Spiritual Wellness
As a faith-based system, Saint Luke’s Health System is aware that persons have spiritual needs along with their physical and emotional needs, and we are committed to providing the best possible support for those spiritual needs for patients, families, and our staff.
The Saint Luke's Spiritual Wellness Department is an interfaith chaplaincy that ministers to individuals from every faith background, including those who do not have a particular faith. We also provide a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program.
Pastoral support is available 24 hours a day.
Call a chaplain when:
- You feel confused or upset
- You are asking God, “why?”
- Your family is upset
- You want to receive sacraments
- You want someone to pray
- You’ve received difficult news
- You want to contact your pastor
- You have difficult decisions
- Someone close to you is dying
- You are mourning
- You want strength, courage, and hope beyond your own
Bedside services
Blessings, anointing, prayer, and commendations are available at the bedside by request. Roman Catholic Eucharistic ministers try to see all Roman Catholic patients daily to give Holy Communion to those who wish to receive.
Prayer requests
Prayer Requests can be made to the Spiritual Wellness office in each hospital, or by email at prayers@saint-lukes.org.
Contact a chaplain
Patients, physicians, and others can request assistance from the chaplain. Reserve chaplain volunteers and students in the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program assist with 24-hour coverage.
Visit each hospital’s patient and visitor page for specific information regarding chapel services.
- Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City
816-932-2180 - Saint Luke’s South Hospital
The Rev. Ronald Verhaeghe, MDiv, B.C, Manager
913-317-7574 - Saint Luke’s North Hospital–Barry Road
The Rev. Sally Baehni, MDiv, Manager
816-891-6000 - Saint Luke's North Hospital–Smithville
The Rev. Sally Baehni, MDiv, Manager
816-532-3700 - Saint Luke's East Hospital
Chaplain Leslie Stith, MDiv, Manager
The Rev. Carmi Woods, MDiv
The Rev. John Murphy, MDiv
816-347-4616 - Crittenton Children’s Center
The Rev. Cathy Silvey, MDiv, BCC, Manager
816-767-4222 - Hedrick Medical Center
660-707-4219 - Wright Memorial Hospital
660-358-5704
We are committed to supporting each individual as best we can within the faith tradition that he or she already holds. Your spirituality is welcome at Saint Luke's.
We hope you will find resources that will support your own spiritual needs, and your capacity to support the spiritual needs of others. As we work toward this together, let us share a prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
