By: T. Leighton Ryder, Dcn.
In the field of Christian chaplain ministry, we often think of chaplaincy in the following environments; in the military where the chaplain belongs to a unit and provides spiritual care to soldiers who are on base; in hospitals where the chaplain makes their visitation rounds providing spiritual comfort to patients who are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity; lastly, in prisons where the chaplain is invigorating faith in the prisoners, absolving them of their sins, and baptizing them. These are only a few of many applications where chaplain ministry can be facilitated because chaplaincy is a ministry of mission. Which is to say where there is a mission there can be chaplaincy. Yet, there are still places in the North American mission field that are unreached by chaplaincy, especially that prioritize the sanctity of life.
Sanctity of life ministry typically falls within the healthcare field and advocates for the dignity of all human life, but especially for all vulnerable human life. This charism intentionally focuses on serving patients, staff, and family who find themselves within hospital care, dementia care, hospice care, and so on. However, these kinds of chaplain roles focus on providing pastoral care and support to those patients who are experiencing some form of injury, whether mental, physical or emotional. What is less obvious in sanctity of life chaplaincy, is ministry provided to women and men who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy. Such ministry opportunities are just as important to provide as any other healthcare ministry because the health and safety of the mother, father, and baby are all at risk and in need of pastoral support.
The role of a pregnancy resource center (PRC) is to provide the mother and father with accessible resources and care to help encourage the parent(s) to make the decision to not abort their baby. These organizations offer parents an immense number of accessible resources through educational material, swaddling & hygiene supplies, and ultrasounds. While these pregnancy resource centers are staffed with highly capable nurses, doctors, and counselors, there is less of a pastoral presence in each center. However, just as chaplains are essential in the military, hospitals, and prisons for the spiritual well-being of the people in those places, so too is the pastoral presence essential in environments such as PRCs; this is because the pastoral presence of a chaplain offers spiritual care and support to all in a way that health care professionals cannot provide.
There are three roles to the concept of a chaplain in a PRC. The first is the residential role. A unique characteristic of chaplains that differentiates them from church pastors is that they are found resident at the place of their ministry every day. The military chaplain is found on base available for soldiers, the hospital
chaplain is found at the hospital available for patients, and the prison chaplain is found at the prison available for prisoners. In the same way, a PRC chaplain would be found at the pregnancy resource center for mothers, fathers, family, or staff. While there, they can be available for any kind of pastoral care or support required of them such as offering comfort, giving spiritual guidance, and helping the staff to decompress. It could also fall within the chaplain’s capacity to facilitate bible studies and small groups for families and staff. Within the family scope, such a bible study could provide the opportunity to bring couples in crisis pregnancy together who are able to share their experiences and offer encouragement to one another.
The second aspect of the PRC chaplain is the remote role. The remote role consists of the chaplain being available for the parents(s) throughout the pregnancy. This means making stops for visitation to check in on the parent(s), bringing any required resources, and helping to connect the parent(s) with a more stable community of support; ideally this means the chaplain would help to find a church community for the parent(s) to join.
The final role of a PRC chaplain is the sacramental role. The overall role of the pregnancy resource center chaplain is to help care for and support the mother and father through the pregnancy from confirmation of pregnancy to baptism. From confirmation means that the chaplain is available for ministry to a crisis pregnancy from the moment the parent(s) learn they are expecting a child until the baby is baptized. Baptism suggests the family carried the baby through pregnancy, has a church community, and a faith that ensures the baby’s spiritual needs are cared for.
Chaplains are sent to a variety of mission fields within North America whether it is military bases, hospitals, or prisons. While there, they are depended upon by the people to provide pastoral care, the sacraments, and the gospel. However, while there is a variety of chaplain roles available to people in need of a pastoral care, this ministry is less available for women and men who need spiritual guidance when going through a crisis pregnancy. I do not think this is because the need for spiritual support is lacking, but because chaplains do not realize the opportunity for ministry. The chaplain in a pregnancy resource center has the opportunity to share the gospel with mothers and fathers who may not have heard it, be Christ-like to them during their pregnancy, and see the child raised in the Church.
If God protected and cared for Mary and Joseph while she was pregnant with our Lord, ought chaplains also protect and care for all mothers and fathers in a similar way?
