Rev. Kevin O'Brien, S.J., an award-winning author and executive director of the newsBellarmine program, spoke to students about human dignity and compassionate care.
Twenty-one new nursing students in the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies celebrated entry into clinical practice during a Clinical Initiation Ceremony at newsUniversity’s expansion campus in Austin, Texas. Rev. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., vice provost and executive director of newsBellarmine, traveled to campus for the event to deliver the keynote address.
Although healthcare professionals are traditionally invited to fill the speaking roles at such events, Fr. O’Brien was ideally qualified to address the audience of aspiring nurses and their families and friends.
“As a member of the broader healing profession, Fr. O’Brien understands the value of protecting and promoting human dignity, especially among sick and vulnerable populations,” said Robin Cook, PhD, RNC-OB, program director of the Accelerated Second Degree Nursing (ASNDU) program in Austin. “His insights always support and inspire compassionate care, which is a focus of the nursing curriculum at the Egan School.”
Despite that shared value, Fr. O’Brien’s talk proved even more relevant to students than Dr. Cook had anticipated, for he reflected on his experiences caring for patients in healthcare settings.
One of the experiences that he shared with students took place in the Bronx, where, as a young Jesuit-in-training, he was assigned to a palliative care hospital tending to the physical needs of patients. Perceiving many of his tasks as overly intrusive, Fr. O’Brien was often uncomfortable with the work — that is, until an experienced nursing assistant named Rona noticed his nervousness and gently guided him through his procedures.
Most importantly, he noted, Rona encouraged him not to watch his hands as he delivered interventions but to look into the eyes of the patients. Her advice made all the difference. “As I learned that beautiful skill about effective and compassionate caring, my anxiety diminished,” Fr. O’Brien told students. “I could see on the faces of those patients, many of whom could no longer communicate, the relief I was giving them.”
The experience, he conveyed, brought to life the notion that human dignity can never be diminished, that every human is a child of God and is deserving of care.
Drawing further insight from an experience with patients at Mother Teresa’s Home for the Dying in Kolkata, India, Fr. O’Brien extolled the virtue of promoting human dignity through simple things, like taking temperatures, changing bedding, and bathing and feeding patients. The manner in which even the smallest of tasks are performed, he suggested, honors the dignity of patients and the sanctity of each human life.
“You get to remind us of the best of who we are,” he told the future nurses.
Students and faculty alike were inspired by Fr. O’Brien’s address. First semester ASDNU student Cherish Williams ’26 enjoyed hearing about the parallels between Fr. O’Brien’s work as a priest and the work of nurses, while fellow classmate Peyton Kolb ’26 appreciated his message of service to others. “What really resonated with me,” Kolb said, “was the theme of serving and caring for all persons, regardless of who they are, what they believe, or where they’re from.”
That Fr. O’Brien engaged his audience in meaningful ways is not surprising. The author of two award-winning books, he is a skilled storyteller who often weaves together personal narrative with poetry, art, film, and scripture. His most recent book, , published by Loyola Press in 2023, was awarded first prizes in spirituality by the Association of Catholic Publishers and the Catholic Media Association.
Austin faculty and staff eagerly welcomed Fr. O’Brien back to Austin. Though this was his first keynote address at the campus, he has visited the location several times, meeting with the team to discuss Jesuit mission and higher education. The ongoing conversation has helped create interchange and continuity between campuses.
As executive director of newsBellarmine, Fr. O’Brien understands the importance of creating "One 精东传媒" across multiple locations. It is something he continually strives to establish at his home campus in Bridgeport, Conn. newsBellarmine is an innovative two-year associate’s degree program that seeks to expand access and affordability in Jesuit higher education.
