St. Francis Medical Center, in Lynwood, is of course named after St. Francis of Assisi, whose primary calling and mission was to serve the poor. In keeping with the purpose, St. Francis Medical Center has faithfully served the poor Angelinos, not only the model citizens but also the troubled ones. One such man who was admitted for gun-shot wound was Cesar Galan, who’s recently featured in LA Times.

Cesar grew up in Artesia, got involved in gang life, but something happened twenty-four years ago: he and his brother were shot by a man who was just released from prison. He survived the gunshot, but his brother didn’t. As a result of the gunshot, he is paralyzed from the chest down. It was while he was in the hospital, he met Chaplain Hirbe who ministered to him. After he was released, Hirbe continued to visit him, and later enrolled him in a chaplain’s trainee program at St. Francis. Cesar began attending Mass and reading the Bible, and in the end, felt called to be a priest. Seven years later, he was ordained a priest, and his assignment was St. Francis Hospital.

That’s what Christian ministry should be. It’s not just saving the soul but also saving mind and body. It is not only caring about whether one will go to heaven but also caring about whether one will be able to go to school or to work or to get the help they need. It’s through Chaplain Hirbe that Cesar became the man that he is. It’s from him that Cesar learned about the grace of God, the lesson that he now shares with those he serves, “The only sin that can’t be forgiven is a sin that you’re not sorry for.” Grace always comes to a sorry heart.

On his wheelchair Father Cesar visits patients who upon seeing his condition tend to open to him. He understands, not only because he was once there in the same ICU, but also because he was once there, lying in his own blood, but later cleansed by Jesus’ blood.

Pastor Paul