About Ascension St. Vincent · Evansville, Indiana
Ascension St. Vincent is the Catholic chapel of Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Hospital, located at 3700 Washington Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. It is not a parish church but an interfaith prayer space within the hospital campus, served by a diocesan priest minister who provides pastoral care, sacramental ministry and spiritual support to patients, families and staff. A weekday Mass is celebrated there regularly, and the Diocese of Evansville's annual White Mass for healthcare workers is held at this chapel.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- St. Vincent (the hospital/chapel is named after St. Vincent de Paul, patron of charitable works; the chapel is also referred to informally as the Ascension of Our Lord Chapel in some Ascension materials)
- Rector
- Rev. Ambrose M. Wanyonyi (Minister, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Evansville
Why belong here
The chapel at Ascension St. Vincent Evansville is a 24/7 space of prayer and quiet for patients, families, visitors and staff of all faiths, with Catholic Mass offered during the week and chaplains available around the clock. It is the spiritual heart of a Catholic hospital rooted in 150 years of Daughters of Charity healthcare ministry, and it welcomes anyone seeking comfort, the sacraments, or simply a quiet moment during a hospital visit.
Mass times at Ascension St. Vincent
Weekly Mass schedule
About the Chapel
Ascension St. Vincent Chapel is the Catholic chapel of Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Hospital at 3700 Washington Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. The chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that patients, families, visitors and staff of all faith traditions can find a place for prayer, meditation or quiet reflection. A weekday Mass is offered in the chapel, and a diocesan priest serves as the hospital minister to provide sacramental and pastoral care to those in the hospital.
- Open 24/7 for prayer and quiet
- Catholic Mass celebrated Monday through Saturday at 11:30 AM
- Spiritual Care team available 24 hours a day
Hospital History & Catholic Heritage
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville traces its Catholic healthcare mission back to July 18, 1872, when four Daughters of Charity — led by Sister Marie Voelker, DC — opened St. Mary's Hospital for the first patient on the banks of the Ohio River. The Sisters expanded the hospital to First Avenue and Columbia Street in 1894, and on March 10, 1956 they executed 'Operation Good Neighbor,' relocating 97 patients 6.8 miles to the present Washington Avenue campus with the help of 800 volunteers and 215 trucks. In 2012 the hospital joined St. Vincent Health (Indiana), in 2017 it took the St. Vincent name, and in 2018 it became part of the national Ascension network.
- Founded July 18, 1872 by the Daughters of Charity
- First hospital in Evansville
- Moved to current Washington Avenue campus in 1956 ('Operation Good Neighbor')
- Joined Ascension in 2018
- Marked 150th anniversary in 2022 with the opening of Serenity Park
Spiritual Care & Pastoral Services
Ascension's trained, experienced chaplains are essential members of the healthcare team and are available 24 hours a day to give confidential, personal support. At a patient's request a chaplain will visit to talk about spiritual needs, conduct worship and memorial services, refer counselors and help connect patients with spiritual resources of any faith. The Spiritual Care team also provides guidance on ethical issues including organ donation, life-support and end-of-life decisions, and offers grief counseling referrals.
- 24/7 chaplain visits by request
- Worship and memorial services arranged
- Ethical guidance (organ donation, life-support, end-of-life)
- Grief counseling referrals
- Referrals to spiritual resources of any faith tradition
Mass and Liturgies
A Catholic Mass is celebrated in the chapel Monday through Saturday at 11:30 AM. The chapel also hosts special diocesan liturgies, including the Diocese of Evansville's annual White Mass for healthcare professionals, which Bishop Joseph M. Siegel typically celebrates on or near the Oct. 18 Feast of St. Luke.
- Weekday Mass Monday–Saturday at 11:30 AM
- Annual White Mass (Feast of St. Luke) celebrated by the Bishop of Evansville
Sacraments for Patients and Families
Through the hospital minister and chaplaincy team, Catholic patients and their families can request the sacraments during a hospital stay. Communion is brought to patient rooms on request, and Anointing of the Sick is offered to those facing surgery or serious illness. Priests are also available for Reconciliation, emergency baptisms, and other sacramental needs.
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Communion at bedside
- Reconciliation by request
- Emergency baptisms
Clinical Pastoral Education
Ascension St. Vincent offers Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) — a hands-on training program that prepares chaplains, seminarians and other ministers for professional spiritual-care work in healthcare settings. The hospital has hosted CPE residents, including Father Ambrose Wanyonyi who completed a CPE residency at Deaconess Hospital before being assigned as Minister at Ascension St. Vincent.
- CPE residency program for clinical spiritual-care training
Campus & Serenity Park
The chapel sits within the Ascension St. Vincent Evansville main campus on Washington Avenue. In 2022, on the hospital's 150th anniversary, leadership cut the ribbon on Serenity Park — an outdoor contemplative space designed during the COVID-19 pandemic to give staff, visitors and families of patients a private, tranquil place to rest. A separate chapel at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent Evansville is also open 24/7 for families of pediatric patients.
- Serenity Park — outdoor contemplative space opened July 18, 2022
- Peyton Manning Children's Hospital chapel open 24/7
- Hospital campus on Washington Avenue, east-side Evansville
Visiting the Chapel
The chapel is open 24 hours a day to anyone who needs a quiet moment — whether for prayer, meditation, or simply a break from the hospital environment. To request a chaplain visit, sacramental ministry, or assistance with spiritual-care needs, patients and families can contact the hospital's Spiritual Care department directly. The hospital is located at 3700 Washington Avenue, Evansville, Indiana.
- Address: 3700 Washington Avenue, Evansville, IN 47714
- Main hospital phone: (812) 485-4000
- Chapel open 24/7
- Pastoral care available by request through the Spiritual Care team