PAT’S CORNER
Hello Everyone:
Just back from a lovely and educational trip
visiting with our friends in Europe. Wonderful time!
But it's good to be home and catching up with the work
here.  There are many, many things happening in Spain and
Germany which I hope to get to in future articles, but more about
that later.  These are the 3 main highlights of a trip this past February
with a seven member team to Europe.

Hanover Evangelical Hospice
Barcelona Grief Center
Ibiza Retreat: Death & Dying Workshop

We found "change" happening while investigating the progress in
death and dying education in Barcelona and Ibiza, Spain and Cologne
and Hanover, Germany. Something we were pleasantly surprised to find
was that many of the former taboos surrounding  death in
"Catholic" countries are being challenged -- including the obituary
notices, long a bastion of solemn religiousness, and growth in the variety
and number of  "grief clubs" separate from the traditional mourning
process.
     Also, very encouraging to see was the agreement of
some hospitals to establish "lying-in rooms" similar to birthing
chambers where family members can be with their loved one and apart
from the regular hospital routine. We need to strengthen and encourage
participation  of family and friends away from a routinized,
automatic and institutional death.
  As you have no doubt noticed this issue includes Spanish articles
incorporating different cultural and historical context in our
21st Century struggle for a responsible and responsive death.
Congratulations on this the 3rd year of publication.
May each "Great Adventure" be accompanied with gentleness, attention
and the presence of the human spirit.

By the way: be sure to browse by my new
favorite website:  ommanipadmeom.com. What a treat to be able to turn
my computer into a prayer wheel. Be sure to poke around, there's some
hidden nuggets for the curious. -Pat Elizabeth