February 07, 2011
Speak with Josiah Mooney for just a few minutes and you’re
immediately impressed with the strength of his commitment to
service. A “roll up your sleeves and get it done” kind of guy, this
Catholic missionary from Texas doesn’t waste time on long
philosophical discussions about the best way to make a difference
for those in need. He simply goes out and does it.
Mooney
currently serves as Project Administrator/Quality Analyst at
Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics in Tyler, TX where he
has managed the transformation of 21 primary care sites into
Patient-Centered Medical Homes. He also keeps a sharp eye on the
quality of care provided to the patients in these facilities. For
this dedicated professional, healthcare has become his way of
embracing the teachings of St. Vincent de Paul and doing God’s
work.
“I became interested in healthcare issues as a way to help
people who really need it,” he said. “Working directly with
healthcare in my own country, primarily as part of a Catholic
organization, is exactly what I want to do.”
A former football player at St. John’s who earned an
undergraduate degree magna cum laude in Political Science and a
graduate degree on the Rome campus in Government and Dispute
Resolution, Mooney spent more than six years in Peru and Guatamala
with organizations such as the Catholic Relief Services and the San
Lucas Mission.
Never satisfied with the role of an ‘armchair general’, this
energetic and caring individual is the kind of person we’d all want
on our team. While overseas he did everything from helping to plan
and develop local hospitals and elementary schools to assisting
with the relocation of families displaced by hurricane-caused
landslides. He even served as the head of operations and exports
for a local coffee company, greatly increasing its economic
viability and improving the overall socio-economic status for
regional employees.
“It’s the whole concept of going to live with a people, a
culture, establishing relationships with them, learning about them
and learning about the structural injustices that may exist to
negatively impact their lives,” he said. “St. John’s taught
me how to fundamentally approach those issues from the perspective
of the Gospel, taking into consideration Catholic social teachings,
especially those relating to the common good and the dignity of the
individual.”
Mooney’s interest in healthcare was due in part to the example
of the Vincentian community that he acquired during his time at St.
John’s. Once he graduated and went overseas, he quickly understood
that the availability of adequate healthcare was a pressing issue
for many people both at home and abroad. For this true
humanitarian, his ongoing focus on healthcare issues allowed him to
serve the Lord while addressing the very real concerns of those
whose needs are great.
“The values
of St. Vincent and of Catholic social teaching are displayed so
effectively in healthcare and education,” he noted. “For a long
time the Vincentians have been involved with meeting the needs of
people who don’t have insurance or who can’t afford decent medical
care. And they do that in a responsible way that maintains human
dignity. St. John’s taught me the importance of responding to
the needs of those who are marginalized in a very basic and
practical way.”
Recognizing his outstanding commitment to putting St. John’s
mission of service to others into action, the University had
planned to honor Mooney as the youngest recipient of the St.
Vincent de Paul Medal at the Vincentian Convocation on January 27,
2011. The award is given to an outstanding Catholic layman who has
embodied in his life the ideals and values of St. Vincent DePaul.
Although a winter snowstorm caused the postponement of the event,
he will receive his award when the Convocation is rescheduled in
the future.
Genuinely modest about his accomplishments, Mooney credits the
University with inspiring him to embark upon his life as a Catholic
missionary.
“St. John’s opened me up, and studying in Rome really opened me
up,” he said. “If we’re going to make a difference in this world,
we need to ask ourselves how we can merge our careers with our
calling, and figure out how we can integrate our values with our
daily lives. I became involved in healthcare because I wanted to
meet the needs of others through service. That’s really
faith-based, because it’s based on the Gospel, just as Jesus
responded to those people who surround Him with their needs. I love
doing what I do, not only because it’s a worthy career, but really
because it’s the right thing.”