We have Changed our Email Address
Hello Everyone,
In order to keep our website update we no longer are able to use America Online. We have switched over to Google. I thankyou for your patience as we go through this transition.
Our new email address is: guildbjlabre@gmail.com
Thank you for all of your support.
Timothy Hughes Duff-
Guild of St Benedict Joseph Labre
About the Co-Founder/Guardian
Timothy Duff, STM, MA Cert. RCHL- ERD and BCC
Co-Founder/ Guardian President Guild of St. Benedict Joseph Labre
As a young chaplain in 2001, I was completing my training at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, Connecticut. Soon after, the 911 tragedy occurred. I was assigned to support patients from New York City and who were directly impacted by the disaster: either they had been in NYC or had lost a loved one from the tragedy at Ground Zero. This began my ministry journey and led me to become a staff chaplain, Director of Spiritual Care, Bereavement Coordinator, Pastoral Mentor and Educator in several healthcare settings.
I have also worked as a mental health family specialist, assigned to those families who had a loved one on hospice while having someone with mental illness in the family. My life experience has empowered me to work on both inpatient psychiatric care units and in the community offering spiritual support groups.
Apostolate's Development
The inspiration to establish the Guild of St. Benedict Joseph Labre came to me when I was enrolled in the seminary. One night, in a holy hour, my life experiences about my family and my oldest brother Scott, in particular, flashed before me all at once and I felt in my heart God was telling me to do something to help those with mental illness. (You can read our story on this site.) I told God there was only one man who would understand what I wanted to do and that was (the late) Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, FFR. The next morning, at breakfast with my fellow seminarians, we were told that Fr. Groeschel was coming to our seminary to host a retreat. Yes, God surprises us! My twenty-year friendship with Father Groeschel would bring me many gifts of holiness and many answers to prayers, particularly for my brother Scott. We would meet at least three times a year over that time to discuss and receive guidance about this Apostolate. For more information about Fr. Benedict Groeschel see: http://franciscanfriars.com/father-benedict/. Over the years since 1996 when the Guild was founded, many travels and pilgrimages took place the Guild. Someday I hope to publish stories of our travels.
Personal
While most of you know about my oldest brother Scott, whose life and cause brought about this Guild, there is much more to my family's story. I am the youngest of six children, with three other siblings who struggle with one or another diagnosis of mental illness, ranging from Schizophrenia, to Schizo-Affective Disorder, Mood Disorders, PTSD, Depression, and Psychosis. Through God's grace and mercy, I have kept well all of my life, but I have made my life's mission to assist my siblings in every way possible. This includes daily contact, escorting them to medical appointments, ordering food and clothing for them, and loving them deeply. It is because of their struggles I wish to support others and remain grateful for the gifts that God has given me.
While I was convinced my destiny was to serve Our Lord as a priest, Providence had other plans! I am happily married to my wife Theresa, and just recently, we adopted our two beautiful daughters. God is Good!
Experience
Director of Spiritual Care and Coordinator of Spiritual Services
BCC - Board Certified Chaplain - in the National Association (NACC)
ERD - Certified in the Ethical and Religious Directives of Catholic Healthcare (National Catholic Bioethics Center)
Pastoral Educator in the Archdiocese of Boston for grief and bereavement
Bereavement Coordinator for Hospice
Hospice and Palliative care Support
Spiritual Specialist for both Inpatient and Community psychiatric
Pastoral Mentor for seminarians and pastoral visitors
Chaplain for Disaster Relief and Support
Training and Education
Master's Certificate in Catholic Healthcare Leadership (on-line program) - St. Joseph's College, Standish, ME
Year-Long study in the Ethical and Religious Directives in Catholic Healthcare- National Catholic Bioethics Center, Philadelphia, PA
Year-long Residency in Clinical Pastoral Educator (CPE)
STM- Sacred Theology Masters- Holy Apostles Seminary