Emergency Pastoral Care

Pastoral Emergency Calls at Hamilton Health Science sites – McMaster, General & Juravinski

Effective June 29, a new system for contacting a Catholic Priest to attend the dying for each HHS site comes into effect.  HHS switchboard will no longer contact the Priest on-call in case of pastoral urgency at General, McMaster or Juravinski Hospitals.  Instead, a self-governed call-forwarding system has been established by the Hamilton Deanery.  Each HHS site will have a telephone number that can be accessed through the nurses’ station and used by Hospital staff, or patient families, to call for a Priest to offer the Anointing for the sick and dying in urgent need.  For all other spiritual needs while in hospital – counselling, reception of Holy Communion, or other needs – please contact your own Parish.  NOTE:  this change does not impact Saint Joseph Hospital.  It’s always a good idea to let the Parish know if you anticipate a hospital stay so that arrangements can be made for a pastoral visit.