HOSPITAL MINISTRY

St. Agatha - St. James is the host parish for Catholic patients and their families who come to the area hospitals for medical treatment, especially those from outside of the region, state, or country.  We are entrusted with the pastoral care of Catholic patients at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), and Presbyterian Medical Center, and our church community prays for all those experiencing the challenges of sickness or injury.

Each hospital maintains its own Pastoral Care office and staff of non-denominational chaplains who are available for counseling.  St. Agatha - St. James complements this work by providing sacramental care to Catholic patients and their families, through the efforts of a dedicated hospital priest and volunteer Eucharistic ministers.  Our current team of hospital Eucharistic ministers allows us to offer Communion to patients on a regular basis:

Each Catholic patient is visited by a priest shortly after hospital admission, and patients at HUP and Presbyterian are visited once a week thereafter.  In addition, a priest is always on call for emergencies.  Requests for emergency visits from a priest should be made through a health care professional on site.

Our ministry is done in cooperation with the individual medical institutions.  Catholic patients wishing to receive regular visits from a priest or Eucharistic minister should ensure that their correct religious affiliation is on record at their hospital.  Requests to be added to the Catholic patients list can be made through a hospital chaplain, or by contacting the rectory.