Celebrating his first anniversary as chaplain at St Spyridon’s Hospital in Iasi, Father Ioan Pădurariu spoke about his mission during the time of a pandemic, stressing that a hospital chaplain is “a kind of a firefighter on duty.”

“In the sense that he must be present at any time in the hospital, in the morning, and in the evening, and at night,” he explained.

Firefighter-like priest

“I was also called at 01:00 at night when the patients needed my support. You have to confess them, to offer communion to those who can receive it, but first of all to offer that spiritual support because they feel the need to be helped,” confessed the missionary priest in the biggest hospital in Iași, where the Covid-19 cases are also treated.

For Fr Ioan Pădurariu, February 13, 2021, marked a year of mission at the Iasi hospital. In his interview with Bzi.ro, Fr Ioan said that he came to the aid of patients, speaking to them about death from the Christian perspective, he prayed for them and helped them revise their attitude towards sickness and death.

Fear of pain and death

“There are two great fears of man, the fear of pain, of torment, and the fear of death. I think that more important than the fear of death is the fear of pain, and then the suffering person does not know where to start.”

“If sometimes the drugs do not help the sick, although we have excellent quality doctors in the hospital and who give all their interest to help them, sometimes because of their health not much can be done for them, and then they realize that the only escape is to God.”

“And I felt this, that after I talked after I blessed them and read the prayers of absolution, they have another power to go on and deal with illness, pain, trial and maybe and the thought that they may die.”

He had Covid-19

Father Ioan Pădurariu experienced Covid-19 and his wife and four children, but he suffered a mild form of the disease.

Following this experience, combined with the one in the hospital, the priest insisted that we should ask for God’s help in case of illness.

“Let’s look at disease as a reality of our lives. To deny that there is a disease like coronavirus is a mistake.”

“I’m not saying we need to amplify it too much, but we need to be aware that it exists and that it affects our lives, we felt that on all levels, but at the same time to trust that God helps us and never leaves us and no matter how much we would go through difficult moments, if we have faith in God we can cope.”

“We can’t even live in a fear that who knows what might happen but to realize that we have to protect ourselves and those around us. Prevention prevails in these moments.”

Photography courtesy of bzi.ro