Pastoral care is a term that can sound formal or institutional. At Cathedral 101 it means something simpler: a confidential conversation with Reverend Thomas Alcott about whatever is making life difficult. These conversations are not psychotherapy. They are not spiritual direction in any technical sense. They are an honest space for people who need one.
Who pastoral care is for ¶
Anyone who needs it. Congregation members, people who have never attended a service, people of other faiths or no faith. Reverend Thomas Alcott has had conversations with people going through bereavement, relationship breakdown, illness, job loss, and the particular disorientation of living far from home. None of these require a prior connection to the church.
What happens in a session ¶
Sessions are by appointment and last approximately one hour. They take place at the church on Rua da Misericordia, in a small room off the main hall that is separate from the worship space. There is no charge. Reverend Thomas Alcott does not take notes during sessions and does not share what is discussed with anyone.
The limits of pastoral care ¶
Pastoral care is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If someone is in crisis or needs clinical intervention, Reverend Thomas Alcott will say so clearly and can help identify appropriate services in the Cascais and Lisbon area. He has a working knowledge of the English-language mental health services available in the region, built up over twelve years of pastoral work.
Hospital and home visits ¶
Reverend Thomas Alcott is available for hospital visits at short notice. He has visiting rights at the main hospital in Cascais and at the British Hospital in Lisbon, where he worked as chaplain from 2009 to 2014. For urgent situations, please call +351 214 832 076 rather than emailing.
How to arrange a conversation ¶
Email hello@cathedral101.com with a brief note and a preferred time. Reverend Thomas Alcott will reply within two working days. If the matter is urgent, call +351 214 832 076. There is no referral required and no form to fill in.
The door is open. That is the simplest way to put it.