Catholic religion in public hospitals

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

What's the story with religious nuts being allowed in to hospitals around sick people?

Today for example, I was woken up by a lady who asked me twice if I'd like to receive the body of Christ, both of which I refused.

Later on this evening, as a woman not long back from an operation lay asleep in bed across from me, this other lunatic came into the ward and asked me if I'd ever seen this image of god as she shoved it under my nose. She told me the image (or god, I wasnt really listening) had appeared to a polish nun who was told everyone in the world must see it. She gave me a speech about letting hate go and forgive those who hurt me and told me without god I'd be a lost cause. She then told me she prays each night and would pray for me tonight, before leaning in towards me and whispering to pray for her too, she needed a miracle as she met someone in medajore in 07 and she needed to marry him.

While I was sat on my bed, wondering what she was on, she approached the lady post op, tucked the religious paraphnalia she had been giving out under the woman's hand, and prayed over and whispered to the sleeping lady.

I find this super freaky, and the fact there was a nurse present in the ward attending another patient makes me wonder if they're allowed do this?

It's pretty appalling they're targeting people who can't tell them to fug off. Tbh.

Zen65

In my experience, many people who hold extreme views, or views based on 'faith' have a strong need to feel vindicated which they can only get if they persuade others to feel the same way, or if others express a gratitude to them for holding such beliefs.

The TV character "House" is credited with the great line that if you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people.

As for why the hospitals would allow these in around sick people, I just don't get it.

prettygurrly

well have to say that the sacristans...or whatever they're called...just came round with the bit bread and I shook my head to say no thanks and they left. What you're describing is unreal...if anywhere you should have privacy it should be a hospital and the right not to have that shoved in your face.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

prettygurrly wrote: »

well have to say that the sacristans...or whatever they're called...just came round with the bit bread and I shook my head to say no thanks and they left. What you're describing is unreal...if anywhere you should have privacy it should be a hospital and the right not to have that shoved in your face.

Even those communion ladies get under my skin to be honest. I wouldn't describe myself as being atheist but, there's a time and a place for all this religion stuff. It's not the first time they've woken me up either. You don't see Jehovah witnesses coming around with their magazines, or Muslims playing the call of prayer, they have no business bringing their fairy tales in amongst people who don't choose to partake in it

delthedriver

I was rather amused when in hospital on one occasion that the section of my chart regarding religion specified Catholic.

Needless to say it was a surprise to me !

prettygurrly

Unreal...funnily enough I understand the availability of having the communion administered in hospital as most of the people in the country are catholic (people need to stop ticking the box on the census if they aren't practising anymore) and so they are catering to the masses. Us minorities though need to have the right to not be bothered while we're recuperating. It's not too much to ask really.

delthedriver

Being grumpy like the TV character House, I believe science is more important than religion in hospitals:)

gctest50

LexieOnRale wrote: »

she approached the lady post op, tucked the religious paraphnalia she had been giving out under the woman's hand, and prayed over and whispered to the sleeping lady.
.

That's a serious (health &) safety issue.

1) She could easily disturb an IV line or something and not notice because shes insane/obsessed and "on a mission"

2) Who knows what she was touching last

3) If she's way off the reality ski-jump, she might decide to disconnect a patient from something and let her god heal them or suffocate them - who can guarantee otherwise 100%

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

prettygurrly wrote: »

Unreal...funnily enough I understand the availability of having the communion administered in hospital as most of the people in the country are catholic (people need to stop ticking the box on the census if they aren't practising anymore) and so they are catering to the masses. Us minorities though need to have the right to not be bothered while we're recuperating. It's not too much to ask really.

But then again, even those of us who are Catholics and go to mass, most of us don't go every day, in fact the vast majority of Catholics would be Sunday morning Catholics.

digger58

This sort of rubbish doesn't surprise me at all, In Ireland it is almost universally accepted that we all participate in the GAA and are Roman Catholics, My father was in hospital in Limerick last year and was asked his religion, he replied "Agnostic", He later saw his paperwork and under religion was "Diagnostic" The sooner that these sort of questions are omitted the better, As regards letting the loons loose in a ward, they should be removed without question. I don't have any problem with a person having a crutch to lean on like some form of religion so long as they don't try and impose it on anybody else, It's bad enough the shower in Leinster house saying a prayer to "God" for guidance, Obviously that "God" didn't foresee the **** that was coming and therefore didn't guide our leaders on the right path. Thankfully I don't have any "religion" to burden me. I've seen enough of the pain and suffering "Religion" can cause, I worked in the Balkans after the war, that's why I didn't impose it on my kids, they are both adults now and question everything, signs on they wouldn't darken the door of any religious organisation, I never stopped them going to any religious gathering, merely left it up to themselves, thankfully they have chosen to rely on decency and common sense when it comes to dealing with their fellow humans. OK rant over but this religious fervor really annoys me. Please ban it as a dangerous ideal, after all it's a mind altering "substance"

Hotblack Desiato

Happened to me a few years back when I was stuck in hospital with a broken leg (talk about a captive audience.)
This priest insisted on 'blessing' me after I'd politely asked him not to. I should've kicked up a right stink about it but I had enough to be worrying about already.
BTW they asked me on admission what my religion was and I said 'no religion'.
Suppose I should be grateful he only touched me over the covers...

Turtwig

It can be ridiculously crazy at times depending on the person. Some of them go out of their way to say prayers for the very sick. The intention is good but really they ought to ask the patient first! It's annoying as f*ck! The combination of the medication is on and symptoms a patient has could be making their life a misery. Last thing a non religious, and in my experience, not too overtly religious, patient wants to to hear is some ass hat going on about God and the Bible and healing you. Please! Say the prayer out of sight and earshot! It can be really agitating having someone stand over you to pray when you don't really have the energy to tell them to go away. Hospital is an unpleasant enough experience as it is.

lynski

I f-ing hate this crap. When my dad was dying in a ward with exactly twice as many patients in it as it was designed for, when they had no extra time or people to ensure their seriously ill geriatric patients were clean and fed, no time to clean up blood, pee, vomit and other stuff on the ground, they had time to have a staff member walk ahead of a priest ringing a f-ing bell so he could peddle his wares. I wanted to rage and scream, especially when we were still on the ward with my clearly dying father.

expectationlost

which hospital?

recedite

Hospitals are like schools, they can be owned by a religious order, but at the same time have their running costs paid by the state. Then they can expose patients to their own religious "ethos".
Enjoy your stay!

emuhead

I remember a priest friend of our family already knew why I was in hospital when my Dad mentioned it in general. Why? Because he's was the general hospital chaplain and he was informed unofficially by the nursing staff.

Cabaal

People were actually asked their religion?

Last time I was in hospital in Waterford they automatically put me down as Catholic without ever asking, I later saw this and made them change it.

delthedriver

Cabaal wrote: »

People were actually asked their religion?

Last time I was in hospital in Waterford they automatically put me down as Catholic without ever asking, I later saw this and made them change it.

I fail to understand why there is such a question at all ? Does it make any difference whether the patient practices any religion?

lazygal

I'm down as no religion in my maternity care paperwork. Had no exposure to any god bothering either time.

mikemac1

delthedriver wrote: »

I fail to understand why there is such a question at all ? Does it make any difference whether the patient practices any religion?

To avoid getting sued!

Jehovah's Witnesses are considering suing the State on behalf of the parents of a child who was given a life saving blood transfusion against their wishes.

National co ordinator for the religious group, Arthur Matthews, said they were disturbed at the decision to put the boy in temporary State custody so surgeons could operate on injuries he sustained in an accident.

The 22 month old was hurt in the chest and legs by falling rubble when a car crashed through the garden wall as he played at his home in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Gardaí enacted Section 12 of the Childcare Act five hours later at Waterford Regional Hospital when his parents refused surgeons permission to transfuse blood, which is against their faith. Mr Matthews said the constitutional rights of the parents as legal guardians were ignored during the incident and the matter was now with the group's lawyers.

"We are taking advice from our solicitors and are considering legal action against the agencies who brought this about.

"These parents were not given the opportunity to discuss alternatives to blood transfusion with doctors and this swept away their constitutional rights as the child's legal guardians," he said.

http://www.rickross.com/reference/jw/jw37.html

There was a similar case a few years ago with a pregnant lady who received a blood transfusion and the hospital had to call in their lawyers to protect themselves.

A man whose wife urgently needs medical treatment has objected on religious grounds to hospital staff giving her a transfusion of blood products.

The couple are both Jehovah's Witnesses and his 27-year-old wife was admitted to a Dublin hospital on Tuesday after suffering a ruptured ectopic pregnancy.

The man said she had signed a written instruction refusing such a treatment, even if her life was in danger.

However, Dublin's High Court has ruled the transfusion should go ahead.

Maybe they also ask religion in case patients have any dietary restrictions due their faith

delthedriver

mikemac1 wrote: »

To avoid getting sued!



There was a similar case a few years ago with a pregnant lady who received a blood transfusion and the hospital had to call in their lawyers to protect themselves.



Maybe they also ask religion in case patients have any dietary restrictions due their faith

Fair comment!:)

When I was in hospital my chart was noted as a Catholic? Nobody asked my religion. Should I sue them?:rolleyes:

Personally, on the few occasions I have been in hospital , the visiting medical team is of much more importance to me than the god squad!:)

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Was admitted to hospital no later than last Monday and before they even asked what was wrong with me they asked what religion I was!

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

expectationlost wrote: »

which hospital?

Portlaoise

Hotblack Desiato

delthedriver wrote: »

I fail to understand why there is such a question at all ? Does it make any difference whether the patient practices any religion?

It does if you unexpectedly end up at risk of snuffing it! Need to send for the right sort of sky fairy invoker.

donspeekinglesh

I was in the Mater eye A&E a few weeks ago and they asked. It's obviously part of the standard questions on check in.

expectationlost

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Portlaoise

MIDLAND REGIONAL HOSPITAL PORTLAOISE
It was designed by Michael Scott and Norman D Good.
The Collen brothers were the contractors
It was opened on 17/12/1936 by Sean T O'Kelly the Minister for public health. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/You_want_the_history_on_Portlaoise_Hospital

so was it ever run by the religious no.

Kiwi in IE

It is standard practice to ask a patient if they belong to any religion at home also.

There is a difference though, you would be asked IF you belong to any religion, not automatically assumed to be religious, or assumed to belong to the majority religion.

Also religious representatives are not permitted to freely wander the wards and approach patients to discuss religion, without the permission of the patient or their next of kin (if unconscious), via the nursing or medical staff. Hospital chaplains are available in hospitals at the patients request, but they do not approach every patient. Usually if a patient indentifies as a religion on admission, you let them know the service is available, and it is not brought up again unless they ask.

lynski

expectationlost wrote: »

which hospital?

Limerick regional

the_syco

gctest50 wrote: »

2) Who knows what she was touching last

Every single sick dying person. They should all be tried for involuntary manslaughter.

digger58 wrote: »

He later saw his paperwork and under religion was "Diagnostic" The sooner that these sort of questions are omitted the better

I'd say it's a standard question they ask, so they know which witch doctor to call, to give the last rites.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

expectationlost wrote: »

MIDLAND REGIONAL HOSPITAL PORTLAOISE
It was designed by Michael Scott and Norman D Good.
The Collen brothers were the contractors
It was opened on 17/12/1936 by Sean T O'Kelly the Minister for public health. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/You_want_the_history_on_Portlaoise_Hospital

so was it ever run by the religious no.

And yet there were big gaudy looking crosses on the walls of each ward

beauf

Duno why you are surprised at this. Even where the hospital is not run or owned by a religious organisation, Historically people from religions orders have always worked in hospitals or similar, especially in Nursing. Part of their ethos I assume.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursing

Its only in recent decades as the numbers in religious orders have fallen that their numbers have decreased in hospitals and such. They'll probably disappear completely in time.