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Chaplain services

Our chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support to Veterans, their families, and caregivers, regardless of faith or denomination. Whether facing ethical dilemmas, grief, loss, or personal crises, we offer a safe and confidential space for reflection, healing, and guidance.

Mission

The mission of VA Boston Healthcare System’s Spiritual Care/Chaplain Service is to support Veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, and employees through compassionate care and empowerment. We are committed to serving with respect, fostering spiritual well-being, and ensuring every individual feels heard and supported.

Vision

We envision a future where interdisciplinary collaboration, education, and expansion strengthen our ability to provide Veteran-centered, comprehensive and inclusive spiritual care. Our commitment is to continually assess and address the evolving needs of our Veterans while proactively navigating systemic challenges to ensure high-quality, holistic spiritual care.

Core values

At VA Boston Healthcare System’s Spiritual Care/Chaplain Service, we strive to:

  • Support and empower those we serve.
  • Uphold respect and compassion in all interactions.
  • Honor Veterans of all faiths and beliefs.

Our chaplains

Jamaica Plain campus

West Roxbury campus

  • Chaplain Hali Diecidue (full-time)
  • Chaplain Christopher Foustoukos
  • Chaplain Galina Li (full-time)
  • Chaplain Bruce Teague 

Brockton campus

  • Chaplain R. Peter Francis (full-time)
  • Chaplain Robert Roetzel

Spiritual care and religious services

We offer a healing and supportive environment where Veterans of all faith traditions, philosophies, and worldviews can restore their sense of spiritual well-being.

Our clinically trained chaplains provide...

Spiritual care

  • Spiritual assessment and counseling
  • Trauma-informed and outcome-based clinical spiritual care

 

Specialty services

  • End-of-life support
  • Grief and bereavement counseling
  • Individual and group emotional support
  • Suicide prevention and postvention care
  • Pre- and post-surgical spiritual guidance
  • Hospice and palliative care
  • Military sexual trauma support
  • Moral injury and PTSD support
  • Tele-chaplaincy services
  • Women Veterans’ health spiritual support

 

Worship services

  • Roman Catholic Mass
  • Interdenominational Worship Services

 

Rites and religious services

  • Sacramental ministry (Communion, Anointing of the Sick)
  • Spiritual and religious resources

 

Whole Health integration

  • Risk screening for wellness and recovery factors
  • Support for caregivers, staff, and medical teams
  • Guidance on life-changing medical decisions
  • Conflict resolution for patients, families, and staff
  • Memorial services and bereavement support
  • Support with organ and tissue donation decisions
  • Employee and family spiritual support

 

Chaplains as clinical team members

Our chaplains collaborate with healthcare teams by:

  • Participating in medical rounds and patient care conferences
  • Contributing to interdisciplinary education and team discussions
  • Documenting spiritual care interventions in medical records

 

Benefits of spiritual care

Studies show that patients who receive spiritual care often experience:

  • Faster healing and recovery
  • Improved coping skills
  • Reduced pain levels
  • Enhanced quality of life

Contact a chaplain

Contact a Chaplain

For spiritual care support, please contact:
Jamaica Plain campus –  
West Roxbury campus –  
Brockton campus –  

Program Support Assistant
Kerrie A. Godsoe

Chapel locations

Brockton campus
Interfaith Chapel – First Floor, Room 101, Building 24
940 Belmont Street, Brockton, MA 02301

West Roxbury campus
Interfaith Chapel – Building 1, Ground Floor, Room 122
1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132

Jamaica Plain campus
Interfaith Chapel – Third Floor, Room E3-90A
150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02130

Chapel worship services

Our interfaith chapels are open daily for prayer, meditation and reflection.

Brockton campus

Roman Catholic Mass

  • Sunday Mass – 10:00 a.m., Chapel, Building #24
  • Weekday Mass – 11:30 a.m., Monday–Friday, Chapel, Building #24

Interfaith/Denominational Worship

  • Sunday Chapel Worship – 11:00 a.m., Chapel, Building #24

West Roxbury campus

Roman Catholic Mass

  • Weekday Mass – 12:05 p.m., Monday–Friday, Interfaith Chapel, Building #1, Ground Floor, Room GB-122

Jamaica Plain campus

  • The chapel is open daily for prayer, meditation, and reflection.
  • Location: Interfaith Chapel, 3rd Floor, Room D127

Meet our chaplains

Acting chief
Chaplain R. Peter Rashid
rashid.francis@va.gov 

Chaplains of the VA Boston Healthcare System:

Chaplain Hali Diecidue (MAJS, MEd)

Chaplain Hali Diecidue is an interfaith chaplain with a background in education. With 25 years of experience, Hali has specialty certification in hospice and palliative care chaplaincy.

Chaplain Christopher P. Foustoukos (MDiv)

Chaplain Christopher Foustoukos is an Eastern Orthodox (Orthodox Christian) chaplain and a U.S. Air Force Veteran. He served as a missile launch officer before transitioning to chaplaincy and has spent 23 years serving at VA Boston. He enjoys gardening, landscaping, traveling, watching Patriots games, and spending time with his family.

Chaplain R. Peter Francis (BA, BPhil, MDiv, STL)

Chaplain R. Peter Francis is a Roman Catholic chaplain with 35 years of pastoral counseling experience, including 18 years in the VA. Board-certified by the NCVACC and NACC-VA, he is endorsed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the U.S. Military Services. In his free time, he enjoys music, gardening, cooking, reading, and singing.

Chaplain Galina Li (BEng, MDiv)

Chaplain Galina Li is a nondenominational Christian chaplain with a background in engineering. Board-certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains, she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree. Before joining the VA, she served as a hospital chaplain in some of the largest academic teaching hospitals in New York and Massachusetts. In her free time, she enjoys reading and traveling.

Chaplain Robert Roetzel (BS, MDiv, STM)

Chaplain Robert Roetzel is a Roman Catholic chaplain and a retired Army officer who served as both a combat engineer and chaplain. He has been with the VA for four years and enjoys hunting, fishing and reading in his free time.

Chaplain Bruce N. Teague (AB, MDiv)

Chaplain Bruce Teague is a Roman Catholic chaplain who grew up in a military family—his father was a career naval combat officer, and his mother was a WWII Navy Veteran. A priest for over 46 years, he has served as a chaplain at academic teaching hospitals for more than 11 years. In his free time, he enjoys reading, watching movies and live theater, swimming, and spending time with friends.

Additional resources

For more information about the VA Boston Chaplain Service, please visit:

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