The role of the chaplain For patients and their relativesServices and prayers in the chapel Catholic practices Other faiths History of chaplaincy History of the chapel Remembrance books in the chapel Meet the team Volunteers Local churches Staff support Education

When you have given your consent to be seen by a member of the chaplaincy team we should be made aware of your presence by way of the hospital records and we will offer whatever spiritual assistance we can.

 

Our chaplaincy team is ecumenical and Roman Catholic members include a priest, a deacon, two religious sisters and several lay assistant. Priests from the local parishes provide cover when the main Catholic chaplain, (who is also a parish priest), is unable to come in.

 

Mass is offered each Monday (apart from bank holidays) in the chapel off the main concourse. We visit the wards regularly (usually two to three times a week) and we also provide a team of eucharistic ministers from the local parishes to come on Sundays in order that Roman Catholic patients can receive the Holy Sacrament.

 

It is our general practice that when a baptised Catholic who has made their first Communion is seen by a priest/chaplain, he/she will be offered the Sacrament of the Sick.

 

Sacrament of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Sick which is a sacrament of healing, reaches out to those who are sick and draws them into the heart of the Church. It is also given to those who are about to die, which is why it is sometimes known as "Extreme Unction", "The Last Rites" or "the sacrament of those departing" and it is often accompanied by Holy Communion (as Viaticum).

 

Sickness, pain and death were not written into God's original plan for mankind. Part of Jesus' ministry was to heal the sick, and he went about curing those who were ill or disabled. Jesus came to announce that the kingdom of God was now a reality now, here on earth. One of the signs of this reality was that the sick were healed and the dead raised up, because suffering and death can have no place in the kingdom of God. This Sacrament by its very nature also forgives any sins that may have been committed.

 

The anointing of the sick is the ultimate healing sacrament, available whenever our health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age. God is always with us in our illness, loving us into health of mind, body and soul. Through our faith we know that we will have life forever.

 

Throughout his life Jesus loved people so deeply and so completely that they were healed of whatever was destroying them, whether that was physical or mental illness, or emotional or spiritual suffering. That is what he continues to do when we receive the sacrament of the sick.

 

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Old age

The frailty of old age is recognised too. An old person may not be ill but the years do impose burdens upon the elderly which can be difficult to adjust to and which can make the older person feel isolated and at times very lonely. Again, this sacrament helps and strengthens the Christian in this stage of life so that they can continue to be part of the family of God as actively as possible, for older people have so much to offer younger Christians.

 

A sign of life

Some people have the idea that this sacrament is rather like the sign of death or approaching death — that it is only offered when all hope is lost. In fact the reverse is true; it is a sign of life, the eternal life promised by Jesus Christ, here and now as well as in the future. Christ came to show us how we can have life to the full in whatever situation we find ourselves. His Spirit, active and dynamic in our sickness and frailty as well as in our health and strength, is a real presence. The sacrament of the sick confirms this in a tangible way.

 

God is with the sick person now, nothing is more certain than that. Throughout his life Jesus loved people so deeply and completely that they were healed of whatever was destroying them, whether that was physical or mental illness, or emotional or spiritual suffering. That is what he continues to do when we receive the sacrament of the sick.

 

When this sacrament had been administered it will be recorded in the chaplaincy files. It is not normal to repeat this sacrament during the same period of illness.

 

Pastoral care which is not sacramental in nature will be provided by any member of our ecumenical chaplaincy team. This may be prayers by the bedside, consolation for bereaved family members or words of counsel and direction. We minister to all patents, their families and members of staff.

 

We are most grateful for the ecumenical cooperation we enjoy at Addenbrooke’s especially in the light of the diminishing number of Catholic priests available in the parish context and the increasing pressures on those who are

 

July 2005 Monsignor Eugene Harkness and Revd Dr Derek Fraser

 

 

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