Pastoral Services and Resources

Pastoral care is a contemporary term for an ancient model of emotional, social and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. The term is considered inclusive of distinctly non-religious forms of support, as well as support for people from religious communities.

The Irish Apostolate USA strives to facilitate pastoral care services among the Irish and Irish -American communities through our chaplaincy, outreach services, as available, and resources contained in this website. We hope that the content contained in this website aids you, the reader, to find the pastoral resources and information you seek. 

If you have other questions, kindly write to the email address listed on each page of the footer.   We will do our best to respond to your question or provide some resource or pastoral care.

WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF PASTORAL CARE?

Pastoral care covers many functions relating to spiritual health, counseling and education. A pastoral care-giver is somebody who focuses on providing spiritual support services like counseling, visitations to hospitals or prisons, palliative and bereavement care, prayer sessions and memorial services. 

  • Welcoming the stranger, a characteristic of the early Church, remains a permanent feature of the Catholic Church today and bears witness to its fidelity to a gospel way of life. The Episcopal Conferences of Ireland and the United States work together to respond to the spiritual and pastoral care needs of Irish immigrants living in the United States. The Irish Apostolate USA and the Irish Immigration Apostolate Centers play a unique role in the life of Irish immigrants by their ability to respond to their spiritual and pastoral needs within an Irish heritage framework.

    The chaplains, religious workers, and staff respect and value the family oriented, social, cultural and spiritual heritage of Irish immigrants and provide outreach services that meet the needs and practices of the immigrants. We rely mainly on the skills and resources of the immigrants themselves who volunteer their time and energy. In addition, we build relationships with professionals within our communities who have particular expertise for particular needs. Our structure is on a firm foundation of community service, motivated by faith and made effective by strong professional support and up-to-date resources.

    The Irish Apostolate USA strives to “welcome the stranger” through a variety of resources and services.

    • Pastoral Care Chaplaincy

    • Faith Development,

    • Irish prayers and devotional resources

    • Catholic Sacraments resources

    • Prison and Detention Outreach

    • Wellness and Bereavement Resources

    • Resources for Senior populations

    • Irish Travellers in the U.S.

    • Laudato Si & Resources for Care for our Earth

    • Immigration Resource News

Pastoral Research