Encadrement de la religion dans les hôpitaux publics

Religious and spiritual care is a right recognized in the Spanish Religious Freedom Act of 1980 for every Spanish citizen. This religious care is regulated for public institutions such as hospitals, prisons and the army for four religious groups with agreement with the Spanish state (Catholic Church, Islam, Protestantism and Judaism).

Concerning Catholic chaplaincy and religious care in hospitals, the main legal texts at the national level are the following ones :
– Agreement on legal affairs of the 3rd of January 1979 between the Spanish State and the Holy See.
– Order of 20 of December 1985 on Catholic religious care in public hospitals signed between the Minister of Health and Consumption, the Minister of Justice and the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.

Regarding religious minorities, at the national level, three agreements establish the conditions for the religious care in public institutions for Protestantism, Islam and Judaism :
–  Cooperation agreement between the Spanish State and the Federation of Protestant Religious Entities of Spain.
–  Cooperation Agreement between the Spanish State and the Islamic Comision of Spain.
–  Cooperation agreement between the Spanish State and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain.

Despite this legal framework, no specific public policy concerning the attention of religious needs and demands in public hospitals is being developed in Spain.