The Mercy Parish/Congregational Nurse and Health Ministry Program currently serves Catholic and Protestant churches and welcomes individuals of all faith traditions who wish to start a health ministry. Our mission is to encourage health of the whole person: body, mind and spirit. Nurses, other health professionals and lay people work as part of the ministerial team to provide health screenings, counseling, educational activities and referrals, serving their own congregations and the community-at-large. The outreach includes home visits to assist the homebound.

The Mercy Parish/Congregational Nurse and Health Ministry Program seeks to carry out the mission of Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in its desire to serve the entire community with a special heart for those who are underserved. Five Mercy Parish Nurses work in Pittsburgh neighborhoods in office space provided by the churches. Parish Nurses serve in food and clothing banks, senior housing areas and other locations where people might come for help. Home visits are made to people unable to come to the office. Three Mercy Parish Nurses work in the office to support parish nurses and health ministers who volunteer in their own churches. Our staff provides consultation, educational programs, quarterly meetings and a variety of resources for health ministry. Support staff, including an Elder Outreach Coordinator, a Social Worker, plus fifty volunteers enhance our outreach ministry. Our staff works as a team to support and pray for each other as we encourage and assist those in the community.

Our program was started as a Parish Nurse Program in 1991 with seven Parish Nurses placed in churches in underserved neighborhoods. Since then our name has changed to include the broader outreach of lay health ministry.