Pastoral Care Health Ministry consists of two specialized areas- Pastoral communion ministry and parish nurse ministry. Pastoral care communion volunteers and parish nurses bring their own special gifts of faith and caring to each person they visit in the home, hospital, nursing home and retirement center. The church based parish nurse serves the parishioners as a heatlh educator and counselor for disease prevention, understanding of medical or surgical conditions, as a referral agent for health care, priests, doctors, community resources, or as an advocate for those in need. The pastoral care communion volunteers and parish nurses provide emotional, physical and spiritual support to members of the parish in a safe caring environment.