The Pastoral Care Staff at Roswell Park Cancer Institute is an interfaith team who visits patients and their families in the hospital. The staff members bring with them their faith tradition and training that enable them to specially minister to members of their own faith communities. At Roswell Park, the staff representing the Protestant tradition includes a Protestant Chaplain, visiting clergy and Pastoral Care Visitors, which includes Deacons.

The Pastoral Care Staff are familiar with and sensitive to the issues that accompany illness. Pastoral care staff members are available daily for visitation. Pastoral Care Visitors are also available for the distribution of communion on the first Sunday of the month.

The Protestant Chaplain on staff attempts to visit all Protestant new admissions. If he is unable, another member of the pastoral care team will meet with you and offer the services of the department.

Community Support

The Pastoral Care Staff at RPCI is supported by area clergy of the Episcopal, Lutheran, Primera United Methodist, Baptist, Native American, Buddhist and non-denominational communities.

Communion and Anointing

Communion is offered to patients and family members on the first Sunday of the month. Pastoral Care Visitors are also available to accomodate you on request. We also provide the service of "anointing" according to the Book of James 5:13-16: "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up."

If you would like to receive Communion or anointing, please call the Pastoral Care Office at 716-845-8051 or 716-845-8852, or ask your nurse or pastoral care visitor to notify the office.

Visitation

The Protestant Chaplain, visiting clergy and Pastoral Care Visitors are available for prayer and general visitation. If there are any circumstances particular to your own personal church life or if you have a question with regard to your current standing in the Church, members of the team are available to talk with you.

Members of the Pastoral Care Staff visit inpatient and outpatients Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Pastoral Care Visitors are available on the weekends and on holidays. If you would like a visit, please call 716-845-8051 or 716-845-8852, or ask your physician, nurse or other member of your Roswell Park care team to make the request for you. Chaplains are also available 24 hours a day to respond to the urgent sacramental and emotional needs of patients and families.

Bibles, devotional books, prayer shawls and religious pamphlets are available through the Pastoral Care Office.

The Staff

• Beth Lenegan, PhD, Director
• Rev. Richard Kaylor, Chaplain
• Rev. Vernal Harris
• Deacon Phil Hubbell
• Rev. Ray Schooler

Ministers of Communion

• Elder Geraldine Boyland
• Elder Jimmie Goree

Click here for a copy of Ministry to Protestant Patients & Families in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format.