Call the Chaplain: Spiritual and pastoral caregiving in hospitals

Call the Chaplain is a passionate, first-hand account of accompanying people of all ages and backgrounds as they experience some of the most intense moments of their lives. Hospital chaplaincy is not a job for the faint-hearted. Every day, chaplains journey to the heights and depths of human experience, often in brief and transient encounters. Weakness and vulnerability lay bare the realities of life and there may be need for reconciliation as well as healing. Family members, friends and sometimes staff too, are often as much in need of support, or of somewhere to vent their fear, anger or sorrow. The stories in this book movingly reveal the highs and lows of Kate McClelland's experiences of working in a busy teaching hospital in a large and diverse city. A warm-hearted and often emotional account, these stories reflect moments of love, loss, hope, joy, grace and forgiveness, and raise important questions about dignity, freedom and choice. For ordained ministers, lay volunteers and all who work alongside hospital chaplains, this will provide invaluable insights into the nature of this pastoral calling, its complexity, its demands and its rewards. All royalties from the sale of this book will go to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.