Pastoral Ministry to the Sick
A U.S. Army veteran and a Franciscan, Deacon Tony Cipriano provides compassionate support at Morton Hospital in Taunton, MA to patients and families, without exception, at some of the most difficult moments of their lives. “If we didn’t have chaplains in the hospitals, the pain and suffering that people experience is so great, they would have absolutely no one to turn to,” said Deacon Tony.
Each day at hospitals throughout the Diocese of Fall River, our chaplains and religious are making a difference for those who are in pain, sick, and suffering in the form of visits, distribution of Communion, and administration of the Sacrament of the Sick.
According to Deacon Tony, simply being by a patient’s side can make a tremendous difference. “That’s the reward God gave me,” he said. “That opportunity to say now’s your time to serve. Be there. You don’t even have to say anything. Just be there with that person in that moment. I think that is so significant.”
Your gift to the Catholic Appeal supports ongoing pastoral ministry to the sick. Please help Deacon Tony and many others remain a source of hope, light, and love when it is needed most.
Pastoral Ministry to the Sick 2018 Statistics |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Tobey Hospital, Wareham | Morton Hospital, Taunton | ||
| Catholic Admissions | 5,628 | Catholic Admissions | 5,186 |
| Chaplain visits | 2,770 | Chaplain visits | 8,090 |
| Communion to patients | 2,290 | Communion to patients | 5,346 |
| Sacrament of the Sick | 310 | Sacrament of the Sick | 1,297 |
| Emergencies (sacraments) | 14 | Emergencies (sacraments) | 18 |
| Saint Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford | Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis | ||
| Catholic Admissions | 14,216 | Catholic Admissions | 6,760 |
| Chaplain visits | 16,281 | Chaplain visits | 5,586 |
| Communion to patients | 9,689 | Communion to patients | 5,387 |
| Sacrament of the Sick | 3,570 | Sacrament of the Sick | 849 |
| Emergencies (sacraments) | 161 | Emergencies (sacraments) | 83 |
| Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Attleboro | Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River | ||
| Catholic Admissions | 1,563 | Catholic Admissions | 12,370 |
| Chaplain visits | 5,417 | Chaplain visits | 14,279 |
| Communion to patients | 3,493 | Communion to patients | 7,543 |
| Sacrament of the Sick | 838 | Sacrament of the Sick | 658 |
| Emergencies (sacraments) | 12 | Emergencies (sacraments) | 101 |
| Falmouth Hospital, Falmouth | |||
| Catholic Admissions | 7,895 | ||
| Chaplain visits | 6,293 | ||
| Communion to patients | 4,309 | ||
| Sacrament of the Sick | 91 | ||
| Emergencies (sacraments) | 9 | ||