About 25 people gathered a CentraCare Hospital in Monticello Wednesday afternoon to dedicate the new Spiritual Center.

 

Steve Pareja, division director of Clinical Services, said the new center is something that had been missing before.

 

“We’ve actually had community members, patients, staff and families ask for a place they can go for quiet meditation,” he said. “It’s something we wanted to do for the community.”

 

Since CentraCare is a non-denominational organization, Pareja said it was important to create a space that was welcoming to all people and not any one specific faith tradition. “What we wanted to do was create a space where people who are Christian, non-Christian or agnostic could go and be with themselves, their thoughts or their deity, so we created a space that is very comforting,” he said.

 

The room, located in the building’s lower level, has subdued lighting, reflective artwork on the walls, comfortable furniture and open floor space. The centerpiece of the room is a flowing, wall-mounted waterfall.

 

“It’s got elements that will enhance an individual’s spirituality, but we were specific to create an environment that didn’t dictate the spirituality,” said Pareja. “If you look at the artwork on the walls, it doesn’t indicate Christianity or any other faith tradition. We wanted it to be a place where you could just relax.”

 

The Spiritual Center also has resources  that allow people to explore their religion as they are embracing spirituality. 

 

“So you will find things like the Bible, the Torah, Native American ritual and spirituality items,” said Pareja. “And we’ve got Muslim prayer rugs and a divider for our Muslim brothers and sisters when they kneel down and pray five times a day if they’re on campus.”

 

Spiritual Care Program Director Rev. Jocelyn Bakkemo worked directly with people from different faith traditions to get input on to how to create that space.

 

She said the goal was to make the room inviting to anyone.

 

“The intention was to create an interfaith and non-denominational space so that anybody, no matter what their faith tradition, would feel comfortable coming into this space,” she said.

 

Pareja said he and Bakkemo visited other spiritual centers during the planning stages.

 

“We wanted to take elements from other areas and bring it to ours,” he said. “The result is a fantastic space that is comparable to any other spiritual center that we’ve been in. It’s exceeded my expectations.”

 

During Wednesday’s ceremony, guests were invited to take part in contemplative chants from different religions, such as Buddhism, Muslim, Judaism, Hindu and Christian.

 

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Administrator Mary Ellen Wells talked about the dream of having a Spiritual Center.

 

“I think back three years ago and what our vision of this place could be - and where we are right now,” she said. 

 

“What we are able to provide our patients, our residents and our guests has reached new heights. This is not technological equipment or special skill, but it is a dimension that is just as important that I’m very proud to be a part of. It’s a new era for us.”