Keeping up to date with Spiritual Care in UHL
October/November 2016 Issue 8
SPIRITUAL CARE BULLETIN
“How do we arrange an
emergency wedding?”
Ward staff paged the on call Chaplain on
a Bank Holiday Monday. A patient had
requested an emergency wedding in
hospital (these are civil ceremonies
conducted by an official from the local
Registry Office; the Chaplaincy Team has
a coordinating role).
The Chaplain met the patient and his
partner and advised the attending
doctor on the contents of a letter to the
Registrar of Births, Deaths and
Marriages. The Chaplain also provided
details to the Registrar (using an
emergency out of hours number) so the
Registrar could arrange an urgent
appointment with the patient’s partner.
Ward staff helped fax urgent paperwork
to the Registry Office and worked hard
to decorate the patient’s side room and
provide refreshments - including a cake at 24 hours’ notice.
The wedding took place in the ward the
following afternoon.
“You never know when…”
I was just leaving the Chaplaincy office one morning to visit
the wards when the phone rang. The request was for a
Chaplain to visit a gentleman who was approaching the end
of his life. I asked about the urgency of the request, as we
always do, to assess the situation. I was told it wasn’t urgent
but that the family were with him. I said I would come
immediately and was hugely glad I did as the gentleman died
just as the prayers of commendation were said.
What struck me about this incident was the timing; the
potential for a message just to have been left on the answer
machine, for an opportunity to have been missed to have
prayed in those last moments of a man’s life and for a sense
that none of us may be aware when someone is about to
depart this life.
The gentleman’s wife looked at me when I arrived and said
“I don’t know why you are here”. I asked why I was and she
replied that her husband had made the sign of the cross and
put his hands together as if praying. I had a sense that he
had held on until he was able to hear those words
commending him into God’s care.
This is just to flag up the need:


Never just to leave a message if someone has requested
a Chaplain for a patient approaching end of life (the
pager system is far more efficient - dial 0 for the
switchboard and ask for the on-call chaplain);
and
Staff need to be astute about the urgency – a tough call
I know! This ward got it right. I was so grateful.
To assist staff in such cases, we’ve attached a copy of an A4
poster – ‘How to Contact a Chaplain’ with this mailing. It
could go on a staff noticeboard or by your phone.
Contact [email protected] if you haven’t
received one.
Chaplaincy - here for you…… LRI 5487 | LGH 4243 | GH 3413
Humanism is an approach to life that is
found across the world in many
different cultures. Throughout
recorded history there have been nonreligious people who have believed
that this life is the only life we have,
that the universe is a natural
phenomenon with no supernatural
side, and that we can live ethical and
fulfilling lives on the basis of reason
and humanity. They have trusted to the
scientific method, evidence, and reason
to discover truths about the universe
and have placed human welfare and
happiness at the centre of their ethical
decision making. Today, many people
who hold these beliefs and values are
called humanists and this combination
of attitudes is called Humanism.
Humanism is a full philosophy, “life
stance” or worldview, rather than
being about one aspect of religion,
knowledge, or politics. Millions of
people in Britain share this way of living
and of looking at the world.
“I’d like to see someone with beliefs
similar to my own. I’m a Humanist”.
The Chaplaincy’s non-religious team
member, Jane Flint, reflects on issues of
The Leicester Secular Society is the
world's oldest Secular Society and is an
affiliate member of the British
Humanist Association. It meets at its
headquarters, the Leicester Secular
Hall, at 75 Humberstone Gate. The
Secular Hall, is a Grade II listed
building built in 1881.
“Agnostic” refers to one who believes it is impossible to know
for certain about god and refrains from commitment to any
religious doctrine.
The frontage contains five busts
depicting Socrates, Jesus, Voltaire,
Thomas Paine and Robert Owen.
UHL is the first NHS trust in the UK to
employ non-religious team member in
the Chaplaincy. Jane Flint is our
“Pastoral Carer”. She visits each of our
three hospitals one day a week. For
further information contact:
[email protected]
identity.
What’s in a word?
Non-religious people define themselves in many ways. These
variations reflect some differences in meaning and emphasis,
though in practice there is considerable overlap.
“Non-believers” do, of course, have many beliefs, though not
religious ones. For example, they typically hold that moral
feelings are social in origin, based on treating others as they
would wish to be treated (the ‘golden rule’ which predates all
the major world religions).
“Humanists” identify themselves as people who seek to live
good lives by moral principles based on reason, shared
human values and respect for others rather than on the idea
of a god or gods or a supernatural agency.
“Atheist” refers to one who does not believe in the existence
of a god or of divine beings.
“Secularists” Secularism is a principle that involves two basic
propositions. The first is the strict separation of the state from
religious institutions. The second is that people of different
religions and beliefs are equal before the law.
“Non-religious” – as well as those who are uninterested in
religion or who reject it, this category may include those who
are nominally or culturally affiliated to a religious tradition.
Consultation - Jumu’ah Salaat and Jumu’ah Khutba
Proposals are being considered to use Prayer Room 3 at LRI for
men’s Friday Prayers as well as Rooms 1 and 2. The Chaplaincy
Team are particularly interested to hear the views of ladies
who might normally use Prayer Room 3 on Fridays.
Please contact [email protected]
FOR YOUR DIARY: Christmas Carol Services
GH - Sunday 18th Dec, 10.30am (with Holy Communion) in the Physio Gym
LRI - Monday 19th Dec , 12.30pm in the Interim Chapel (Balmoral Level 0)
LGH -Thursday 22nd Dec, 12.30pm in the Chapel
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.” A Vietnamese saying