Spiritual Care
What we do
Spiritual care providers are an important part of the health-care team at Sinai Health. We offer personalized support based on the beliefs and values of patients and caregivers.
Our spiritual care providers are specialized therapists who are trained in human spirituality and psychotherapy. We respect every patient’s individual beliefs and values and the universal experience of spirituality. You do not need to be religious to meet with a spiritual care provider.
We can support you and your caregivers with spiritual or emotional distress, ethical concerns, grief support, religious accommodations and more.
You can ask any member of your health-care team for a visit from a spiritual care provider.
Mount Sinai Hospital
Monday to Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Weekends and holidays
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What spiritual care offers
Our spiritual care providers offer any of the following services:
- One-to-one spiritual care that may include:
- Safe and supportive conversations to help you express your thoughts and feelings in times of illness, suffering and life transitions
- Helping you discover your spiritual needs and working with you to create a care plan
- Helping you grapple with the unrelieved suffering of spiritual distress when your sense of identity, purpose, value or connection to the world around you is challenged
- Grief support for patients and families
- Memorial services
- Sacred space for individual and group observances
- Celebrations for secular and religious holidays
- Connecting you with faith-based organizations in the community
- Helping you meet religious obligations you might have
When to request Spiritual Care
You can ask to meet with a spiritual care provider for any reason, including the following:
- Spiritual or emotional distress that includes isolation, regret, loss of purpose or loss of self-worth
- Ethical concerns
- Looking for support, insight or information
- Feeling anxious about religious obligations while you are in the hospital
- A new diagnosis or declining condition
- Struggling as an individual or family
- For success and celebration
- Concerns about dying, death or infant loss
- To arrange for clergy or religious rites such as Communion or sacrament of the sick
- For kosher meals or other religious dietary accommodations for caregivers
- To support smudging or drumming
- For religious items like prayer rugs, rosaries, Shabbat candles, sacred texts, music or others
Spiritual spaces and services
Our Spiritual Care team arranges for religious services and rituals and has spaces you can visit for religious reasons or for reflection.
Mount Sinai Hospital
We are committed to providing care that honours the Jewish history of Mount Sinai while meeting the needs of our diverse community.
Synagogue
Our synagogue is located on the main floor near the Murray elevators and is always open. Should you find it closed, you can ask a security guard to open it for you.
Spiritual Oasis
Our chapel is now called the Spiritual Oasis and is always open to people of any faith for quiet prayer or reflection. It is located in room 432, on the fourth floor next to the University elevator.
Worship services
Please ask a member of your care team for the current schedule.
- Jewish High Holiday services
- Roman Catholic mass
You or your caregiver can ask the staff on your hospital unit for any of the following:
Rabbinical ministry services
- A visit with a rabbi or a Jewish volunteer
- Details about High Holiday services
- Kosher snacks provided by the social service agency Bikur Cholim
- Arranging to have Bikur Cholim provide kosher meals for family members
- Shabbat candles
Sacramental ministry services
- Bedside Holy Communion
- The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
Indigenous rituals and services
- Smudging
- Sacred medicines available
- Drum, shaker and cup available
- Traditional healers welcome
Spiritual care providers can help connect you with traditional healers and elders
Indigenous patients receiving cancer care can also ask to meet with an Indigenous Patient Navigator for additional support.
Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital
Spiritual spaces
- Sacred Space on the fifth floor for prayer and reflection
- Outdoor labyrinth on the ground level
Worship services
Please ask a member of your care team for the current schedule.
- Jewish High Holiday services
- Roman Catholic mass
- Christian holiday services
- Eid celebrations
You or your caregiver can ask the staff on your hospital unit for any of the following:
- Rabbinical ministry services
- A visit with a rabbi or a Jewish volunteer
- Shabbat candles
Sacramental ministry services
- Bedside Holy Communion
- The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
Indigenous rituals
- Smudging
- A drum circle
You can also ask about our mindfulness group that teaches you to ground your thoughts in the present.
How to access religious services
When you are admitted to the Hospital you will be asked if you are a member of a religion. Based on this information, we will let you know about any religious services that might be of interest to you.
You will also be asked if you would like a visit from a member of the clergy from your religion if there is one in the Hospital.
If you are not asked about your religion but would like this information recorded, please contact Spiritual Care.
Common questions about spiritual care
You do not have to be religious to benefit from spiritual care. Spirituality is about finding meaning, value and connection, especially during difficult times.
No, we will not. Spiritual care providers respect every patient’s individual spiritual and religious beliefs. We are not here to change them.
No, spiritual care providers are health-care professionals at Sinai Health. We are professionally trained to work in the hospital.
No, spiritual care is for anyone who is looking for personal growth or support with change, illness or loss.
Yes, spiritual care is available to all patients and their caregivers or family.