
order of St. Francis after her husband's death in
the Crusades.
 ⁃ a builder of hospitals who established 5
institutions during her short time.
⁃ While living in the castle, her daily walked to
the local village distributing alms to the poor,
feeding the hungry, nursing the sick, placing her
compassionate hands to the lepers were her
renounced work.
⁃ a cold winter day - she walked toward the
village with large bundle of food under her
cloak, she was accosted by her husband, angry
that she was spending so much time and
money. When he ordered her to open her cloak,
she was found carrying an armload of
magnificently blossoming red and white roses
which validates of her saintly nature.
⁃ because of that she dedicated her life to care
the sick person.
⁃ She died at 24 and buried in the chapel of
one of her hospital.
3. Catherine of Sienna (1347 - 1380)
⁃ the Patroness of Nursing
⁃ died at 34
⁃ renowned as a teacher, nurse and mystic
⁃ when Sienna was overwhelmed with the
Black Plaque or epidemic worked extensively
night and day in the wards and houses.
Black Plaque - pestilence / locust
⁃ fever caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis)
⁃ Black death
⁃
⁃ an indigent woman of Siena suffering from
leprosy who was diseased that no caregiver had
a courage to assist her. Catherine hastened to
the hospital and visited the leper, kissed her and
offered not only to supply all her necessities but
also become her servant during the remainder
of her life.
⁃ Catherine was wonderfully compassionate to
the wants of the poor but her heart was even
more sensitive to the sufferings of the sick.
4. The Alexian Brothers
⁃ dedicated lay men caring for the sick poor in a
variety of venue.
⁃ was highlighted during the terrible era of the
Black Plaque that swept Europe during the
middle of the 14*h century.
⁃ choose a life of poverty and apostolic service
based on the teachings of Christ and the
example of the early church.
⁃ they gain their distinguishable hallmarks by
responding to those struck by the plaque, attack
that few had the courage to perform.
⁃ they also have courage to undertook the
neglected and dangerous task of caring for the
bodies of the deceased ensuring that they
would have a sacred burial.
⁃ they bears the powerful message of Saint
Paul which reflects the motivation for their
religious ministry "Caritas Christi Urget Nos"
(The Love of Christ Impels Us).
⁃ Impels - cause us to feel a strong needs or
desires to do something
Post - Reformation Nursing
The Catholic and Protestant Nursing Orders
1. The Nursing Order of Minister of the Sick
> Camillus de Lellis (1550 - 1614)
⁃ Also called C - millans = who cared for the sick
in hospitals as Catherine of Siena.
⁃ especially remembered and revered for his
founding of a religious community of men.