Chaplaincy

Chaplains are spiritual and pastoral counselors who work with patients and families to access spiritual strength and resources. Chaplains offer care and support when patients and their families search for meaning in the midst of illness and hospitalization. In addition, chaplains can be advocates for families and patients whose traditions, practices and values are important in daily life and decision-making.

Franciscan Children’s chaplains are members of the interdisciplinary team who are professionally trained in spiritual care, counseling, and theology. Our chaplains have graduate degrees and 1600+ hours of clinical training, as well as continuing education.

Chaplains visit patients and families, and make ourselves available to listen, encourage, counsel, and support patients and families as they deal with the difficulties of illness, injury, and hospitalization. We offer a safe, accepting, caring presence and respect each patient and family and their chosen spiritual and/or religious resources.

Chaplaincy support may include:

• Listening
• Comforting
• Spiritual counseling
• Praying
• Meditating
• Discussing ethical questions
• Providing religious literature, and
• Helping families contact particular religious practitioners

As chaplains, we work with people of all backgrounds, and do not:

• Promote a particular religious view.
• Tell persons what they should or should not do.
• Visit a patient with a pre-determined agenda.

Whether you are a patient, family member, friend of the patient or caregiver, chaplains are available to support you by companioning you and providing a nonjudgmental listening presence.
Children and Families

You may want to contact a chaplain if or when:

• You or your family are scared of being in the hospital
• You or your family feel discouraged, lonely or disconnected
• You or your family are far from home and would like support
• You or your family are facing a difficult decision
• You or your family are in spiritual distress/ existential crisis
• You or your family want someone to join you in prayer
• You or your family wish to have a guided meditation or mindfulness practice
• You or your family want to receive sacraments, a blessing or other ritual
• You are adjusting to a new diagnosis, treatment or medical event
• You or your family are waiting for test results/news
• You or your family want to share good news
• You or your family need help connecting to your faith community
• You or your family are grieving a loss

Staff
You may want to contact a chaplain if or when:

• You are having difficulty with the circumstances surrounding a patient’s case
• You would like information on a patient’s religious tradition in order to provide culturally competent care
• You have religious or ethical concerns about the work you perform
• You are dealing with a spiritual issue
• You would like to arrange a memorial service for a colleague who has died

(This section adapted from Spiritual Care at Hartford Hospital)

Our Reflection Room is located on the first floor of the hospital. This space is available for prayer, meditation, and quiet reflection, and includes prayer rugs and spiritual texts. Occasional worship services are held here as well.

Offices of the Department of Spiritual Care are located next door to the Reflection Room.

If you would like to submit a prayer request to the Chaplaincy staff, you may enter a prayer in the Prayer Box, located on the table just inside the Reflection Room (located on the first floor). These requests are held in prayer by the chaplains, and at our worship services. You can also email prayer requests to SpiritualCare@FranciscanChildrens.org.

Chaplains are available Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm, or by appointment. A chaplain is also available 24/7 in emergencies by calling 617-254-3800 and asking for the on-call chaplain.