"I Am With You Always" Catholic Healthcare Conversations for Nurses

We invited all Parish Nurses, Registered, Catholic Nurses, and those in Health Ministry to join us for Nurse's Week in the Jubilee Year of Hope. Come learn and reflect on the Catholic end-of-life healthcare choices that promote dignity and true Hope. Nursing contact hours will be provided.

Participants will leave with tools and resources to have more educated, informed, and meaningful end-of-life conversations while recognizing morally acceptable treatments of care. Receive an understanding of the differences between assisted suicide, euthanasia, ordinary and extraordinary means of healthcare, and the Catholic views on these choices.

Participants must sign-in at the beginning of the day, attend the entire activity, and participate in learning activities to earn 4.5 nursing contact hours.

Henry Ford Health is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

By the end of the conference, participants will be able to:

1. Describe what an advocate is.
2. Describe the importance of designating a healthcare proxy.
3. Identify the legal requirements for an advance directive to be valid in Michigan.
4. Describe the Catholic views on healthcare choices.
5. Describe the differences between assisted suicide, euthanasia, ordinary, and extraordinary means of healthcare.

8-8:30a- Check-in, light breakfast

8:30-8:45-Welcome, Review Objectives for the Day, and Introductions

8:45-9:45- Opening Prayer and Presentation 1: “Moral Theology and Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Care”-Fr. Peter Ryan

>>>>9:45-10:00- BREAK<<<<

10:00-11:00- Presentation 2: “All About Advance Directives”- Shawn Bennis

11:00-11:45- LUNCH- Fr. Ryan lead in blessing of food

11:45-1:45- Presentation 3, Table Discussion, Q&A: “Catholic Living and End-of-Life Decision Making”- Fr. Peter Ryan

1:45-2:00- Wrap-up, Evaluations, and pick-up CE certificates

*All are welcome to stay for Mass with a special blessing by Fr. Ryan.

2:15- Mass (in Chapel) will begin with Fr. Ryan presiding

Rev. Peter F. Ryan, S.J.

Fr. Ryan holds the Blessed Michael J. McGivney Chair in Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, where he teaches moral theology and eschatology and gives spiritual direction. He is also the chaplain of Courage Detroit.

A priest of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Ryan was ordained in 1987 and holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He previously served as Executive Director of the Secretariat of Doctrine and Canonical Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

His work has been published in a variety of journals, including Gregorianum, Theological Studies, Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly, and National Catholic Bioethical Quarterly, on such topics as the indissolubility of marriage, contraception, embryo adoption, discernment, and the relationship between moral action and ultimate human fulfillment. He is presently working on a book on the theology of heaven and hell and its significance for the new evangelization.

Shawn Bennis, MSN, R.N.
Faith Community Nurse Manager, Faith Community Nursing Network, Henry Ford Health

Shawn has served as the lead faith community nurse for Guardian Angels Catholic Church Health Ministry in Clawson since 2015. She works as manager for the faith community nursing network at Henry Ford Health. In this role, she supports and organizes continuing educational activities for parish nurses and health ministries in Macomb and Oakland counties. During her 25 years as a registered nurse, she has diverse experience working with people across the lifespan and within the community. She is a member of the InterFaith Leadership Council's Interfaith Health and Equity Partnership. In this role, she helps coordinate a panel of speakers to educate palliative and hospice physicians focused on end-of-life concerns across multiple faith beliefs. She has received additional training in health coaching and advance care planning, where she has provided hundreds of presentations on the importance of advance directives to people across the United States.

Among Shawn's accomplishments in her career include being a contributing author for a book chapter, acting as a principal investigator for nursing research, appearing in TV news stories, and writing health-related blog posts. Shawn has an associate degree in nursing from Macomb Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Detroit Mercy, and a Master of Science in nursing from Wayne State University. She is a recipient of the Oakland University Nightingale Award for Nursing Excellence in the Community and the Henry Ford Health Clara Ford Award for Excellence in Nursing Quality. In 2021, Shawn was part of a team recognized by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare with the National Compassion Caregivers of the Year Award.

Shawn is a devoted wife to her husband Scott of over 15 years, and a busy mom to her son, Joshua. In her free time, she enjoys road trips and staying active with CrossFit and bike riding. Her favorite Bible verse is from Philippians: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

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