Spiritual Care and HSS Chapel

Staff Chaplains

Hospital for Special Surgery formally recognizes the role that spiritual support can play in coping with and recovering from physical illness. The chaplaincy services at HSS, which includes professional, board certified chaplains, is an integral part of the healthcare team. The chaplains are here to serve you - to provide emotional and spiritual support for people of all faiths and beliefs..

Professional chaplains are experts at helping people facing life-changing or life-limiting situations to use their own beliefs, values, and resources to find comfort, meaning, and hope. Chaplains do not impose their own beliefs or values, but rather support persons of all faiths, beliefs, traditions, and cultures.

Sister Margaret Oettinger, OP, Director

Father David Adiletta

Chaplain Elaine Chan

 

Chaplain Margo Heda

Chaplain Hope Fried

Chaplains are unit-based and always available to meet with families, patients, and staff concerning:

• Bereavement counseling
• Adjustment to physical limitations
• Issues of faith and religion
• Feelings of fear, despair, guilt, or hope
• The meaning of the illness process
• Reconciliation of life experiences
• Family and friends

HSS Chaplains are available - 24 hours a day, every day

1. Monday – Friday 9am - 5pm, chaplain visit can be requested by calling 212.606.1757 or asking a nurse to request the chaplain on-call via PerfectServe.
2. After hours, ask a nurse to request the chaplain on-call via PerfectServe

The Spiritual Care Department through its multifaith Chaplaincy Service:

Chapel Availability

The chapel at HSS is open to all religious preferences. It is open 24/7 and can be used for prayer and meditation. Bibles (in English and Spanish), prayer books, prayer rugs, and care notes are available. The chapel is located on the 1st floor, room 1W-021 in main lobby of the Hospital.

Please see our neighborhood directory for information on local houses of worship.

In House Spiritual Television

HSS has an in house TV channel called HCCN-TV, channel 92 or 92.1, for meditation and relaxation. Chapel services are broadcast over the network with these available services along with other special programming not listed here:

• Catholic Mass - Sundays at 9:00 AM
• Prayerful Reflections - Wednesdays at 11:00 AM
• Shabbat Reflections - Fridays at 11:00 AM

For Catholic-Protestant/Ecumenical Patients

• Feast and Fast Day Services such as Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, and other Christian Holidays are held as announced. Bulletins and flyers are posted in the chapel (1st floor in main lobby of the Hospital) with details of the Feast and Fast Day Services.

For Jewish Patients

• Sabbath Elevator at HSS is located on the east side of the hospital and stops automatically on each floor.
• Shabbat candles/Shabbos in a box are available upon request either by calling the Spirital Care Department at 212.606.1757 or by going to the Bikur Cholim Room.
• Bikur Cholim Room (Kosher Hospitality Room) is located on the 2nd floor in Room 2W-167 (between the mail room and the East elevator). Light snacks available.
• Kosher food (OJ acceptable, a Chassidic certification) is available for patients through arrangements with department of Food and Nutrition. Fresh entrees are under the kosher supervision of OU and Tartikov (Chassidic). Frozen entrees are under Volover (Chassidic) supervision. Kosher meals may be requested prior to or after surgery through a Clinical Staff member. Kosher guest trays may be ordered by contacting a Dietary Assistant. As with all guest trays, there is a charge. Sabbath and Passover dietary needs will be addressed automatically for all kosher patients through Food and Nutrition.
• Kosher refrigerators may be requested. There is also a kosher refrigerator on the 8th floor in the Nourishment Room.

Download the Jewish Spiritual Care brochure

For Muslim Patients

• The five daily prayers can be said in the chapel every day at the normal prayer times, or in your room. A prayer time schedule, prayer rug, Qibla, and a copy of the Holy Quran are in the chapel (1st floor in main lobby of the Hospital).

Download the Muslim Spiritual Care brochure

For Roman Catholic Patients

• The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is available daily by our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
• The Sacrament of the Sick (Anointing) is available throughout the week by our Dominican Priest.
• Our Roman Catholic Chaplains are from St. Catherine of Siena/Dominican Friars HealthCare Ministry.
• Daily Mass is at 7:00 AM and 5:15 PM at St. Catherine of Siena Church located on 68th Street between York and First Avenue.
• Sunday and Holy Day Mass is at 9 AM in the HSS Chapel and on Channel 92 or 92.1.

Download the Spiritual Care brochure

Sources of Comfort and Meaning

We hope to bring comfort and help to find meaning for patients, their loved ones and caregivers who are coping with the spiritual distress that accompanies illness and loss. We offer words of reflection, multifaith prayers and grief support.

The Dominican Friars Healthcare Ministry of New York

Based in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Catherine of Siena, Dominican Healthcare Ministry is devoted to promoting the dignity of the human person and the healing ministry of Jesus Christ through spiritual care, education, ethical consultation, and prayer. Our  Dominican priests  visit patients at HSS six days a week, and are available for urgent needs 24/7 through PerfectServe. The sacraments of reconciliation, anointing of the sick, Holy Communion, as well as spiritual conversation are always available. Mass is celebrated on each Sunday and Holy Days at 9 am and livestreamed to the patient’s room on Channel 92.

Lay Ministers

Catholic patients at HSS can request a visit from a Chaplain, Priest or Eucharistic Minister for their spiritual needs, during their admission process, as well as with their nurse on their unit. Eucharistic Ministers visit patients, families and staff for support and prayer. The Eucharistic Ministers bring Holy Communion daily from St. Catherine of Siena Church.

Additional Resources

Interfaith Calendar