NEC 2024 Interview with Fr. Patrick Nwokeogu

0:10Good morning. I'm Michelle from Divine Mercy University and alumni relations, and I have the joy of introducing you today to Patrick Wankanogo. Thank you. That's I almost got it pronounced right. He's a wonderful graduate who is currently in Indianapolis, Indiana working in the health system, and I'm gonna be talking to him and asking him some questions to share his journey to share with all of you. So father, tell us a little bit about what you're doing in your current role and how you're using your degree. That's a great start. So, thank you, Michelle, for the opportunity. And so, again, my name is father Patrick Mwoke Ogo. And currently, I am serving as a priest chaplain, with Indiana University Health.

1:02And, so we have three big hospitals in the downtown area of Indianapolis, Methodist Hospital, University Hospital, and Riley Hospital for Children. So I am primarily assigned to Methodist Hospital, but I also extend my service to university and Riley as needed. So like I said, my role is a Catholic priest, taking care of Catholic patients, but my role also extends to people from every walks of life, every faith background, or even no religious affiliation. So we take care of all all of that populate the hospital population. And, so you're asking me how I'm changing the world. So, I remember, Mahatma Gandhi that says, you must be the change you want to see in the world. So I am changing the world by, beginning with myself.

2:13You know? They say charity begins at home. So trying to change myself, improve myself, transform myself, and it was this goal that led me to DMU to further my education and to acquire skills, that will enable me to change the world around me. So I started with me. And since then, coming out of DMU, I've also gained some other trainings, like leadership training, which also, is an offshoot of what I got from DMU. So, like, they asked me, what kind of a leader would you like to be? And I said, I want to be a servant leader. Jesus says, whoever wants to be the head must be the servant of all. So that's my style of leadership, servant, leadership. So you cannot give what you don't have. So I have to, change myself.

3:14Then going out, I take it one person at a time, one patient at a time, one staff member at a time, one encounter at a time. And I am intentional when I am with anybody, with any patient because I want it to be a unique experience. I want, my patients or the staff that I'm attending to to have a test of goodness after the encounter. So that's how I'm changing the world starting from where I am and extending it to other people and one person, one patient, one encounter at a time. What a wonderful philosophy. And I know hospitals do practice that servant leadership role, and it it just catches on fire, doesn't it? Yes. It really does. Uh-huh. So I know you told me already that answered this question about what attracted you to Divine Mercy University.

4:14But when you talk to people and you think about your education there, what are kind of the three top takeaways that you share that have really helped you grow as a priest? Takeaways, Divine Mercy University, sort of empowered me and to trust Present like castle. In me. Well Of course, trust in God. In the sense of letting me know that there is something I can bring to the world around me. So that's one of the focus of Divine Mercy University is to train people and equip people to bring their skills to our environment. So that's one of those things. But the major takeaway from DMU is the emphasis on the human person created in the image and likeness of God, created for flourishing. So, everything revolves around this basic theology of the dignity of the human person.

5:32So it has really impacted my ministry as a hospital chaplain that when I am with a patient, irrespective of whatever is going on, it's not a disease model. I'm looking at the person there, not the disease. I am attending to a human being. So that's the major takeaway from Divine Mercy University. Fantastic. Give me I'm gonna do a question that's not really on my script, and you were with a very unique cohort. The master's in psychology students don't really see one another until they physically graduate. Tell me what those ties were that kept you all so close and so many of you finished that entire degree together in the same cohort. Can you share that with us? Oh, sure. Like you said, I I am very grateful to my cohort.

6:24Let me say it. Without my cohort, I wouldn't have finished with the program. They were we formed a bond of unity, of support to one another. I remember many times I struggle with assignments, not knowing where to start, where how to begin, what is required. And we have this platform on WhatsApp where you can reach out. I say, hey, guys. I'm struggling. And now somebody will reach out immediately. Hey, father. Look at you know, this is how I approach it. This is how I did it. So we were our brother's keeper. We helped each other. We supported each other, and we have kept it going since then. So it's a very unique cohort, and I'm really grateful to be part of this group. What a great Thank you.

7:16I thank you so much of your gift of time today and sharing your journey with Divine Mercy University. Is anything else you'd like to say that I didn't ask? So well, it's to give a shout out to Divine Mercy University and, particularly to you because I remember that you recruited me. Immediately, I pressed that button. You reached out, like, in the next five minutes. And you were, like, you you talked me into it. You inspired me, you know? And and that quality extends to all the faculty, all the staff of Divine Mercy University. So I'm really grateful. I remember one of our professors, she was traveling. She was traveling in Europe, and and she was teaching us statistics. Do you remember her name?

8:10No problem. Julia. She's now the director of her So Julia was one of my major reasons, support to finish up the program because when it got to statistics, I nearly crashed out and she called me. It was middle of the night in Europe and she called me. I I told me, father Patrick, don't give up. What do you need? What do you want? How can I help you? And she guided me through statistics. So That story is so beautiful because most people coming in, the biggest thing they're afraid of are statistics. Correct. But somehow, doctor Julia turns it into a touchdown. She's just able to help people who struggle through it. So thanks for sharing that story. Sure. Sure. Sure. I'm here, and, again, we appreciate your gift of time and the lovely things you had to say, father.

9:00Thank you. Uh-huh. Thank you.