Pastoral Care Ministry

08/03/2026

With the New York State Medical Aid in Dying Act set to take effect August 5, 2026, we want to provide you with a Catholic resources for end-of-life decision-making.
Please see the webpage the diocese has created.
https://www.rcda.org/endoflife

03/18/2026

01/13/2024

Pope Francis releases his message for the 32nd World Day of the Sick, and calls for a ‘therapeutic covenant’ between people who are ill and their ...

02/11/2022

Today, February 11th is the 30th World Day of the Sick. This year’s theme is:
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36).
Standing beside those who suffer on a path of charity

… I would like to remind everyone that closeness to the sick and their pastoral care is not only the task of certain specifically designated ministers; visiting the sick is an invitation that Christ addresses to all his disciples. How many sick and elderly people are living at home and waiting for a visit! The ministry of consolation is a task for every baptized person, mindful of the word of Jesus: “I was sick and you visited me” ( Mt 25:36).
—Pope Francis-Message for the 2022 World Day for the Sick
Full statement: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/sick/documents/20211210_30-giornata-malato.html
Free downloadable prayer cards, a prayer service and other tools can be found at the Catholic Health Association: https://www.chausa.org/prayers/world-day-of-the-sick

01/31/2022

Pope Francis has chosen Friday, February 11th as the 30th World Day of the Sick. This year’s theme is from the Gospel of Luke:
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36).

03/13/2020

Love your neighbor

Truly, we can.

[Image description - a white background with a branch and its green leaves coming from the right side and extending towards the words: Individualism is destructive.Send greed and selfishness away.That learned refusal to acknowledge your own need for help - let it be gone as well. When possible, counter all impulses towards privatized survivalwith acts of love - collective and expansive - with caring for others and accepting care. Remember we need each other.Remember the needs of your neighbors (literal and metaphorical).Remember the vulnerable. Remember we are in this together.People depend on you - you depend on othersthis, a Sacred truth woven into our flesh. Let this time be an opening to everything we’ve lost in this era of
pushing-down, pushing-through, pushing-away, pushing the pace. Let all that is soft, all that is slow, all that is gentle, all that is kind, all that is care-full, be welcomed home in each of us.We have such creative, powerful, generous, and brave capacitieswithin us. We can do things differently.]

02/03/2020

01/31/2020

Hello FB friends! We will be phasing out our postings on this page. To continue to receive our news and updates (we hope you do), like and follow us on our master page, Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. https://www.facebook.com/AlbanyDiocesanCemeteries

Blessings, Pastoral Care Ministry