If you think the only Father Chris you could meet at this time of the year is one who wears a red suit, brings presents, and then disappears to Lapland for the next 51 weeks, youd be wrong.
| Most of the children go through here and are healed and live happy lives. |
Father Chris Posluszn is the Catholic chaplain for the Childrens Hospital and his job is a year-long one, dividing his time between the hospital and his parish in the Mosborough township
Extreme
For him, time is one of the most important things he can give. Often, people are rushing around, theres a lot of things to do, and sometimes people need time and someone to talk to. Sometimes it is about nothing, nothing to do with religion, but its to give time to people.
A priest for the last three years, Chris has seen his fair share of the upsetting side of hospital life.
On one extreme, you have the intensive care unit, neo-natal care where children are very ill and sometimes do die, and theres also the cancer ward, he says.
His job, as he admits, can be lonely but gives him challenges and rewards for, as he explains, Most of the children go through here and are healed and live happy lives.
The regular Sunday activities for the children are always welcome and form a main part of Chriss job.
But he gives more than that. Parents often need as much help as the young people they bring into hospital.
At the side of a hospital bed, theyre often bewildered. Theyre not sure what to do. Theyre surrounded by machinery that they know nothing about.
Theyre just sitting watching the child and cant do anything, cant touch them, lift them, handle them. So sometimes they want to talk about that.
For someone who wanted to become an environmental scientist, Chriss religious calling may seem strange but is it? Ones about looking after this world, the others about looking after childrens needs and at that, Chris seems to have chosen well.
He says the best thing about being a priest is the people I get to know and sometimes able to help a little.
About the team
This article was produced by David Burnham, Samantha Chetwynd, Laura Brunt, Laura Dodsworth, Tara Aston, Rebecca Robinson and Erin Spence, all aged 13 and 14, with support from Shakila Alssalam, Davina Midowell, Wesley Taylor, Naveed Ullah and Sherlena Risden. It was published in the Sheffield Star.
