CHLA Dedicates Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation Interfaith Center

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles recently celebrated the grand opening and dedication of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation Interfaith Center in California. The 2,400-square-foot, non-denominational indoor and outdoor space will serve as a place of emotional and spiritual respite for CHLA patients, families and staff.

The new Leavey Interfaith Center, which is centrally located between the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion inpatient tower and The McAllister Building, features:

• 900 square feet of indoor prayer and meditation space—nearly seven times larger than the hospital’s current chapel
• A spacious interfaith sanctuary for ceremonies and group activities
• A semi-private Our Lady of Guadalupe devotional with a kneeler
• Four semi-enclosed meditation and prayer spaces
• Symbols representative of the diverse array of faiths our patients including Catholicism, Eastern and Western Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism
• A 1,500-square-foot shaded outdoor reflection harden with soothing water features, symbolic art and landscaping

With this new space, patients and family members can connect with their faith in the tranquil meditation rooms and the reflection garden when a retreat from the hospital room is needed.