BOROUGH PARK — Churches aren’t hospitals and priests aren’t doctors, but Kenneth Gibbs, president and CEO of Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park, said religious institutions play a vital role in health care, particularly with mental health.
“At this point in time where our society is in such tremendous transition, our religious institutions are a critical part of the wellness of our communities,” Gibbs said.
There is evidence to back up that assertion. A 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center found that people who regularly attend religious services reported higher levels of happiness than those who don’t go to church.
That recognition of the Church’s role in the health of a community is part of the reason behind the “Celebration of Light,” an annual program in which Maimonides Medical Center donates funds to churches in the diocese to help them pay for Christmas decorations.
On Dec. 2, pastors and representatives from various churches gathered in the medical center’s boardroom for a luncheon where they each received a $1,000 check from Gibbs. This year, Maimonides Medical Center donated funds to 45 churches, the vast majority of which were Catholic.
Many of the church leaders said they plan to use the funds to purchase Christmas trees and decorate them with colorful, twinkling lights that will delight their parishioners and neighborhood residents, and bring people closer to the spirit of the Christmas season.
Father Michael Lynch, pastor of St. Athanasius – St. Dominic Parish in Bensonhurst, said he was grateful for the donation.
“It’s an amazing way for us to be able to spread the spirit of Christmas. It’s an amazing piece for us to be able to light up the night for folks who are looking for a little bit of hope in the darkness, and also looking for the warmth of Christ’s love,” Father Lynch said shortly after Gibbs handed him a check.
“We’re huge believers that social fabric and faith are critical components of wellness,” Gibbs said.
“And so, our religious communities and those who are faithful are part of the fabric and add to the strength of society. And that creates wellness.”
