Spiritual Care Services

When you or your loved ones are facing a health crisis, you may feel helpless, confused and lonely. Rush's spiritual care teams can help you sort through your emotions and find the strength and support you need to get through difficult times.

Healing your mind, body and spirit

Our chaplains provide comfort and spiritual guidance to patients and their families through the following services:

  • Offering support in times of stress, crisis or death
  • Performing religious sacraments or end-of-life rituals
  • Encouraging patients to embrace their spiritual strengths to promote healing
  • Counseling patients and their loved ones to help them deal with difficult emotions
  • Helping patients and their families access the resources they need to carry out their own spirituality or religious traditions in the process of healing
  • Lending spiritual guidance for important end-of-life or ethical decisions
  • Provide advance care planning and help with completion of advance directive documents, such as power of attorney for health care

Chaplains and faiths

Our chaplains are respectful of all faith traditions, cultures, beliefs and ritual needs. They serve all faiths and do not work exclusively with one religion.

    Rush University Medical Center

    Chaplains

    Our chaplains are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For requests, please call (312) 942-5571. For time-sensitive requests, please call the hospital operator at (312) 942-5000 and ask for the chaplain on call.

    Chapel

    The J. Hall Taylor Memorial Chapel is a comforting space available to anyone seeking solace. The chapel also hosts religious services and special events.

    It is located on the first floor of the Kellogg Building, near elevator C, and it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    Meditation Room

    The meditation room is a warm, non-denominational space for you to meditate and contemplate quietly.

    It is located in the fourth floor of the Tower in the Smith Family Lounge, and it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    A second location is available in the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center, 710 S. Paulina St., Room 232.

    Religious services and prayer groups

    Rush offers the following services and broadcasts them in all patient rooms on channel 15:

    • Jumuah prayers: 1 p.m. on Fridays in the Professional Office Building, 1725 W. Harrison St., Brainard Room 531.
    • Roman Catholic mass: Starting in 2024, every first Friday of every month

    Rush also offers the following spiritual programs:

    • Bible study: Suspended until further notice
    • Prayer group: Suspended until further notice

    Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program

    If you're interested in preparation for parish ministry, chaplaincy, lay ministry, teaching and counseling, Rush University Medical Center offers a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program. The Medical Center's CPE program, which is accredited by the Department of Education through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Inc. (ACPE), provides theological and professional education using the clinical method of learning in diverse contexts of ministry. Our program focuses on four pillars of education – including chaplaincy, research, ethics and spiritual care. To learn more about this program, visit our university web page here.

    Rush Copley Medical Center

    Chaplains

    Our chaplains are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    For routine requests, please call (630) 978-4827. For time-sensitive requests, please call (630) 978-6200 and ask for the chaplain on call.

    Chapel

    Rush Copley’s Interfaith Chapel provides a special environment for reflection, meditation and prayer.

    It is located on the second floor of the hospital, near the main lobby, and it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    Rush Oak Park Hospital

    Chaplains

    Our chaplains are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is a chaplain on call for emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    For requests, please call (708) 660-5658 or dial “0” from inside the hospital and ask for the chaplain on call.

    The hospital welcomes and encourages patients and families to invite their own spiritual care leader to visit, as well.

    Chapel

    The chapel at Rush Oak Park Hospital provides a quiet place for healing, reflection and prayer.

    It is located on the second floor of the hospital in the east wing, and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.