Altru's Spiritual Services is committed to meeting the spiritual needs of patients and their families, and to provide pastoral care education in the community. We recognize that spiritual care and religious resources are integral dimensions of healing and health.
About Spiritual Care
To help meet the diverse needs of our patients, we offer the following services:
- Spiritual care and resources for inpatients, their families and staff
- Religious support for patients, families and staff
- Grief support through individual counseling and resources
- Parish visitors can be arranged as available at the patient's request
- Eucharistic ministers for those wishing to receive Sacrament of Holy Communion as available
- Care Planning & Directives
For more information, call Altru's Spiritual Care at 701.780.5300.
Worship Services
- Catholic Mass is held the third Thursday of each month at 12 p.m. Priests from the Greater Grand Forks Community kindly lead these half-hour Christian services. Everyone is welcome to attend.
- Sunday services and daily religious events are available on several television channels available to inpatients.
Spiritual Resources
The Spiritual Care Office serves patients and families of all faiths. Please visit the Spiritual Care office or call 701.780.5300. We are happy to assist by contacting a faith leader from your spiritual tradition whenever possible. If on-call faith leaders are available, we will reach out to them on your behalf. Prayer requests and other concerns may be shared with Spiritual Care staff in person, or you may choose to write your requests on a request card and place them in the locked box located in the back corner of the Altru Chapel. Additional spiritual resources such as Bibles (available in English and Spanish); faith-based brochures dealing with a variety of topics; rosaries, scapulars, hand-help crosses; Native American resources, and prayer rugs and a Koran (in the prayer room down the hall for the Muslim community) are made available to those who request them.
Cancer Care Services
When a cancer diagnosis is made, many patients suddenly find themselves asking questions concerning faith or the meaning of life.
Altru’s Spiritual Care offers spiritual support to people of all faiths during cancer treatment. The Altru chaplain is a member of a multi-disciplinary team and is available to help you and your family while you are hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment at Altru Cancer Center.
There are a variety of spiritual needs Altru’s chaplaincy can assist with:
- Chaplain visits available upon request at the cancer center
- Support in drawing on your religious faith as you or your loved ones cope
- Support in dying and facing death for patients and families
- Supportive bridge to your religious community and/or clergy
- Chaplains can officiate in a variety of sacraments and religious rites
