COMPASSION FATIGUE

𝐡𝑦 π‘€π‘–π‘˜π‘’ π‘†π‘Žπ‘›π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘§

This is one of our topics in our 2026 Servants’ Retreat just this weekend in Tagaytay.

Compassion fatigue is a state of psychological exhaustion resulting from prolonged caregiving or exposure to other people’s trauma or big problems. This is common in helping profession.

Symptoms can include detachment, cynicism, and exhaustion. This can lead to a reduced capacity for empathy, or compassion.

Many of Wednesday Feast servants have β€˜high’ compassion fatigue, based on the test conducted by Father Atong De Guzman, a psychologist and expert in the field of psycho-spirituality.

One could assume such β€œbad” test results are β€œnormal”, since many of our servants are exposed to other people’s problems as part of what we signed-up for in our mission.

But I witnessed something else that day.

One of our servants was rushed to the hospital after vomiting for many hours. The servants in the photo brought our sick brother to the hospital, called his relatives, did not leave his side until all test results were out, and ensured that there’s enough money to pay for an ambulance that will bring him to a Makati hospital.

Yes, compassion fatigue exhausted us. But the love of God enables us to do the impossible and the abnormal.

While science points to a reduced compassion, God gave us the grace needed to stick together, to be hopeful, find extra strength to help, and to carry someone else’s cross– even when we’re carrying one ourselves.

Love won over compassion fatigue this time.

“… π‘‘β„Žπ‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ β„Žπ‘œπ‘π‘’ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ πΏπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘’π‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ π‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘”π‘‘β„Ž. π‘‡β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 π‘ π‘œπ‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘œπ‘› 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 π‘™π‘–π‘˜π‘’ π‘’π‘Žπ‘”π‘™π‘’π‘ ; π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘› π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘€ π‘€π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘¦, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 π‘€π‘Žπ‘™π‘˜ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ 𝑏𝑒 π‘“π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘‘.” πΌπ‘ π‘Žπ‘–π‘Žβ„Ž 40:31

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PS: In case you’re diagnosed with compassion fatigue, seek a support system: a professional counseling, peer and community support, and training to cope with trauma exposure.