19 February 2025

We are ‘with’ as God is with us: Serving at St Vincent’s

The Reverend Sam Lo. Picture: Elspeth Kernebone

Elspeth Kernebone

4 August 2024

The Reverend Sam Lo is an Anglican deacon, and Pastoral Care Coordinator at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne.  

Here she shares about her work, and how she sees God at work through it. Mrs Lo’s story is part of a series profiling workers in different areas, engaging in God’s work in the world. 

Tell us about your role? 

I’m based at our Fitzroy hospital, which is our central hospital. Our team of 17 chaplains covers almost 600 beds across oncology, maternity, orthopaedics, paediatrics, acute surgical, gastroenterology, brain and spinal surgery, cardiac, intensive care, and busy day oncology units. 

How did you end up in the position you’re in? How do you see it fitting into the big picture of God’s work in the world? 

I’d worked in healthcare chaplaincy for a bit over 10 years, in hospital and aged care. 18 months ago I answered an ad at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne and haven’t looked back since – it’s been like coming home. 

It’s been such a gift. What I particularly love about being at the hospital here, is that pastoral care is really embedded right through the hospital. You don’t need to fight for oxygen, it is simply part of the place. St Vincent’s Private Hospital is deeply committed to providing outstanding spiritual care. 

I’m aware what an incredibly privileged position it is to walk into a hospital and have this culture, where there is dedication to supporting the spiritual care of the sick and dying. Every day I go to work, it’s clear that this is such a privileged place to be.  

Read more: Thanksgiving service for hospital chaplains as wind down begins

How do you see your work fitting in the big picture of God’s work in the world?  

So many of my patients are not able to go into a church, for whatever reason. They might have a connection to a church, they might not. And it’s bringing God’s love to them, as they are, where they are, in whatever way they need at that point. 

For instance, I went to see a patient who was referred to me because she was Anglican. When I offered her communion, she initially said, “Oh no, I don’t want communion.”  After we talked a little more, she looked down at her hands and said quietly, “It’s not that I don’t want it, it’s just that I think God won’t have me”.  

For the first time in decades, she felt able to tell the story of the rejection she’d experienced the last time she went to church. She was a young single mother (her husband had left her) with a premature baby. The day after the baby was well enough to be discharged from hospital, this patient went to church, seeking peace and solace. She heard a sermon about the evils of divorce. She never went back. That little baby is now 60 years old, and all this time, “I’ve not been able to go back into a church because I don’t think God would have me.” There were tears when she heard the promise that God’s arms are open wide, ready to embrace her and that she would never, ever be turned away. 

I often hear experiences of disconnect with the church, of rejection, of woundedness, of this deep sadness and fear that God won’t have us because we haven’t been “good Christians”, that somehow we have to earn God’s trust or God’s favour. I hear time and again that “Surely we can’t just turn around when we need God.” Actually, yes we most certainly can and will be welcomed with open arms! 

That’s the faith based part of the job, but many of the patients I work with do not have a religious faith. Yes it’s a Catholic hospital, but we welcome and care for people of all faith traditions and none. I still see my role as bringing God’s love. I might not name it in front of patients, but God is still very much there. 

So often a patient will say to me, “I’m not religious, I don’t want any of that.”  

By assuring them that I’m here to see them (not their religion), it opens up a space to talk, for them to be heard and seen and honoured and valued. I then find it hard to get out of the room! 

We don’t have to change for God to love us, we don’t have to be a certain way for God to love us; that deep love is already there. 

A lot of the work I do is also with the staff. Being there day in, day out, I get to develop that trust, that relationship. When there’s a crisis, the staff will come and find me. 

It matters that there is somebody who knows them, who knows what they do, who sees what they do, who knows what it costs them. Having someone to honour that is tremendously powerful. 

“With” is the most powerful word in pastoral care; we are “with” as God is with us. 

The Reverend Sam Lo. Picture: Elspeth Kerneone

What is your dream for this ministry? 

My dream would be to continue the work of spiritual care at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne.  

In addition, I have a background in ministry to people with dementia. One of my dreams is to encourage and equip clergy and laity in this area. There’s about 400,000 people in Australia living with dementia.  

Within the next 20-25 years that number is set to double. That’s 800,000 people who will find it difficult to connect into a church simply because of their illness. Churches are not set up for people with dementia. We’re often not comfortable around people with dementia. 

Even going into an aged care home can be such a daunting prospect. How do you minister to someone who’s not going to remember you were there? What’s the value of ministry if that visit is going to be forgotten the minute you walk out the door? 

Speaking publicly about this has been really well-received. I’ve heard of clergy and laity growing in confidence and being inspired. I’d love to be able to put it into book form, to develop some resources. 

Read more: ‘Green light’ to scout hospital chaplaincy ideas lifts outlook

What’s one thing you’d like Christians in Melbourne to know about your work? 

Please pray for us. Following the call to minister to those who are sick and dying is not always easy. It is an amazing job to do, as we see God’s healing at work (very different to curing) each and every day as we take a tangible expression of God’s loving presence onto the wards. The work may be by its very nature done quietly, but is of immeasurable value as we follow the lead of Christ who tended the sick and dying with great compassion and no judgement. It brings me right back to reflecting what an enormous privilege it is to minister to those in hospital. 

This story forms part of a profile series on ministry workers taking part in God’s work in the world. If you know of someone with an encouraging story, let us know at tma@melbourneanglican.org.au. 

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