Caring for Your Mind, Body and Spirit

Our organizational mission statement is, “To reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality Franciscan health care ministry.”

Patient in hospital bed and member of our spiritual care team hold hands Patient in hospital bed and member of our spiritual care team hold hands

Since the founding of HSHS St. Mary's Hospital, we have been caring for our patients in a holistic way, meeting the needs of their bodies, minds and spirits. As part of The Hospital Sisters Health System, whose mission is to reveal and embody Christ's healing love for all people through our high quality Franciscan health care ministry, St. Mary's is Decatur's only faith-based hospital.

In addition to the exceptional medical care we provide, we also have professional chaplains available 24 hours every day to offer spiritual and emotional support to our patients, their families and staff. Chaplains closely collaborate with religious leaders of all faiths to provide seamless support for our patients, especially during times of uncertainty. They serve as liaisons between the health care team and the family during crisis, and they are a wonderful resource for patients and families in discussing with them the patient's wishes, especially when, at times, ethical decisions need to be made. They provide opportunities for prayer, sacraments and spiritual rituals the patient and/or family may desire.

Chaplains are available to discuss organ/tissue donation, explain Advance Directives (Living Will, Power of Attorney for Healthcare, Do Not Resuscitate), and to assist those who want to complete these documents. A chaplain also serves on the Ethics Committee at St. Mary's and is available to explain the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services and to assist patients and their families in applying these guidelines especially in making appropriate moral and ethical decisions.

Contact Information

For more information about HSHS St. Mary's Spiritual Care & Mission Integration, please call 217-464-2045To speak with a chaplain for urgent needs, please call the operator at 217-464-2966 and let the operator page the chaplain on-call.

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Prayer Request

To submit a prayer request to the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, please click the button below.


Spirituality Series

Each year, Sister Anna Phiri presents a spirituality series that is open to the public. Visit our events page to learn more about upcoming series.

Mother and daughter walking down a sidewalk holding hands

Share Support Group

Spiritual Care oversees the Share support group for parents who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or in early infancy.

Share is a support group in which healing is slowly and gently promoted. Parents gain insight and understanding, vent their feelings in an accepting atmosphere and reach out to the newly bereaved. Individuals may express their religious feelings, attitudes, or experiences in group discussions; however, Share is non-denominational. What is important is an acceptance of each individual as he/she is.

The group meets the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at HSHS St. Mary's Hospital. For more information, call 217-464-2045.