Hospital ministries

[Korbin]

Hello,
I am currently in RCIA and am very happy that I’ve found a home in the catholic church. In my life I’ve spent a lot of time as a patient in the hospital and would like to be a part of a hospital visit group or ministry. I will discuss this with my parish priest and deacon, but in the meantime I was wondering if there is an established ministry for hospital visits. (such as St. Vincent de Paul for the needy.)
Thanks,
Korbin

 

[asia53]

My parish has a ministry called Stephen Ministry. After training, the volunteers visit people in hospitals, hospice. They do other things, as well. In fact, a volunteer went to visit a 92 year old man, just to check on him, for his niece who lives 500 miles away.

Each parish is different. So, it would be best to talk to the priest and the deacon.

 

[tjwdsssc2015]

JMJ

Hi, Korbin! Praise Jesus for your conversion into the Church!

In its core, Pastoral Ministry for the Sick and the Dying is properly for the ordained clergy, for the primary purpose of administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the distribution of Holy Communion, and, when needed, offering the Viaticum (essentially: last Communion). Anointing can only be done by a priest or bishop (thus, also the viaticum when anointing also takes place), while Holy Communion may be distributed by a priest, deacon, or, when neither are able, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (a lay person).

However, this does not prevent lay people from engaging in the corporal work of mercy “visit the sick”; certainly, to do so is encouraged! As asia53 noted, many parishes will have apostolates or committees for visiting infirmed parishioners, and the specifics of these you can find from your pastor.

Some other options include:
–if you’re not married, have you asked God if He wants you to be a priest or religious?
–if you’re married, and particularly if you’re approaching retirement age (generally speaking), have you discerned the possibility of entering the permanent diaconate, to serve the Church as an ordained minister?

One caution I would make: at this point, try to avoid taking a CPE course (Clinical Pastoral Education), unless you are certain it is a good Catholic program. Most CPE courses are strongly Protestant, and many will also edge into New Age and even pagan “spiritualism”. But, for example, a new program was just started at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity called the Catholic Ministry for the Sick and Suffering (CMSSP), which is basically a Catholic take on CPE.

I hope this helps! God bless your mission!

God love you

 

[Korbin]

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut! I appreciate it.

 

[puzzleannie]

Hello,
I am currently in RCIA and am very happy that I’ve found a home in the catholic church. In my life I’ve spent a lot of time as a patient in the hospital and would like to be a part of a hospital visit group or ministry. I will discuss this with my parish priest and deacon, but in the meantime I was wondering if there is an established ministry for hospital visits. (such as St. Vincent de Paul for the needy.)
Thanks,
Korbin

in our parish it is the legion of Mary who do the hospital and nursing home visits. There is also a delegation of communion ministers who take communion to the sick in places where there is no Catholic chaplain. We actually have a diocesan wide training program in place for people who want to undertake either of these ministries. Ask your pastor what is already in place and how you can join. So very glad to hear you express this wish. Getting involved in a ministry or apostolate of the parish is the best way to insure new Catholic stay active in Parish life and nourish their new found faith.

 

[zab]

in our parish it is the legion of Mary who do the hospital and nursing home visits. There is also a delegation of communion ministers who take communion to the sick in places where there is no Catholic chaplain. We actually have a diocesan wide training program in place for people who want to undertake either of these ministries. Ask your pastor what is already in place and how you can join. So very glad to hear you express this wish. Getting involved in a ministry or apostolate of the parish is the best way to insure new Catholic stay active in Parish life and nourish their new found faith.