A diabetic loses a limb. A cancer patient receives radiation therapy. A mother gives birth.

Everyday, in big and small ways, hospitals are the scene of life-changing events for patients, their loved ones and caregivers. Catholic health care recognizes that treatment of the body alone is insufficient at times of emotional upheaval; and, it recognizes that others suffer and celebrate with patients.

When their minds and spirits require a quiet place away from the public bustle to process significant events, patients, their loved ones and their caregivers may take refuge in a hospital chapel.

Chapels are a sacred space where patients, families and staff can find solace in prayer, meditation and in connection with God, said Rev. James von Drehle, interim director of spiritual care, St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital Oakland Center, Madison Heights, Mich. "The uncertainties of surgery, illness, death and loss often shake people to their core, and having a chapel where they can find hope and spiritual nourishment in the eternal is extremely important."

In Catholic hospitals, chapels represent the foundational principles of the ministry's work.

In the past, many chapels were located in out-of-the way nooks. In recent years, several hospitals have relocated chapels - or built them new - in prime real estate near lobbies and with features visible from the street.

Julie O'Connor is vice president of mission and leadership formation at Baptist Hospital, a Catholic hospital in Nashville, Tenn. She said, "The chapel is symbolic of our mission to carry on the loving ministry of Jesus as healer. Patients come to us in some of the most vulnerable times of life, and the chapel can be a place of comfort, healing and peace."

The elements of design - the choice of colors, use of stained glass and other ornamentation, soft music and plants - create a soothing atmosphere where a harried visitor can escape the noise of the hospital's corridors.

Since Catholic hospitals serve people of all faiths and since even people of the same faith may differ in their approaches to spirituality, in addition to symbols of the Catholic faith many chapels incorporate features unconnected to a particular religious tradition. The intent is to ensure that all feel welcome.

Roger Williams III, the former chaplain of Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, Calif., said that hospital's chapel "was designed so that the room could be arranged in various ways for different effect. The chairs could face a custom-made stained glass window with a dove for a more religious feel. Point the chairs at the mural for a more nature/outdoors feel. We put much thought and energy into the design," he said. Prayer cards from 15 world religions are available in the chapel.

The emphasis on inclusiveness enables the chapel to serve the needs of hospitals' diverse workforces. Sr. Betty Granger, CSJ, senior vice president, mission integration, St. John Health, Warren, Mich., said a Muslim employee uses the prayer room there five times daily. The employee told Sr. Granger that "in Islam, prayer is a way of life. Prayer is one of the major pillars of Islam. Having a room for prayer and being able to perform prayer relieves stress, relaxes the mind, allows a person to feel close to God."

When chapels are fully integrated into the life of a hospital, they can serve as a reminder that illness is only one aspect of patients' lives. The chapel at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, N.Y., once hosted a wedding for a dying man and his long-time companion. "He wanted to marry her before his death, so we had a wedding here," said Sr. Danielle M. Bonetti, CSJ, vice president of mission integration for the facility. "It was very touching. The chapel was packed, and there wasn't a dry eye in there."