The Heart of Mary House was established in 2022 on the campus of St. Edward Church and School. The mission of Heart of Mary House is to provide a safe, comfortable, and peaceful home-like setting for people, who are within the last three months of their lives. Each resident is under the medical care of a hospice agency, has a DNR, and has a prognosis of three months or less. These residents are either not able to remain in their own homes or have no home at all. The residents may not have family, who are able to care for them during this time, or their family may be experiencing circumstances that make it too difficult to provide the care the resident needs. Admission is based on need regardless of race, gender, religion, or age. The Heart of Mary House is a Catholic organization, which upholds the teachings of the Magisterium. Heart of Mary House will have the ability to care for up to four residents at any given time.

Heart of Mary House is a non-profit and is dependent on the generosity of volunteers and donors to fulfill its mission. Volunteers help with household needs like cleaning, cooking, laundry, companionship, praying, reading, and hands-on care if desired by the volunteer.  All residents receive care free-of-charge. The non-profit relies completely on funds raised through community contributions.

Donations can be made online at https://osvhub.com/stedwards/giving/funds or checks may be mailed to St. Edward Church, 188 Thompson Lane, Nashville, TN 37211. 
 

"Let us run like fools not only to God, but also to our neighbor, who is the intermediary to whom we give what we cannot give to God."
- Saint Anthony Zaccaria

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Who are the residents?
A. The residents are people who have a terminal diagnosis and are within the final three months of their lives.  Each resident is under the medical care of a hospice agency, has a DNR, and has a prognosis of three months or less. He or she either does not have family who can be with them during this time, or his or her family is unable to care for him or her. This may be due to distance, finances, time, or the physical ability to assist. Our residents may have been homeless prior to living at the Heart of Mary House. Admission is based on need regardless of race, gender, religion, or age.

Q. What happens if a resident outlives their 3-month prognosis?
A. Studies have shown that people live longer than their prognosis once they are comfortable and have appropriate loving care. If a person stabilizes or improves, we will help him or her find a housing environment that is best suited to his or her current needs.  When a resident is accepted in the Heart of Mary House, the resident agrees to undergo a placement review at two months.

Q. How do we find the residents?
A. Our referrals come from multiple sources: Hospice agencies, physicians, hospitals, social workers, friends, and family. Admission into the Heart of Mary House is made after careful consideration by the Heart of Mary director under the supervision of the pastor of St. Edward.


Q. What is the mission of the Heart of Mary House?
A. Our mission is to embrace those who need a safe, comfortable, and peaceful home-like setting to spend their final days and to ensure all their needs are met, both physically and spiritually. Most importantly, we want our residents to know they were loved in their final days.

Q. Are you responsible for the resident’s medication?
A. The residents are under the care of Hospice the day they are admitted into Heart of Mary House. Hospice provides all medical needs including medical equipment, personal care supplies, medications, and an intradisciplinary team including a physician, registered nurse, CNA, social worker, and chaplain.

The hospice nurse often sees the resident twice a week and if there is an emergent need, Hospice is available 24/7 by phone and can make a visit as needed. Heart of Mary House is not a medical facility; it is a home and provides care as a family member would for their loved one.

Q. What guidelines do you follow for care?
A. We are aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church and follow the Healthcare Directives of the Catholic Church. More information on the Catholic Church directives can be found here. https://www.catholicendoflife.org/church-teaching/

Q. Is hospice not free? 
A. Hospice is free! If you have insurance, the cost is paid at 100 percent. However, insurance does not pay for room and board costs. Nor does it offer 24-hour care.  At Heart of Mary House, residents will be served by Alive Hospice, which is a nonprofit and does not refuse hospice care to anyone, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

Q. How can I help?
A. Since we are a non-profit, we rely completely on the time, talent, and treasure of our volunteers. Staff members will always be present and available to volunteers.

Time – Spend time with the residents by praying for them or with them, doing light cleaning, assisting with mealtime, providing hands-on care, and companionship. No amount of time is too little. You can give an hour once, a reoccurring hour, or a dedicated block of time. 

Talent – Talents cover a wide range of needs. Volunteers can clean, sing, play musical instruments, cook a meal, make blankets, do laundry, pray for our residents, provide games and reading material, garden, and even contribute to a snack basket for residents and volunteers.  

Treasure - Donations can be made online at https://osvhub.com/stedwards/giving/funds/heart-of-mary or checks may be mailed to St. Edward Church, 188 Thompson Lane, Nashville, TN 37211. In the memo line, write “Heart of Mary House.”

Or you can purchase an item off our Amazon Wish list. New items are added as needs arise.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/UL1HTXWITAKL?ref_=wl_share.

Q. I want to volunteer, but I am not completely comfortable. Will training be provided?
A. Yes, training will be provided at the beginning of your first shift. Eventually, training will be held monthly for all new volunteers.

Q. I have a high school student who needs service hours. Are they able to volunteer?
A. Yes, we love having high school students serve our residents, but anyone under 18 will need to be accompanied by an adult.

Q. How will this ministry impact students on campus? 
A. Heart of Mary House will function separately from the school, and the students will not generally have any direct interaction with it. With parental consent, students may have the opportunity to participate in the ministry as a way of learning about service to the poor and care of the sick, in accord with our Lord's admonition in Matthew 25:40, "Amen, I say to you, what you did for the least of my brethren you did for me."  
 
Additionally, teachers will be given preparation and instruction on how to talk about the ministry with their students in the event that questions arise among them. 

For more information, visit https://heartofmaryhouse.org.