What is a Chaplain?
Two popular responses I receive when I introduce chaplaincy care are, “Am I that sick?” or “What is a chaplain?” One of the reasons I enjoy serving as a chaplain at Moffitt Cancer Center is because the center considers the importance of healing the whole person, which includes the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of their patients and families. When the three components work together, the spiritual and emotional balance can enhance the physical outcomes.
Our role as chaplains is to offer a safe, non-judgmental space where someone can wrestle with life’s hard questions and explore their own personal beliefs, while attempting to make sense of their unique situation. A chaplain’s goal is to assist individuals in finding inner strength from their own personal beliefs as they face life’s challenges. As professionally trained chaplains, our role is not to force our personal beliefs, but to encourage the person to claim theirs.
Reasons to seek spiritual support:
- When faced with an unknown challenge
- When learned beliefs, don’t make sense with current experiences
- When overwhelmed by concerns about the future or struggles from the past
- When feeling at a loss of meaning or purpose
- When there is a need for encouragement, in order to strengthen others
Our professionally trained chaplains provide diverse spiritual support for individuals or family members from all faith traditions, even those with no declared faith connection.
To reach an interfaith chaplain, please call (813) 745-8407.