I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but if it’s possible to have a pleasant, enriching experience in a hospital that is caring for your child, I just had one.

On the eve of Sept. 11, my 16-year-old came down with a very sudden, and very scary illness that found us taking an ambulance ride to Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington.

After a long night in the emergency room, a brief stay in intensive care and then a few days in pediatrics, Jesse was released, only to have me bring her back later that day with a recurrence of the illness. Again she was taken to emergency, with a two-day stint in ICU, and a four-day visit to pediatrics. Under the care of four different doctors, sent for what seemed an infinite number of tests and hooked up to at least three different medications, Jesse’s condition finally improved enough for her to complete her recovery at home.

Not what you’d call a walk in the park.

Yet, throughout my daughter’s time there and all the stress that accompanies having a sick child, I was continually impressed by how well the hospital staff took care of Jesse and her tired, worried parents. And I was pleasantly surprised by the spirit of hospitality that seemed to be infused throughout the entire facility. First, there was the gracious gentleman posted at the front door, whose job it was, in his slight Southern drawl, to greet people arriving and wish those who were leaving a good day. And then there were the nurses in the ER, ICU and pediatrics, all of whom went out of their way to tell me when fresh coffee had been made, where I might find a comfortable chair to rest a while, even where I might grab a quick shower.

I don’t remember coming across a single lobby or corridor that didn’t have the mission statement clearly displayed … a mission that pledged holistic care in recognition of the many needs of the patient. It was a mission I came to believe. Even the people who worked the counter in the coffee shop (where they served the most delicious food and coffee, I might add) were friendly and courteous.

In the course of more than a week, I cannot remember coming across a single cross, impatient or indifferent person, even though at times my own stress level might have warranted that type of response.

And if I’d missed any of these wonderful qualities in the hospital, I couldn’t miss the two huge signs posted at the exit road, both of which stated: Thank you for the privilege of caring for you.

While this might seem like shameless promotion for Hunterdon Medical Center (no, I’m not trying to get a discount on our hospital bills), it is really a testament to the importance of hospitality. After a few days of experiencing the incredible hospitality at Hunterdon Medical Center, I began to see how effective it had been to make this ordeal a little less stressful, and a bit more manageable. And I started to imagine what it would be like if we all encountered such a warm, caring reception in all the aspects of our lives — in our families, our schools, our communities and, most especially, our parishes.

The importance of hospitality in the pastoral mission of the Church has long been recognized, but its implementation in the form of actual ministry, and even in our day to day conduct, is not as universal as it should be. Too often, hospitality ministry, in the respect of an actual greeting program, becomes one more thing a parish cannot get to, or doesn’t have enough people to support. And it is not often enough that the members of the congregation are reminded to embrace a welcoming spirit with those around them at Mass. Sadly, hospitality is far from the first thing on the mind of a busy parish staffer, who’s trying to juggle 10 things at the same time.

Yet, it is precisely in parish life that we should find hospitality as part of the mission of building the Kingdom. We have only to look at the many references in both the Bible’s Old and New Testament to see the integral role of hospitality in leading a faith-filled life. The Old Testament challenges all to welcome and care for "the widow, the orphan, the stranger in the land." And it was Jesus who called his disciples to table, establishing the form of hospitality that serves as the foundation for our Eucharistic celebration.

In a 1999 pastoral letter on renewing Sunday worship, Bishop Thomas Dupre of Springfield, Mass., writes:

I have seen, firsthand, the incredible power that hospitality can have, even in times of extreme stress. And if it can be accomplished in the high pressure, often corporate-like climate of a health care institution, we can surely do the same in our parishes.

What better way do we have to share God’s love with one another, than by creating communities of hospitality?