Pastoral Care Service

Mandate

Maria Middelares General Hospital is a Catholic hospital. The pastoral care in the hospital is aimed at all people who are ill, suffer because of this and have grief; concerns that arise following an admission to the hospital and are waiting to be heard by a benevolent listener. Spiritual pain can arise from confrontation with the sometimes inflexible boundaries of reality.

Tasks

Guidance

Being with a patient and listening as a chaplain can forge a bond of trust. While respecting the personal faith and conviction of each patient, faith in God can often provide support. In this way, pastoral care workers try to help by showing people new or different aspects at difficult times in their lives, as well as confirming and encouraging them in the path they have already taken. Meetings take place at the request of the patient, family, physician, nurses or any other hospital employee or at the chaplain’s own initiative.

Prayers and rituals

In addition to support provided by other patients and family, prayers and rituals can also help. Rituals such as a blessing or anointing of the sick are intended as a way of demonstrating God’s presence in a strengthening and comforting way.

Communion

Communion is also given to the patients who want it. If you wish to receive communion, please ask the hospital chaplain yourself.

Chapel

You can always go to the chapel to be alone with your own deepest thoughts, to write down an intention, to light an electric candle, to connect with everyone who has meant a lot to you or to meet God in prayer.

A celebration of the Eucharist can be attended on Tuesdays at 9.30am in the chapel on the second floor (gate D). It can also be viewed on television on channel 2.

Contact

On weekdays, a pastor is always present from 8.30am to 5pm and on Sundays from 9.30am to 11.30am. You can reach the Pastoral Care Services on +32 (0)9 246 27 77.