Hospital Chaplains now have their own association

On Saturday, 22^th October, the Association of Hospital Chaplains (ANK) was formally established. The new association continues the service of other, similar, chaplaincies already in existence such as the military, prison and police chaplaincies here in the Czech Republic. The dual aims of the ANK are to support training and education and to ensure professional, spiritual, and pastoral care for patients, their relatives and health care staff.

The solemn foundation of the ANK took place in the chapel of the Thomayer University Hospital in Prague during a service that included the blessing of the work of the chaplaincy. Vítězslav Vurst, the hospital chaplain at Motol was elected as ANK chairman. “The formation of this association responds to the fact that more initiatives of hospitals or Churches exist that aim to establish a chaplaincy in a specific location. The association provides for these both professional help and human support.” says Pavel Pokorny, a protestant minister who is the speaker of the commission for pastoral care in health care institutions for the Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic and a member of the ANK founding committee.

The ANK is a national association and its members are appointed by their respective Churches as chaplains in health care institutions. A chaplain offers spiritual, pastoral and religious care to patients, their relatives, caregivers, employees and volunteers at hospitals, hospices and other health and social institutions. This service is provided to everybody that asks for it, always respecting the personal view, and also serves those who don't adhere to any religion.

The well-known actor Jan Potmesil took over the patronage of the fledgling ANK. He said: “After a car accident in December 1989 I touched the imaginary border between life and death and I am very grateful to have been given the chance to stay on this side. Not only the body can be healed during a hospital stay, the spirit can also be strengthened. It is an opportunity to discover connections and to understand life's spiritual dimension. For this to happen, the support by an open, mature and sensitive companion, the chaplain, is essential and of fundamental importance. This is why I gladly take on the patronage of the associations of hospital chaplains.”

Daniela Ženatá