Chaplaincy - Hospital

"And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'" -Matthew 25:40

Function of the Chaplaincy Office

Provides pastoral, spiritual and sacramental care to those in acute care hospitals, as well as ministry to the deaf community and those travelling by way of the airport and seaport. The office also oversees ongoing consultation and support for chaplains as well as denominational endorsement for lay persons in training or seeking employment as chaplains.

Role of a Chaplain

Chaplains are appointed by the Archbishop of Toronto and assigned to provide pastoral care and support as well as to bring the sacraments to various communities and service institutions. In Canada the term chaplain is used interchangeably for both ordained and the laity. Chaplains provide pastoral, sacramental and spiritual care to individuals, their families and staff in a wide variety of institutional settings (e.g. hospitals, airports, seaports, and ministry to the deaf).

Hospital Chaplaincy
Deaf Ministry
Seaport Chaplaincy
Airport Chaplaincy
Resources

For more information please contact:
Agnes Vaz
Coordinator of Chaplaincy
Tel: 416-934-3430
Email: avaz@archtoronto.org

Hospital Chaplaincy

"Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."

- James 5:13-16

Role of the Hospital Chaplain

Hospital Chaplains provide pastoral and sacramental support to patients/residents, family members, and staff. The individual acts as the staff representative of the Archdiocese, collaborating with the pastoral/spiritual care and counselling/social work staff of the hospital, and liaises with outside religious communities to provide appropriate assistance to patients, families and staff of the hospital.

Priest Emergency Paging

Acute Care Hospitals: if you are seeking a visit from a Catholic priest, please inform your nurse who will make the appropriate referral.

Deaf Ministry

St. Francis de Sales Chaplaincy is devoted to the Catholic deaf community for the Archdiocese of Toronto, from Mississauga to Oshawa and north to Georgian Bay.

This chaplaincy is responsible for providing all pastoral care including home and hospital visitation; also maintain a connection with other deaf communities and organizations within the Archdiocese of Toronto, respecting their uniqueness, independence and traditions

Services Offered

Provide support and/or resources enabling community and/or individuals to celebrate the Sacraments (funerals, sacramental prep, visiting the sick, reconciliation services, etc.)
Friday prayer services.
Liaison with other organizations working with the deaf.
Assist with retreats and re-establishing the deaf lay ministry program.
Available for drop-in support/regular office hours.
Religious educations including religious sign classes.

For more information, including Mass times and locations, please visit the Archdiocese of Toronto Deaf Ministry website.

Deaf Ministry Coordinator:
Carol Stokes
Tel: 647-328-7631
Email: cstokes@archtoronto.org

Apostleship of the Sea (A.O.S)

The Apostleship of the Sea is the work of the Catholic Church for the pastoral care of maritime people. For many years, it has been operating under the direction of the former Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, which promotes and coordinates the pastoral care of various categories of 'people on the move'. On August 31, 2016, Pope Francis has instituted a new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development that would take over the responsibilities of four Pontifical Councils, including those of the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, with effect from January 1, 2017.

The AOS mission is to bring the serving hand of Christ from the altar to the marginalized of the maritime industry; to all seafarers who come to our shores, regardless of their creed or nationality. By seafarers we mean crew members on board merchant ships, cargo carriers, tankers, cruise ships or fishing vessels. We also extend pastoral services to their families at home as well as those who earn a livelihood by working in the various sectors of seafaring activities. For example, the stevedores and labourers at the docks, staff of shipping companies and the agents.

The seafarers that pass through the seaports in Toronto and Oshawa come from many nations, races, cultures and religions. They are greeted by Port Chaplains and/or their collaborators to affirm their common human dignity and to address any timely needs. Prayer and worship service will be offered in accordance with the beliefs of the seafarers, making the Church present and their faith active on their voyages and in their lives.

Toronto:

Deacon Michael Ho, Port Chaplain and Coordinator for Ontario
Deacon Oswald D'Paiva, Volunteer and Ship Visitor
Mr. Conrad Rodrigues, Volunteer and Ship Visitor

Oshawa:

Deacon Alban Soares, Associate Port Chaplain
Mr. Henry Kwan, Volunteer and Ship Visitor

Services Offered

Prayer and counselling
Mass, Communion service and/or interdenominational prayer services.
Transportation to nearby place of worship, grocery stores and wholesale outlets.
Bibles, rosaries and prayer books in various languages.
Information about other port ministries throughout Canada and around the world.
Practical services like helping seafarers connect with their families overseas.
Advocacy of seafarers' rights and welfare.

Airport Chaplaincy

International Airports have become "meeting plazas" of our "global village."

Civil Aviation-Presentation-Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (2000)

Toronto Airport Catholic Chaplaincy (TACC)

TACC is an initiative of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, in concert with the Pontifical Institute for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.

"The Pastoral Care of Aviation is an aspect of the Church's responsibility toward her faithful and a participation in her universal mission to proclaim the Good News to all people, in the specific context of the world of Civil Aviation. So as not to deprive anyone of the Message of Salvation, the Church reaches out to all those who, because of the circumstances of their lives, cannot sufficiently avail themselves of the ordinary pastoral care or are even totally deprived of it."

Airport Chaplains and Chaplaincy Members Amidst a Multi-Religious Milieu in a Secular Society.
People on the Move, No 106, April 2008

For more information, including Mass times, please visit the Toronto Airport Catholic Chaplaincy page.

More Information on Other Chaplaincies