It's Pastoral/Spiritual Care Week

This week, October 23-29, is Pastoral/Spiritual Care Week.

Every day throughout our nation's hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, and hospice homes, chaplains seek to bring hope, healing, comfort and peace to those they encounter. They listen and affirm the faith values of their patients and calm anxious patients. They empower and help persons tap into their own spiritual resources as they search for meaning of their suffering and pain. They advocate for people regarding cultural and religious tradition, connect individuals with loved ones, support people as they make end of life decisions, lend an objective ear to others, pray if prayer is desired - they bring God's healing and presence to all.

Please join us in congratulating our Spiritual Care Staff - especially your Unit Chaplains - who every day brings God's healing and comfort to all our patients, their families and our staff here at Franciscan Physicians Hospital.

Video: Hundreds Gather to Respect Life

Approximately 700 students from area Catholic schools, plus employees, community members and Franciscan Alliance representatives, gathered on a warm and sunny Tuesday morning for the annual Celebration of Life prayer service at Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Dyer.

The service—which included music by Ron Foltman, a homily by Most Rev. Dale J. Melczek, Bishop of the Diocese of Gary, and a praying of the rosary—commemorated lives lost to abortion.

In the lawn adjacent to the ceremony, 4,000 white crosses were on display, representing the number of abortions performed daily in the U.S. To close the ceremony, 1,000 balloons—each representing four abortions—were launched into the air.

See highlights of the ceremony on the video below.