Hospital Chaplaincy, an Interfaith Challenge

July 19, 2013
By Carol Kirk

Hospital chaplaincy is an often misunderstood vocation. Many unfamiliar with the work of the hospital chaplain equate it with ministry, but that is not what it is at all. Ministers seek to bring a specific message to those with whom they work. Hospital chaplains lay aside their personal beliefs at the door to the patient’s room and seek instead to immerse themselves in the spiritual worldview of the patient or the patient’s family.

At Huntsville Hospital where I am working we have one permanent chaplain and about 20 volunteer chaplains to serve the needs of 881 patients, the families of those patients, and also the staff on the various units. This is a stressful environment in which to work. Sometimes we engage in happy events such as the baptism of a newborn. But often our work is with those who are critically ill or dying. This presents a challenge not only in meeting the needs of the patient and their family, but also in maintaining one’s own spiritual and emotional health.

Our Pastoral Care Department consists of volunteers of many different faiths. We currently have a number of Christian chaplains of various denominations, a Rabbi, two Imams, a B’hai, a Buddhist and a Hindu priest, and myself as the lone Pagan on the staff. This variety of faiths leads to some interesting discussions of beliefs and practices that are helpful when one of us is faced with a patient from a different spiritual group. It has also permitted us to share our theological standpoints and come to a clearer understanding of where we find common ground one with the other.

When I begin my shift at the hospital I spend the morning with a prayer to my Goddess to lead me to those who need my help, and to give me the words and the actions to meet those needs. I know that She will walk with me throughout the day, giving me the strength to do this challenging work. In addition, before I enter a patient’s room or walk to their bedside, I take a deep breath to center myself and prepare for the work I am going to do. From the moment I walk into a room my function become that of creating a sacred space within which the Divine can be at work.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildgarden/2013/07/hospital-chaplaincy-an-interfaith-challenge/