The St. Mary's Medical Center Pastoral Care Department is comprised of Rev. Lena Bates, Rev. Aidan Lacy, Rev. Greg Mansfield and Sister Mary Murphy, left to right.

 A Distinction of Care  At St. Mary's Medical Center we recognize all faiths and beliefs in our pastoral approach and believe all spiritual and religious rites and symbols represent positive energy, faith, and hope. This recognition drives the actions our pastoral care staff takes every day. The activities of our professional Chaplains include diverse interactions with patients and families, professional staff, volunteers, and community members.

Chaplains can help with   Grief and loss care ● Risk screening - identifying individuals whose religious/spiritual conflicts may compromise recovery or satisfactory adjustment ● Facilitation of spiritual issues related to organ/tissue donation and Advance Directives ● Crisis intervention/Critical incident stress debriefing ● Spiritual assessment ● Communication with caregivers ● Facilitation of staff communication ● Conflict resolution among staff members, patients, and family members ● Referral and linkage to internal and external resources ● Assistance with decision-making and communication regarding decedent affairs ● Staff support relative to personal

St. Mary's Hospital, 1938

Heritage   In 1938 St. Mary's was established as a nursing home for the poor in the West Palm Beach area by the Fransiscan Sisters of Allegany (NY). Within a year after opening the facility, the Sisters realized a greater need existed for more intensive medical treatment and they changed St. Mary's focus to acute hospital care. Today St. Mary's is a 463-bed acute care hospital that continues to uphold the religious and ethical directives of the Catholic Church and has a full-time pastoral care staff, bringing comfort and support to families of all faith backgrounds.

Contacting Pastoral Care   The Pastoral Care team can be reached by calling 561-881-2899. After office hours, you may leave a message at this number. Messages are retrieved periodically throughout the day and night. Inside the hospital, you can reach the Chaplain on duty by dialing ext. 29814.

When do I contact Pastoral Care?   You can ask for a Chaplain to visit you any time, day or night. During your pre-admission to the hospital, you may request a visit for the day of your surgery. If you are feeling down or discouraged during your hospital stay, a visit with a Chaplain might help put things in perspective. You might want to share in Holy Communion while you are a patient, and a Chaplain can bring it in your hospital room. If you have other concerns, our Chaplains are here for you.

Daily Mass   A Catholic Mass is held in the Old Convent Chapel on the St. Mary's campus at 12 noon Monday-Saturday. There is a small meditation chapel on  the first floor of the hospital, located near the Interfaith Elevators.