Some of the most dedicated people in CNEWA’s world are those who work with the handicapped — and one heroic figure we’ve come to know over the years is Sister Katharina Fuchs, of the Daughters of Charity.
We first profiled her in our magazine 20 years ago:
“We try to give good care to the children,” explains Sister Katharina Fuch, D.C. “We try to assure good health and good food. We try to make life as agreeable for them as we can. We try to find what each child likes — music, play, laughter, television, radio, video. We want these children to feel good.”
The children are some 60 severely mentally and physically handicapped boys and girls, aged from newborn to 16 years. The place is the Maison du Sacre Coeur — the House of the Sacred Heart — in the Israeli port city of Haifa. The care-givers are Sister Katharina, three other sisters, a number of local specialists and other staff.
Sister Katharina is the Austrian-born superior of the House of the Sacred Heart, established by the Daughters of Charity, the religious community founded in France by St. Vincent de Paul.
In addition to caring for the resident children, the sisters also maintain a day-care center with 240 children, assuring working mothers that their children are well cared for during the workday.
A few years ago, CNEWA’s president, Msgr. John E. Kozar, paid a visit to Maison du Sacre Coeur:
This is a cherished Catholic institution that serves the needs of specially challenged children of all ages — even up to their early 20’s… I was particularly moved while watching the level of care with which some physical therapists worked, massaging the muscles of these special needs kids. Through a delicate series of respiratory heaves and hos, they were able to extract from them the desired cough that would help to clear their lungs.
I asked one what this hard work meant to him, and his reply was: “I know each one of these children and their needs. I know when they are sick and when they are happy. I love them as I love my family.” I know where they get that loving family feeling — from the sisters.
The sisters have also opened a kindergarten for almost 200 children. This has endeared the sisters ever more to the community, as they welcome children from Christian, Jewish and Muslim homes. Love is the common bond here and these youngsters have a real head start in learning how love can conquer many ills — even war and social injustices.
Recently, we asked Sister Katharina what she found most rewarding about her work. She replied:
To serve the poor, the sick, and vulnerable and those who need help in any way. The handicapped are on the top of this long list, nevertheless from whichever society, social background or political ideology they come from.
Moreover, to work in the Holy Land gives us the opportunity to be in contact with all kinds of people living here. Jews, Muslims, Druze, Christians etc. can live and work together for the same goal: to provide good care and quality of life for all. Here, we can give testimony of the love of God for the poor, and to engage in interfaith dialogue.
It is a testimony she never tires of giving:
“I think our house is necessary,” Sister Katharina explains, “as this care doesn’t exist in many other places in Israel. In other places mentally and physically handicapped children just sit in chairs all day. These children need love and affection.”
“Maybe they’ll never get better, but as long as they live it’s important that they are as happy as they can be.”