As a hospital chaplain during the most intense months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Father Radu Titonea witnessed firsthand the fragility and preciousness of human life, and the need for love, acceptance, and human connection amid death and dying.
FR. RADU, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?
I was born in the most beautiful town of Romania called Sibiu. I attended both the high school seminary and the theological seminary in Blaj. I came to the United States in January of 2007 and served as a secretary until October of 2009, when I was ordained as priest of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy. At first, I served St. Mary Romanian Catholic Mission in Queens, N.Y., and also became a chaplain in 2010 at the Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital.
WHAT PROMPTED YOUR VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? WHAT WERE THE SIGNS THAT GOD WAS CALLING YOU?
I would say that the signs for a priestly vocation came for me early in my childhood. As an example, I remember being so proud to stay every Sunday in the special chair with my grandfather, who was a cantor in the village church. I also remember that each year when the priest came to bless the houses after Theophany, I would ask my grandmother to give me the blessed water that he left for us so that I could bless the animals in the yard. I would do this for about two or three months almost every day chanting the troparion of the feast of “Baptism of Christ.”
IN ADDITION TO BEING A PARISH PRIEST, YOU ARE A HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN. FOR MANY, THIS ROLE CAN SOUND RATHER AMBIGUOUS. WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO IN THIS ROLE?
I consider the role of the chaplain in the hospital as a fulfillment of my priesthood, at least for me. As a chaplain of the hospital, I minister to people of many different faiths. I give them spiritual support in their crisis, meeting them where they are in their faith, not imposing my beliefs but rather emphasizing the relationship with the Creator. I help them make the connection to God. By doing so, I help them feel more positive and more accepting of what they need to go through in their illness or recovery.
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS RADICALLY CHANGED OUR LIVES. HOW DID YOU FACE THIS NEW SITUATION IN YOUR OWN MINISTRIES?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have ministered in the hospital almost every single day. At the peak of the crisis, I was there for about an entire month. My focus was always shifting. My first priority was not only our patients, but also the support for the staff who were having a very difficult time dealing with the crisis and the patients for whom they had to care. They needed to see me each day in order for them to have hope. I reminded them that even if they gave 120 percent every single day, many patients will still die, but that was not their fault. We had group prayers with different departments. I counseled them individually. I tried to be there when they lost a patient or someone that they loved from the family or our staff. At the same time, I always tried to call the parishioners to make sure that they were OK. I have emailed them often to keep them informed. I started immediately to have the Divine Liturgy online on Sundays and holy days, plus services during Holy Week, so they can stay connected to their church and our faith. At home, I had the support of my wife, Adina, who, though scared, has tried her best to be there for me.
I learned that life is very precious, and we need to be kind to each other and build a legacy of love and caring because that can truly change the world.
Fr. Radu Titonea
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING PART DURING THESE PAST FEW MONTHS?
The most challenging part for me was to see people dying without their family and loved ones able to be around. Also, it was difficult to see young people with small children at home, dying from COVID, and at the same time losing some staff members that I knew.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?
I learned that life is very precious, and we need to be kind to each other and build a legacy of love and caring because that can truly change the world.
WHERE DO YOU FIND GOD IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE?
In my daily routine, I try to look for God in every person that I encounter. Being all sons and daughters of God and having the seal of the Holy Spirit in us, I believe you can find God in the people that you meet. We all need to search for Him in the crown jewel of His creation – each other.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH GOD IN GENERAL?
I connect with God though personal prayer and good deeds for others. When you do good deeds, you can find God in the other person, or, better than that, you can find God in yourself.
HOW DO YOU COME TO TERMS WITH THE SICK AND DYING? HOW DOES ONE COME TO TERMS WITH ONE’S OWN MORTALITY?
I don’t think I ever came to terms with seeing so many deaths in such a short time, but I know and have faith that God is in control of that. It might not seem like a logical answer, but faith is definitely the answer that comforts me somewhat. I am still mourning the losses we had.
WHAT DO YOU THINK GOD IS CALLING US TO BE/TO DO AS INDIVIDUALS, AS A COMMUNITY, AND AS A CHURCH?
God is calling us individually to try hard to be a more united family, to love each other more, to care more about each other, and to be more supportive of each other. As Christians, following the example of our Lord and Savior, we have a duty to do so.
Interview by Raul Botha