“I’ve come to believe that all people are spiritual, whether they’re religious or not,” he says. “Even somebody who’s an atheist, I think they still have this desire to find meaning and purpose in life. So people are searching for the meaning of a particular event when they are in crisis. That’s a big part of faith. That’s what makes us human.”

Joe has found inspiration from the biblical book of Job, in which Job cries out to God after his life is struck by tragedy.

“Everyone’s familiar with that first chapter where Job has a religious response to his suffering,” Joe says. “But basically the next 30 chapters are lament and complaint. As chaplains we are not here to give a positive spin on everything; we sit with people in their grief.”

Today he serves not just patients and families, but also hospital staff members.

“The language of warfare is often employed in healthcare,” he says. “A pandemic is a type of war. COVID-19 is the enemy. The medical team are the frontline warriors. I am here to support them.”

Read more at clarkmemorial.org.