Claudia Mathis
Staff writer

   On May 4, John Michael Talbot, recognized as Catholic music’s most popular artist whose compositions have been published in hymnals throughout the world, will perform at Franciscan Church of the Assumption in Syracuse. The performance is sure to inspire and renew the faith of those who attend. The contemporary Christian music concert will feature peaceful, meditative music.

   Talbot is looking forward to his visit to Syracuse and believes that he will enrich people’s faith. “It’s such a blessing to do this,” said Talbot. “My biggest goal is to bring faith, hope and love to faithful Catholic Americans at a time when they are discouraged because of political and economic polarization.”   

   Talbot is one of the pioneering artists of contemporary Christian music, performing for the last 37 years in the ministry. His 53rd album, Worship and Bow Down, is his latest work. A respected author, Talbot published his 24th book, Blessings of St. Benedict, in September 2011.

Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital offers heart patients support

By Katherine Long
Sun associate editor

   The intensive care unit is not high on the list of places most people want to find themselves. Bob Burns, however, was thrilled to wake up there following his open heart surgery three years ago.

   “The greatest feeling in the world was when I opened my eyes in the ICU,” a smiling Burns said recently.

   At 52, Burns was diagnosed with hereditary aortic stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve does not open or close completely. After monitoring his condition for about 8 years, Burns’ doctor determined a large aneurysm was growing on his aorta. The valve needed to be replaced. Within three weeks Burns was being wheeled into the operating room at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center.

   Today, Burns, a parishioner at Pope John XXIII Church in Liverpool, has recovered and is sharing his experience with other heart patients as the president and visiting chair of the Syracuse chapter of The Mended Hearts, Inc., a patient-to-patient support program recently reinvigorated at St. Joe’s.

   Mended Hearts is a national nonprofit organization with nearly 18,000 members, all recovered heart patients or their family members, in 300 chapters across the U.S. and Canada. The chapters partner with some 450 hospitals and cardiac care facilities to offer support to current heart patients and their families through in-person visits, phone or internet support and support groups. Accredited Mended Hearts volunteers are trained on patient interaction techniques and health facility protocols and are reaccredited on a yearly basis.

   St. Joe’s has had a heart patient visiting program for many years, of which Mended Hearts volunteers were a part, but over time the pool of appropriately trained and accredited visitors waned, said Leslie Holmberg, MSRN, director of the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program at St. Joe’s. As a recovered heart patient and active hospital volunteer with many years of director-level experience in the business world, Burns was the perfect candidate for her to ask to look into revitalizing the program at St. Joe’s.

   “I reviewed the [Mended Hearts] materials and was extremely impressed with the level of professionalism and the attention to training,” Burns said. “I also liked that when heart patients leave St. Joe’s, they’d be connected to a national organization where they could obtain additional information and ongoing support by logging on [to the organization’s website] or going to a meeting or through our mailing list.”