Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

224strangers. They put us uncomfortably in touch with the strangeness withinourselves. “Others become scapegoats, concocted from our own shadows asrepositories for our sins and weaknesses so we can relish the illusion of oursinlessness and strength.” 573 Thus, it can be argued that the staff may beexcluding Sally because through her vulnerability and frailty she challenges theillusion of their human infallibility.Social historian Susan Schweik speaks of identity as relational and of howforms of publicly-constructed group identities of people based on control andregulation can lead to victimhood and social exclusion. 574 It can well be arguedthat the exercising of detached institutional relationship with those for whom theinstitution bears responsibility, as well as regulations designed for mass control,serve to victimise and exclude the likes of Sally from the possibility of mutuallyenrichingand respectful relationship that can begin with the acknowledgement ofa person’s name.This simple incident provokes issues for me. It speaks of the worth that isafforded us when someone can actually call us by name. Conversely, it offers aglimpse into what it is like to not be known by those who occupy a space close toyou and how that serves to describe the nature of the space into which you andthe other are engaged in relationship. It thus points to the sense of relationship ordisconnection between people as defined by those who manage that lived context.As a pastoral carer I am challenged as to the nature of the relationships Iseek to develop and maintain. I need to bridge the disconnections that existbetween staff and those for whom the institution bears responsibility. However, Imust also seek to build pastoral relationships that have full regard for them aswhole human beings, offering a measure of liberation from the impersonal andregulatory nature of institutional routine.I must also look to myself and address the issue concerning what more Icould have done amidst the immediacy of the situation I’ve described. How couldI have shown identification with and care for Sally? How could I have bestresponded to her need to be known and have her concerns met during that brief,shared moment? As Christ shows identification with the poor amidst the573 Volf, Exclusion and Embrace,78.574 Schweik, The Ugly Laws, 290.