My name is Maria Manzenreiter and to me Hospitality means “having a heart that is always open”, it means letting oneself be touched, remaining vulnerable. Jesus and Saint John of God showed us what the central nucleus of our mission was: to make the love of God visible and tangible in our world

It often happens that someone asks me for something while I am busy with something else. But it is up to me to “see” that person, to become aware of his or her presence and to listen to what he or she needs at that moment, and not to follow the usual pre-set ideas of behaviour; in other words, I must be able to really “see” the other person at any time and be approachable and receptive at every moment.

This atmosphere of receptiveness is very present in our hospital. We know this from the feedback we get from many patients. It could be the chaplain who goes home with the son of a man who has died unexpectedly so as to be present when his aging mother is informed. It could be when the staff of this or that department arranges for a room for the night for the close relatives of a dying patient. It is a question of seizing the moment, of deciding what is the right thing to do at that particular moment. And the answer will come, if one listens for it carefully, from the heart.

PHOTO: A pastoral conversation with a deaf patient being conducted in sign language. In the spirit of Hospitality, deaf patients are always be guaranteed the same opportunities and provided with the same living conditions as other patients.