Spiritual Support
Pastoral Care
It is the policy of the department that every patient be visited by members of the pastoral care staff as soon as possible after arrival, and as often as needed during their stay.
The role of the chaplain is not to replace that of the patient's clergy, but to assist him or her and to make certain that each patient is receiving pastoral care if desired.
How It Works
The chaplain staff will assist patients in receiving pastoral care from his/her denominational or religious background if desired.
They offer Prayer and Scripture to all and coerce it upon none and will listen from the heart, respecting patient privacy.
Pastoral care is available to staff, volunteers or any who seek their assistance, and we will always have a chaplain on call, ready to serve those in need.
The pastoral care staff is available 24 hours a day and can be reached by dialing (309) 734-3141.
Fr. Tom Otto is available for any pastoral needs. If a specific denomination is requested, our staff can notify a church of your choice.
Chapel
The chapel at OSF Holy Family is open 24 hours a day for staff, patient and visitor prayer and meditation. Catholic Mass is celebrated every Thursday and Friday from 8 - 8:30 a.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available upon request.
The staff and volunteer chaplains are available Monday through Friday during normal business hours and during the evening and weekends upon request for patient visits, family support, crisis assistance, grief support ministry, and prayer.
Just ask any hospital staff person or volunteer to contact the pastoral care department.
If you are calling from outside the medical center, you may dial (309) 734-3141, press "0" for the operator, and ask them to contact someone from pastoral care to assist you.
Father Tom Otto - Staff Chaplain
Fr. Thomas J. Otto, Staff Chaplain at OSF Holy Family, is originally from rural Chillicothe, Illinois, where he grew up with his brother and sister.
After graduating from Illinois Valley Central High School, he attended college seminary at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minnesota while earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy at St. Mary’s University, with a minor in Spanish.
He then attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmittsburg, Maryland where he earned a Master of Divinity degree and a master's degree in Theology.
He was ordained a Catholic priest in May of 2013, and after serving the parishes in and around Mendota, IL for two years, was assigned in June of 2015 as the parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Church in Monmouth and St. Patrick Church in Raritan, as well as chaplain to the St. Augustine Newman Center at Monmouth College and to OSF Holy Family Medical Center.
He feels very blessed to be a priest, and even more blessed that he is serving the people of Warren and Henderson County as an OSF chaplain. He is available to anyone in the area who is seeking spiritual guidance or advice. When he’s not at the hospital or parish, you might also see him cycling or running around town, or cruising the back roads listening to country music.
Staff
In addition to Father Tom, the Pastoral Care department consists of 5 volunteer chaplains from churches throughout Warren, Henderson and Mercer counties.
Employee Prayer Group
We also have an employee prayer group. Prayer request boxes are located throughout the facility. On a weekly basis week the prayer group collects the prayers and along with prayers for our facility and employees they pray for the specific requests they collected.
Volunteer Chaplains Association
Our Volunteer Chaplains Association operates under an Executive Board under the direction of Wendy Allaman, Volunteer Services Manager and Pastoral Care. They were organized in hopes of uniting their efforts to provide a better spiritual ministry to patients.
They strive to offer educational opportunities to our community by sponsoring and coordinating speakers and programs at least once a year. The Chaplains Association also sponsor a six-week grief series twice a year. All programs are offered at no cost to attendees.