Pastoral/Chaplaincy
Services
Winchester Hospital’s Pastoral Services Department is staffed by chaplains who are here to support patients and families during their stay in the hospital. Chaplains are available to people of all faiths and to people of no religious affiliation.
Chaplains Mary Beth Moran and Rabbi Richard Backer can be reached Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 781-756-2295 (or extension 2295 if dialing from within the hospital). Messages for our chaplains can be left after hours and will be picked up during regular hours.
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic ministers from our local Catholic parishes offer prayer and Eucharist to Catholic patients on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Priests from local parishes are available for on-call sacramental emergencies. On evenings and weekends, there is an on-call priest for sacramental emergencies who can be requested through the switchboard.
If requested, our chaplains will facilitate visits by clergy of all denominations.
Hospital Meditation Room/Chapel
Winchester Hospital has a nondenominational meditation room/chapel that was a gift from the Church Women United of Winchester. Located just off the main lobby on the first floor, it is open 24 hours a day for prayer and quiet reflection.
How a Chaplain Can Help
Some of the reasons why a patient and family may request chaplaincy services include:
- A patient or family member is in emotional distress.
- A patient has received a new diagnosis.
- A patient is anxious about a medical procedure.
- A patient or family member is in need of support of prayer, scripture, sacraments or other healing rituals.
- A patient or a family member needs help in identifying resources of faith.
- A patient is exploring life's meaning as a result of his or her health crisis.
- A patient or family needs support in a decision-making situation.
- A patient or family needs support and comfort at the end of life and at time of death.
A Blessing
May God, who is never absent in health or sickness, in joy or in tribulation, look mercifully upon you. May you find relief and healing, patience in the time of waiting, and faith made stronger by health restored.
— Raymond Chapman