Hospital visits/recently homebound
Please remember that many local hospitals do not always have a full-time Catholic chaplain on staff. All parish priests try to see their parishioners at the hospital if he is made aware of the patient’s admission. Therefore, a reminder, how imperative it is that the patient, or his or her spouse, or delegated family member contact our parish offices when someone is admitted to the hospital (Patient’s full name/Room # or unit and room telephone, if available, would be important information to have ready for us). Please do not assume that the priest is aware of your hospital visit.
A large percentage of hospital visits today are planned in advance. In other words, the patient knows that he/she is going to the hospital for elective surgery or medical tests. When this happens, please ask to see your parish priest prior to your hospital visit, to request confession, Holy Communion, and the Anointing of the Sick. These sacraments can be celebrated with our community at daily Mass or on Sundays.
Emergency calls are rare but when they do happen we will always try to respond immediately if we are available. When you check into the hospital please make sure that your religious preference is listed as Catholic so that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will be able to locate you for reception of Holy Communion during their daily visits. Our Extraordinary Ministers are more than happy to ‘adopt’ a fellow parishioner who is homebound or temporarily recuperating at home after surgery or a medical procedure/treatment.
Every priest is more than pleased to be of assistance but our assistance to you will rely more and more on some planning prior to your hospital visit or surgery. We appreciate your attention to this important reminder.