Apostolate for the sick, dying

TOTOWA  When Mayme Puccio was taking care of her husband, Joe, at his bedside during his final days, it was one of the most difficult moments in her life for her to witness. Just months prior, her mother passed away at 94 years old. During this time, she saw the importance of prayers and spiritual consolation needed for those who were dying.

Puccio is now on a mission. She hopes to start an apostolate for the sick and the dying. Father Marc Mancini, pastor of St. James of the Marches Parish here, has offered his support for the ministry in bringing this apostolate to the Paterson Diocese. They are naming the apostolate for St. Joseph, who is patron of the dying.

Father Mancini said, “The purpose of this apostolate is for men and women of the Church to pray and support our brothers and sisters during the grave period of dying. When the person’s pilgrimage on earth is nearing an end, the members of the apostolate will be present so the dying person’s transition into eternal life is spiritually enriched.”

The timeliness of this type of apostolate is needed now more than ever, according to Father Mancini. Recently, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed the “Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act,” which will become law in New Jersey on Aug. 1. The new law is part of a growing trend in the nation where states are passing assisted suicide legislation.

It seems to me the creation of an apostolate to the dying is remarkably timely in light of the ‘Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act.’ ” Father Mancini said. “No one should die alone. Moreover, no one should assist the dying by any action which would certainly hasten the time of arrival of death as has been permitted very recently by our state and some other states in our nation.”

Puccio remembers spending time with a dying priest, which also inspired this apostolate. “He asked me to sit and simply spend time with him. Sometimes that’s all that someone who is dying wants,” she said. “It’s important we create an awareness to people in the Diocese that this type of ministry exists and it is so needed. There’s hospice, which provides patients to be as comfortable as possible physically, but this apostolate provides support to someone spiritually during their last days.”

To serve the sick and dying, those involved in the ministry would receive training and preparation to deal with this critical time in a person’s life. Some of the tasks they would do for the dying include providing encouragement to the dying person to receive the Sacraments of Healing — penance and the anointing of the sick; preparing the person to receive the Holy Eucharist; planning opportunities for personal prayer during their last days, which include the rosary, Divine Mercy devotion and prayers to St. Joseph, and putting forth a compassionate and loving heart at a time when a dying person needs it most. The apostolate is also intended to assist caregivers and families by providing respite and relief during a visit to the dying.

For those interested in setting up the apostolate at their parish, Puccio said, “There is no experience needed. Just a loving, compassionate heart to reach out and hold someone’s hand at this vital time.”

Laypersons also provide a valuable collaboration to pastors and Eucharistic ministers of their parish who make sick calls to the ill and dying while distributing the Sacraments, such as the anointing of the sick or Holy Communion. A Christian presence to the sick and suffering can bring peace and comfort.

Both Father Mancini and Puccio took inspiration for the apostolate from Bishop Serratelli’s column on April 4, “Physician-Assisted Suicide and the Descent to Hades.”

In his column, the Bishop writes, “Compassion for the sick, the dying, the terminally ill, the depressed, the disabled and the elderly means valuing their lives even when they are incapacitated. Dying with dignity means surrounding our loved ones with respect, care and prayer. It never means permitting doctors to end their lives so that they are no longer a burden to us, to insurance companies or society.”

Father Mancini said, “We all should be committed to the belief that the Catholic way of death is different from that of our secular society. This apostolate will help the dying to have a holy death.”