This event has been canceled.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Elms College and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield will host the 4th Annual Pastoral Symposium on Saturday, March 7, 2026. This year’s event will focus on end-of-life care and the spiritual needs of both the patient and their family.
Saturday, March 7, 2026
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Elms College Mary Dooley College Center
Free & Open to all
This year’s symposium, “Spiritual Accompaniment at End of Life: Compassionate Care and Catholic Witness,” will welcome Elms College Associate Professor Dr. Peter DePergola and Sister of St. Joseph, Ginny Maitland. This year’s topic will focus on addressing the spiritual needs at the end of a patient’s life alongside additional healthcare needed.
Dr. Harry Dumay, President of Elms College, said, “I am grateful to Bishop William Byrne and the Diocese of Springfield for partnering with Elms College’s Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies to offer this Symposium to the Diocese once again. Both Professor Peter DePergola and Elms College’s former Trustee Sr. Ginny Maitland are great speakers and will offer important insights to all those who attend.”
This symposium series was started to address public health issues in a post-pandemic world. Previous topics have included issues related to addiction, mental health, and, most recently, surviving grief and loss. Our speakers for this year’s event will bring their vast experience to this important discussion.
Dr. Michael McGravey, Associate Professor at Elms College and Director of the Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies, said, “We’re pleased to once again partner with the Diocese for an annual symposium that connects pastoral and theological care to the work of folks across the Diocese of Springfield. This year’s symposium addresses a topic that is often difficult and weighty for many. Our hope is to provide a clinical and pastoral presentation that attendees can learn from and bring back to their parishes.”
Dr. DePergola is an associate professor at Elms College, the Director of the Bioethics and Medical Humanities programs at Elms College, inaugural Director of Clinical Ethics, Chief of the Ethics Consultation Service, Co-Chair of the Ethics Advisory Council, and Founding Director of the Clinical and Organizational Rotations in Ethics (CORE) Programs at Hartford HealthCare. Dr. DePergola’s current research explores ethical decision-making in end-of-life care.
Sister Virginia “Ginny” Maitland entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1968. Sister Ginny has extensive experience with end-of-life counseling and hospice, serving as an interfaith chaplain at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. She has previously worked with a variety of counseling services in the region.