Mission FAQ

Learn more about Providence Health Care’s Mission and Governance.

The founding mission of Catholic hospitals is built on the Gospel stories of healing and the parables that teach dignity, hope, trust and conversion as well as the stories of religious women in action throughout history who have ministered to the poor, the sick and vulnerable.

Mission is critical to the lived identity and effective work of Providence Health Care and employees are invited to embrace a deep empathy for the founding stories and to hear them in their distinct organizational cultures. These are the narratives of immensely dedicated and hard-working women like the the five orders of Catholic nuns who created the following centres of care that eventually formed Providence Health Care:

St. Paul’s Hospital (Sisters of Charity of Providence)
Holy Family Hospital (Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul)
The CHARA Health Care Society:
- Mount Saint Joseph Hospital (Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception)
- St. Vincent’s Hospital (Sisters of Charity of Mount St. Vincent)
- Youville Residence (Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception)

Read more about our history

At Providence Health Care (PHC), we believe Catholic health care is a critical Church sponsored expression of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. In our increasingly integrated health system in British Columbia, we also believe Catholic health care to be vital to the health of all people living in B.C.

At the heart of Catholic health care is a deep respect for the intrinsic value and dignity of every human being and an unwavering commitment to serve all people, from all background and faiths, especially society’s most vulnerable (Catholic Health Alliance of Canada).

The governance context is that PHC operates under an agreement between the Province of British Columbia and the Denominational Health Association. The agreement recognizes the rights of owners of denominational care facilities to own, manage and operate their respective facilities and carry out their respective religious missions. It obligates the owners to meet provincial standards and national accreditation for health care, meet the conditions of any agreements with teaching facilities and plan and deliver health care services in collaboration with other health bodies.

PHC is both a ministry of the Catholic Church and an affiliate of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). Our funding comes through VCH, the Ministry of Health and private donors, through the St. Paul’s Foundation. The sponsor, PHC, is canonically an entity of the Church and a civic entity and is accountable to both. Distinct from other health authorities, PHC must provide assurance that the mission of the organization is understood and is driving all aspects of the ministry at all levels of the organization. To support this ministry, PHC collaborates with the other 128 Catholic health care organizations and 88,000 members across Canada through the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada (CHAC). Together we carry on the 400-year legacy of service serving communities across Canada, and serve 5 million+ people.
In the context of Christian healthcare organizations, 'ministry' refers to the compassionate and holistic service provided by health care professionals and volunteers. It involves delivering medical care, spiritual support, and emotional assistance aligned with Christian principles to promote healing, well-being, and the dignity of individuals. These Christian principles are rooted in the healing mission of Jesus and carried on by religious congregations (groups of sisters) responding to the call to “Go and Do Likewise” (Luke 10:37).
In health care, a "Catholic sponsor" refers to a religious entity linked to the Catholic Church that oversees and ensures a health care institution's adherence to Catholic values, ethical directives, and mission. To a certain extent, sponsorship could be considered somewhat parallel to a franchise. Sponsorship connotes a responsibility of trust, of attending to something sacred. The root word of ‘sponsorship’ is derived from ‘spondere,’ which means making a solemn pledge.
In the context of Catholic health care, "canonical" signifies adherence to the established rules and principles outlined by the Catholic Church, particularly regarding ethical standards, religious directives, and mission integration within healthcare practices and institutions.
Catholic Social Teaching sums up the teachings of the Church and the wisdom about building a just society amidst the challenges of modern society. At the heart of Catholic health care is a deep respect for the intrinsic value and dignity of every human being and an unwavering commitment to serving all people, from all backgrounds and faiths – especially people disadvantaged by the system. With a focus on dignity, respect, and compassion, we advocate for service to individuals at times of their greatest need, and strive to create culturally safe environments of health and healing.
Catholic health care institutions do not provide Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) due to religious and ethical beliefs that oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide. The Catholic Church upholds the sanctity of life from conception to natural death and believes that intentionally ending a person's life, even in cases of terminal illness or suffering, contradicts the intrinsic value and dignity of human life.

As a result, Catholic health care facilities focus on palliative care, pain management, and providing comprehensive support to patients, aiming to alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity without intentionally ending life through euthanasia or assisted suicide, even if permitted by law in certain regions.

A provincial government Media Release from Nov. 29, 2023, stated that “Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) services will soon be available for people within a Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) clinical space adjacent to St. Paul’s Hospital.” This reflects the MAiD-patient transfer protocols and arrangements that existed at the time of the announcement between VCH and Providence Health Care at St. John Hospice and May’s Place Hospice – both operated by Providence – and where VCH has established clinical space adjacent to the hospices.

Providence is committed to providing compassionate care to all patients and residents. As we are a Catholic health care provider, MAiD is not available at our facilities. Consistent with BC’s regulations, Providence works closely with VCH to ensure patient requests for MAiD are addressed in a timely and safe manner. If there are issues or concerns with transfers, the two organizations work to improve the transfer processes wherever possible.
Spirituality is part of every person's being as all people have beliefs, values, experiences and behaviours that inform their sense of meaning and purpose. When people end up in hospital or a care facility, they often have individual spiritual needs. Sometimes people need a trained spiritual health professional to support them during these moments. Sometimes they need a health care professional who is compassionate, caring and takes time to hear their concerns.

People who are affiliated with a formal religious tradition might benefit from a visit with a representative or leader from their tradition while in our care, and members of the health care teams can make these connections as required. Alternatively, people who are struggling may welcome a visit from a Spiritual Health Practitioner who has gone through special training to prepare them to respond to a variety of spiritual or religious needs. Spiritual Health Practitioners’ training and experience have also prepared them to work in collaboration with other care providers, including community clergy, Providence Health Care’s Indigenous Wellness Team, and all hospital disciplines as the patient/family may need or request.

People who are receiving medical care, especially those hospitalized for long periods or approaching the end of their life, need to have their spiritual pain identified and addressed even when:
- they have no formal religion;
- they decline a visit from a Spiritual Health Practitioner;
- their needs or anguish are not resolved with a leader or representative from their religious tradition;
- they are quickly approaching death and there is insufficient time to bring a trained Spiritual Health Practitioner to their side.
For more on spiritual care at Providence, click here.