February 2006
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Serving the soul
Sister Carlotta Gilarde, CSJ Sister Carlotta Gilarde, CSJ, stands a mere 4 feet 10 inches tall, but the compassionate care she provides to the patients, families and employees of Children's Hospital Boston is of giant proportions. Her tremendous efforts, and those of the Chaplaincy as a whole, are being recognized through the 2005 David S. Weiner Award.
A native of Brighton, Mass., Sister Carlotta was born to a family of service. "My parents were very generous, giving people," she says. "They were always reaching out to our neighbors and to the community."
When she graduated from high school, Sister Carlotta wished to make service her life. "Growing up in the 50s, you had about four options as a woman if you wanted to serve others," she says. "You could become a secretary, a teacher, a nurse, or if you were Catholic, a nun." So some 52 years ago, she took her vows to become a Sister of Saint Joseph and since then, has discovered some of the real reasons for her vocation.
Sister Carlotta began her vocation as a first grade teacher, but when the Church requested volunteers to serve in South America, she jumped at the chance. Stationed in Lima, Peru, what began as a three-year commitment turned into 27 years. "I loved the people and was truly evangelized by them," she says. "It was a very creative environment, where you learned to use the gifts you'd been given and to work together as a team. It taught me what church is really all about."
Being immersed in the culture of Peru for so many years enabled Sister Carlotta to better understand the Latin culture and to be more sensitive to the Latin families who come to Children's today. "Speaking Spanish fluently is a great asset," she says.
After returning to Boston, Sister Carlotta spent two years in a local parish before learning that Children's was seeking a Spanish-speaking chaplain. She applied for the position and has since been with Children's for 10 years. Working with Reverend Mary Robinson and Father Robert Nee, Sister Carlotta begins each day around 6 a.m., praying with patients and families before surgery. She then gathers with her fellow chaplains at 8:30 a.m. to pray. "It's a great gift to gather with the chaplains each morning for prayer," she says. "It helps us to bring a contemplative presence to those we meet."
Chaplains also participate in medical rounds every day, offering their own insights into patients and their families. And they organize retreats and services to nurture employees, as well. But the bread and butter of what they do is visiting patients on the floors. "We make ourselves available to every patient family in their own religious tradition," says Sister Carlotta. "Sometimes, a prayer is a warm hug or a cup of coffee. Other times, it's praying with a family in their native language or administering a baptism in a given religion. We try our best to accommodate and companion everyone."
This is where this year's Weiner Award comes in. Established in 1997 to acknowledge former president and CEO David S. Weiner's 30 years of service to Children's, the award recognizes outstanding individuals who demonstrate commitment, leadership and potential for success in helping improve the health of children. The $20,000 allotted to Children's Chaplaincy as part of the award will help Sister Carlotta and her fellow chaplains maintain their ministry and continue to reach out to patients and their families. "The recognition of my ministry at Children's by the Weiner Award makes me mindful that work is a part of our lives but not the reason for living," says Sister Carlotta. "The relationships we build, as we work together to enhance the health care we deliver, give real meaning and value to our lives, and those we serve make it a privilege to be alive."
