Pastoral Care

Our Center for Spiritual Care department includes trained and certified chaplains of a variety of denominations. Chaplains will visit you within 24 hours of your admission to the hospital. With your permission, chaplains will notify your church or other place of worship of your admission to the hospital. Chaplains are trained professionals, and understand the deep concerns that may occur during a hospital stay. They are ready to assist patients and families with:

• Working through fears, anxieties and loneliness, and turn hospitalization into a time of renewal, healing and new perspectives
• Meeting your spiritual needs as part of your healing process
• Contacting your minister or faith group leader as needed
• Dealing with difficult decisions regarding end of life and other ethical issues
• Completing Advance Directives (Health Care Representative, Living Will, Life-prolonging documents)

Chaplains are available 24 hours, 7days per week. Patients and family members are welcome to invite their priest, minister or rabbi to visit at any time.

Locations and Contact Numbers

There are two locations:

• Saint John’s Chapel: Adjacent to the main lobby, Medical Center
• Center for Spiritual Care Offices: Located on 2 North

From 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m: (765) 646-8182
All other times: (765) 649-2511. Ask the hospital operator to page the chaplain on call.

Services

Mass

Mass is celebrated on a weekly basis at 11:30 a.m. Check the schedule posted outside the Chapel for specific dates or call (765) 646-8182 for Mass dates.

Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation

Local Catholic Priests are available for the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation as requested. (We do not have a Catholic priest on staff.)

Holy Communion

Holy Communion is provided daily by Eucharistic Ministers to Roman Catholic patients and family members. Holy Communion for other faith groups is available upon request.

Staff

Staff member positions of the Center for Spiritual Care include:

• Director
• Secretary
• Staff chaplains, associate chaplains and volunteer chaplains
• Volunteer Eucharist Ministers

Staff members are:

• Director, Jerry Butt, M.Div., B.C.C.
• Chaplain, G. Michael Jones, M.Div., B.C.C.
• Chaplain, Sister Dolores M. Rathnow, csc
• Chaplain, Sister Sarah Schmitt, csc, M.Div., B.C.C.
• Administrative Assistant, Myra Hankins

Programs

Our programs include:

• Clinical Pastoral Education: St.Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital is an Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (Atlanta, Ga.) satellite of St.Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis' CPE program. Contact (765) 646-8182 for more information.
• Ministers of Care Training Program: The Center for Spiritual Care offers a 35-hour (10 week) program designed to equip committed persons who desire to be a spiritual presence to others. Contact (765) 646-8182 for program schedule, a brochure and an application.