Jim Miles instills social justice into health care role

Christ the King parishioner works to help poor patients without medical insurance

By Zita Taitano
Little Rock Correspondent

Name: Jim Miles

Parish: Christ the King Church

City: Little Rock

Age: 70

Family: wife Patricia; two children, Barbara and Steven; and six grandchildren

Why you want to know about Jim: About 25 years ago, Jim converted to the Catholic faith. Jim has been involved with his parish as a men’s group leader and lector. Additionally, he instills his faith in his company Covenant Medical Benefits in Jonesboro and looks forward every day to helping others.

In his own words:

Arkansas Catholic’s theme this year is “Tools for Discipleship” Are there any religious items or tools that you rely on a regular basis to inspire you?

All our married life, Patricia has said I should have more male friends and now I’m in a men’s prayer group and we meet on Tuesday at 6 a.m. That is wonderful and then we also have Men of Faith; it’s men of the church who meet 6 o’clock Friday morning. There are about 75 men there every Friday morning. I like the adoration hour. Our church has adoration 24 hours seven days a week. My hours are 5 o’clock on Tuesday morning and I try not to leave Little Rock until after that. I would say right now those are the three things that are important to me. It’s just a power thing to know there are seven other guys that pray for you. I really like the prayer traditions of the Catholic Church. Aside from the Mass, my prayer groups are the important thing and followed closely by the adoration hour.

Do you like being Catholic?

Very much. I like having bishops, and I like having a pope. I think the tradition of the real presence of Jesus. The Mass calms me no matter what is going on with me when the priest consecrates the host. It’s all peace for me. If I can get to Mass, I’m in peace. I like the concept of tradition. The Catholic Church is very scholarly. They take things very seriously.

Is there a Scripture that inspires you or do you have a saint that inspires you?

The history of the early Church. I really enjoy reading how our Church was formed.

How does your work fall in line with your faith?

We help people who come into hospitals without health insurance and establish some sort of coverage. We’re not a collector. It’s a social justice because we are dealing with people who usually have marginal health, have very limited income and they have worked all of their lives and they all of sudden have an onset of illness or accident and they can’t go back to work. They have no money to pay their bills or insurance.

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