The Pontifical Academy for Life, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) and the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) of the University of Navarra invite palliative care professionals to the first webinar in the PAL-LIFE three-part webinar series on Good Practices in Palliative Care: Spiritual and Religious Care as a Core Component of Whole-Person Care.
The opening webinar, Foundations of Spiritual and Religious Care as a Core Component of Whole-Person Care, brings together leading clinicians and researchers to reflect on meaning, healing, compassion and the place of spiritual care in the care of people with serious illness. Participation is free of charge.
Date and time
- Friday, 9 October 2026
- 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm CEST (Central European Summer Time)
- That is 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm WAT, 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm CAT and SAST, and 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm EAT
Register for the webinar on Zoom. Once registered, you will automatically receive the link to join.
Programme (all times CEST)
- 4:00 to 4:10 Welcome address: Archbishop Renzo Pegoraro
President, Pontifical Academy for Life, Holy See - Introduction: Andrea Ciucci
Chancellor, Pontifical Academy for Life, Holy See - Chairs: Mary Callaway and Stephan Sahm
International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, USA; Ethikrat (Vors.), Ketteler Krankenhaus, Germany - 4:10 to 4:30 Reflections on Meaning and Spiritual Care: the legacy of Dame Cicely Saunders
Peter Speck, King’s College London, UK - 4:30 to 4:50 The Healing Process in Advanced Disease and at the End of Life: Clinical Reflections from Palliative Care
Carlos Centeno, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain - 4:50 to 5:10 Compassion: A Core Competency of Quality Spiritual Care and Whole-Person Care
Shane Sinclair, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada - 5:10 to 5:30 GWish Advancing Spiritual Care Initiative: Integrating Interprofessional Spiritual Care in Clinical Settings
Christina Puchalski, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA - 5:30 to 6:00 Lectio Magistralis: Spiritual and Religious Care as a Clinical Imperative: Advancing Whole-Person Care in Serious Illness
Tracey Balboni, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA - 6:00 to 6:20 Discussion
- 6:20 to 6:30 Wrap-up and end
Why this matters for palliative care in Africa
Spiritual and religious care is central to how many patients and families across Africa experience serious illness, dying and bereavement. APCA encourages clinicians, chaplains, faith leaders, educators and programme managers in our network to join this series and share it with colleagues.
Register
- Register on Zoom
- For information: www.academyforlife.va or events@pav.va
This webinar is organised by the Pontifical Academy for Life with IAHPC and the University of Navarra. APCA shares it for information only; please direct enquiries to the organisers above.
