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Rochester General Hospital

Spiritual Care and Education

General Content

Spiritual Care and Education at Rochester General Hospital

Rochester General Hospital employs a team of professional staff chaplains and hosts a nationally accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program.

Learn More about the Clinical Pastoral Education Program

As spiritual care providers in a clinical setting, our chaplains help advocate a holistic concept of health. Modern medical care recognizes the integration of a person’s spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. These elements are interdependent dimensions both in health and in illness. We proudly provide our services not only to our patients and visitors but also to our staff.

Common areas where our chaplains provide assistance are:

  • During times of crisis
  • Facing life changes and challenges
  • Experiencing grief and loss
  • Providing spiritual counsel and guidance
  • Discerning goals of care

Our spiritual care services are provided for patients of varying creed, belief, religious affiliation, and even patients with no identified faith at all.  We ultimately hope to help people explore meaning; identifying and utilizing spiritual coping strategies in the form of personal, family, community and religious resources.

Chaplains at RGH abide by the Common Code of Ethics for Chaplains, Pastoral Counselors, Pastoral Educators, and Students.

  • Chaplains are available in the hospital Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 9:00 pm.
  • Chaplains are available on call for urgent needs 24/7.
  • Please call the operator at (585) 922-4000 to reach a chaplain.
  • Confidentiality is strictly maintained.

Download Our Spiritual Care Services Poster

Meet Our Staff and Chaplains

  • Headshot of Reverend Bryan McMullen, CPE Educator

    Rev. Bryan McMullen, BCC, ACPE, Supervisor of Spiritual Care and Education

    Bryan is married (2001) and has six school-aged children.  He completed his Master of Arts in Religion at Westminster Theological Seminary (2002).  He was ordained specifically for hospital ministry (2004) and is endorsed by the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals. He completed a chaplain residency at the University of Rochester Medical Center (2004) and has a total of eleven units of Clinical Pastoral Education.  Bryan is board certified with the Association of Professional Chaplains (2014) and was certified as a pastoral educator by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (2019).  Bryan has served as chaplain for Rochester General Hospital since 2007.  He is also a big fan of garden and landscape. 

  • profile photo

    Jill Pavone, Staff Chaplain

    Jill is a staff chaplain at Rochester General Hospital (RGH) and a graduate of its Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program. She is a retired special education teacher and continues to serve the CPE program at RGH with her mission to educate, guide and encourage current chaplain interns in a support role. Her seminary training and Unitarian Universalist faith have given her the spiritual foundation to honor the many expressions of faith and ideology encountered in our hospital patients and CPE students. She is happy to have a home in her adopted Rochester NY spiritual care community, although the Bronx, will always be where she comes from.

  • Headshot of Reverend E. Scott Bassett

    Rev. E Scott Bassett, MA, MS, Staff Chaplain

    As a life-long resident of the Rochester, NY area, Scott earned Master’s degrees in Theological Studies from Northeastern Seminary and in Strategic Leadership from Roberts Wesleyan College. He’s also completed 6 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), including a residency at Strong Memorial Hospital. Scott is an ordained pastor of the Free Methodist Church with an ecclesiastical endorsement for chaplain ministries. Prior to joining Rochester Regional Health, he was an Associate Pastor at Park Ridge Free Methodist Church where he ministered to homebound, hospitalized, and nursing home parishioners. Earlier in his career, Scott also worked as a project manager at IBM in their network services division. Scott’s desire is to minister to those struggling in life, celebrate their successes, and connect with them on a personal level. His leisure time is spent with his wife, hiking in Western NY, and eating good food with good company

  • Dan Bernard

    Bernard Dan MS, Staff Chaplain

    Bernard received his ordination in his home country of Nigeria in 2004. His Bachelor degrees are in Theology and Philosophy from Pontifical Urban University, Rome, Italy, and an additional Bachelor of Philosophy degree from the University of Uyo, Nigeria. His Master of Science degree in Healthcare Administration was earned from Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona.  Bernard has served as Parochial Administrator of a 5-church cluster providing pastoral care, spiritual direction, and facilitating worship services for more than fifteen years.  This church-related work has expanded, however, to include the clinical setting and people from all denominations, beliefs and those without one.  His particular area of interest is in providing culturally sensitive care for patients in psychiatric, trauma, and palliative related circumstance.  Bernard also enjoys composing and recording music in his home theater, likes to play soccer, and enjoys the occasional video game on his PS4. 

  • Headshot of Clif Genge, Palliative Care Chaplain

    Clif Genge, MDiv, Palliative Care Chaplain

    Clif serves as Palliative Care chaplain for Rochester General Hospital providing spiritual support to patients and families through serious illness and in some cases transitions to end of life and loss. Clif earned his Masters from Northeastern Seminary and clinical training at Strong Memorial Hospital. Clif has experience in hospice care, trauma, skilled nursing facilities and inpatient mental health. A husband and father of three, Clif is honored to be a part of some of the most sacred moments in people’s lives.