The HIPAA Privacy Act makes it difficult for the Catholic Chaplain in a hospital to see Catholic patients who are hospitalized. Tell your family to make sure the hospital knows you are a Catholic and that the hospital Chaplain has been invited to visit.

Before you or a family member enters the hospital for surgery or a procedure, consider calling the main Parish Office requesting the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. It would be appropriate to give this blessing here in the Church before a hospital visit. Families often wait too long until the person is in the hospital and restricted from food consumption. Therefore, they are unable to receive Holy Communion.