From 12 to 16 October 2018 in Moscow took place the 14th training for managers and employees of diocesan departments for charity, organized by the Synodal Department for Church charity and social service, which was attended by 18 managers and employees of social departments of the 11 dioceses, reports patriarhiei.
“Our business is to testify to the love of God and neighbor, and not to be external actions. You need to make them with a peaceful heart, meek and humble, — said during the meeting with the participants of the internship program, the Chairman of the Synodal Department for charity Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevo Panteleimon. — Our goal is to help people to realize what joy it is more blessed to give joy to accept.”
Answering questions about how to organize efficient work of staff, Chairman of the Synodal Department urged first of all to remember that mercy needs to help the state of the soul, and not to disturb him: “the outside of the case, of course, important, but if there is no inner spiritual life, all these things will be empty and formal and will not bring benefits. Our soul is more important than all other things.”
In work with subordinates and employees of social departments of Vladyka Panteleimon was advised to set people up for something that they were good, did the works of mercy and tried to help each other. “The spiritual side of our life is the main. Of course, it is important to follow the discipline in the departments, but our main goal is to witness for Christ,” said the vicar of his Holiness Patriarch.
On the first day of training participants were familiarized with the structure of the Synodal Department for charity. Head of the sector of distance learning and advanced training deacon Igor Kulikov told about the mission of the welfare Department, about the key staff and how the Department interacts with the regions.
“The webinars and manuals are very helpful, but in the course of work there are many questions that no one ask, — said the Archpriest Valeriy Baskin of the Khanty-Mansiysk eparchy. — When you see a person right now working on a charity project, I want to learn much more of practical nuances. This is a huge plus internships”.
The first draft of the conference participants, was St. Sophia, a social home for children and adults with severe multiple disabilities. Experience in the creation and development of projects to help people with disabilities was shared by the head of the disabled of the Synodal Department for charity Veronica Leontyeva.
The conference participants also visited St. Dimitry’s school for sisters of mercy, palliative care unit of the Central clinical hospital of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow. Here they were shown the work of nurses and volunteers. Before the conference participants was made by the author of the book “Separation will not be”, the psychologist, the doctor-reflexologist Frederick de Graaf, who worked for many years in hospices Russia and England. This meeting was part of the course special course for hospital assistants of the priests, which started in Moscow on 6 October.
The social divisions were also familiarized with such charitable projects of the Orthodox service of assistance “Mercy” as a center for homeless “the Hangar of salvation” the shelter “Home for mom” and the center for humanitarian aid. In addition, the participants were informed about the shelters for single seniors and people with disabilities on the example of the Holy Spiridonievsky almshouses of the Orthodox service “Mercy”. They also examined joint social projects of the Marfo-Mariinsky convent of mercy and the Orthodox service “Mercy”.
During the internship, the participants learned about how to organize a telephone hotline social assistance service works with asylum and community help to lonely people.
The previous, 13th, training for social service held in Moscow in August 2018.
Photo: Diakonia