In this episode of OPTalks, spiritual care counselor Rev. David Ramos shares his experiences providing pastoral and chaplaincy support at VNS Health (formerly Visiting Nurse Services) during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.

Hosted by Marta Lucía Vargas, managing editor of HTI Open Plaza, this conversation explores the challenges pastors and chaplains faced as they navigated trauma, fear, and grief in a time of widespread illness, political unrest, and social upheaval. Rev. Ramos discusses the emotional and theological dilemmas that emerged as communities grappled with mortality and the role of spiritual care counselors in offering holistic support, particularly in end-of-life settings.

The episode also examines the impact of triumphalist theology on pastoral work and how faith leaders were forced to reconcile their beliefs with the realities of suffering and death.

“The pandemic’s a host of a lot of different things. You know, we’re talking about the heels of the George Floyd protests, there’s a lot of political chaos that is happening during that season of people who have been traumatized by social upheaval as well as death. Interestingly enough, what happens to many pastors—some of the pastors were bred within a triumphalist theology… and now they’re dealing with death, death and dying, at untold levels that we are still trying to wrap ourselves around.” – Rev. David Ramos

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.