Bishop Mulvey to chaplains: Be a symbol of God’s presence

CHRISTUS Spohn Health System marked 50 years of its clinical pastoral education (CPE) residency program with a jubilee celebration. Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated Mass in the chapel. It was the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who gave his life to a fellow prisoner in the concentration camp. “He was a symbol of God’s presence,” said the bishop. Likewise, chaplains in a hospital are not there to cure “that is God’s job” – but to be there with the patients. “Weakness is where we experience God” – chaplains could be the instrument through which God works, especially if they feel weak. The final verse of the Gospel of the day was, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20): “May Jesus walk with us in our communities, and bring true life.”
 
After Mass, five new chaplains who will complete their residency at the end of August received a special blessing from Bishop Mulvey. In the last five decades, more than 200 people have been trained at Christus Spohn. The CPE program is a theological-based education training that equips clergy, imam, seminarians and lay people of all faiths to provide spiritual care in any setting, including hospitals.
 
During a festive luncheon, the five CPE graduates – Drew Barey, non-denominational; Brian Gaslorowski, Baptist; Fr. Francis Makut, Catholic; Patty Purdy, Baptist, Christian Nwakaite, Pentecostal; and Fr. Carlos Zuniga, Catholic – received their certificates. All of them shared how the program supported them, equipped them for ministry and helped them grow.
 
On this jubilee day, an agreement to offer a new Master of Divinity program was signed with Stark College and Seminary, designed to provide students with comprehensive theological education and hands-on clinical training, preparing them to become an impactful chaplain. “This program is committed to supporting our vision to care for the whole person, no matter their health conditions and cultural and religious backgrounds,” said Fr. Chris Okoli, CPE director with CHRISTUS Spohn Health System.
 
Spiritual care is available 24/7 at each CHRISTUS Spohn health care facility. Around half of the patients who have to undergo surgery take the opportunity to talk to a chaplain.
 
“CPE within CHRISTUS Spohn Health System demonstrates the importance and sustained value of medical education and formation programs within our health system,” said Mary Davis, group director of clinical pastoral education for CHRISTUS Health System. “We are immensely grateful for the vision and support of CHRISTUS Health in sustaining a CPE program for 50 years. This is truly a remarkable milestone, and we give thanks for its beginnings.”