Monica Ilacqua is a parent at Saint Patrick Catholic School, a parishioner at Saint Patrick Catholic Church, a mom, a wife, and most recenlty she is a cancer fighter. Monica was diagnosed with acute leukemia in December 2015.
The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.Thomas Merton
Monica starts her third round of chemotherapy soon. She and her family are in need of your help with meals. School and parish families have been preparing and providing dinners for her family during her treatment. More support— your support is needed.
What is Pastoral Care?
Conversations about pastoral care and what exactly does pastoral care look like particularly in the absence of a priest pastor have been frequent recently at Saint Patrick Catholic Church & School.
Pastoral Care is visiting, counseling, praying with or otherwise helping people in our parish community who are experiencing a difficult time with a focus on healing, reconciling, guiding and sustaining.
Pastoral Care in Action
Pastoral Care is provided in a number of ways— through visitations with a priest, though it can be the pastoral coordinator or pastoral assistants especially in parishes without a pastor like Saint Patrick Catholic Church. Most often it is fellow parishioners— like you.
Sometimes pastoral care is a meal train that assists a family such as the Ilacqua’s during a difficult time, like a health crisis.
How You Can Help
Support Monica and her family by providing a meal or a restaurant gift card via scrip. Your support is great appreciated by Monica, her husband Karl and her son. Sign up for a date on the Meal Train and follow Monica’s journey on the CaringBridge page which was created to keep friends and family updated. Monica appreciates the words of hope and encouragement you leave on her page during this time. Monica is asking everyone to consider whole blood and platelet donations or bone marrow testing because lives— including her own are being saved daily with these gifts.
