Spiritual Care Services

At St. Francis, we deliver comprehensive, holistic care with the goal of healing your body, mind and spirit. Spiritual care includes emotional support, guidance and partners in prayer for people of all faiths.

When illness or injury requires hospitalization, it is natural to feel confused or frightened. Our chaplains bring a sense of calm and comfort by helping you make sense of what is happening and explore important care decisions. We take the time to get to know your values and spiritual perspective, which helps us deliver care that is respectful of your beliefs and preferences.

Our services

Emotional support
Therapy sessions with a trained religious leader (pastoral counseling)
Referrals to religious leaders who share your faith
Grief counseling
Bedside prayer services
Sacraments, i.e., Holy Communion, Confession, Sacrament of the Sick Anointing

Spiritual and Faith-Based Expertise for Life-Threatening Conditions

If you or your loved one is critically ill, our chaplain’s expertise in spiritual and faith-based principles helps guide difficult medical decisions. These decisions include determining whether treatments are no longer a benefit and recommending appropriate end-of-life options, such as comfort care, palliative care, and code status.

Our chaplains are part of a compassionate team of experts that compose the bioethics committee. We work together to make personalized recommendations that balance sound moral and ethical principles with medical needs, dignity, personal autonomy and quality of life. We listen and offer insights and suggestions, but we do not make decisions for you or your loved one.

Bioethics consultations are available 24/7 by contacting the director of Spiritual Care and Ethics at 310-900-8514. If you have an urgent request, please contact the hospital operator and have the hospital chaplain on duty paged.

The Chapel at St. Francis Medical Center

Our chapel is across from the main lobby in the patient tower and open daily for meditation and prayer.

Daily Mass is available Monday through Friday at 11:30 AM.

Vigil Mass is celebrated on Saturdays at 4 PM.

Chapel services are also available through our in-house television channel 3.

Community Celebrations

The Spiritual Care team partners with our community in celebrating religious Holy Days, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, Christmas Eve Mass, Easter Vigil Mass, Feast of St. Francis (patron saint of the medical center) on October 4, Ash Wednesday service, and Dia de los Muertos/All Souls Day on November 1.

Contact Us

Contact us at 310-900-8514 to learn more about the services we offer or to make an appointment.

The Spiritual Care team is available daily from 8 AM to 5 PM. If there is an emergency, please contact the hospital operator at 310-900-8900 and request to have the chaplain on duty paged.