Reflection of How
People Became Chaplains: Telling Your Story
People came into chaplaincy differently for reasons they
should be able to tell others, through a reflection or in a reflective mood.
Many people from developed nations who told their stories as to how they got
into chaplaincy in a reflection vary from one individual to another.
But most of them got into chaplaincy when they were in the
seminaries or in divinity schools or universities. The bottom line and
similarities between all of them was that they all seem to get into chaplaincy
when they know little or nothing about chaplaincy and the type of chaplains
they were going to become.
As they got introduced to chaplaincy from seminaries and
school of divinity, they usually earned at least one unit of CPE by the time
they graduated with first degree from seminaries or school of divinity.
With the one unit of CPE, they were sent on intern under
qualified chaplaincy supervisors in public institutions and specialized
settings such as hospitals, military, police, correctional centers, schools,
universities etc. where there are staff chaplains.
Many of them came in
contact with realities of life and what chaplaincy meant. They all were able to
say that chaplaincy offered them opportunities to serve people outside their
congregations as mere clergies and they were also able to make a choice of
becoming the type of chaplains they desire to be such as becoming career
chaplains in the military, police, hospitals etc.
During their interns, some of them sought employment as
chaplains to enable them continue their CPE study programme as they have come
to an understanding they needed four units to be eligible for certification,
while some others went back to divinity schools to earn Master of Divinity Degree
to enable them qualify to pursue their CPE studies to where they can earn four
units as M.Div as a condition for certification at unit 4 levels.
Some who did not have at least one unit of CPE on graduation
from divinity schools enroll in CPE study centers for training to become
chaplains.
In a nutshell, nobody become a certified chaplain without CPE
study units which makes one eligible for certification and no one become a
career chaplain without certification.
Nobody can also get certified as a chaplain without
internship and 2000 hours of supervised chaplaincy practice which is mandatory.
We of this part of the world; the continent of Africa and
beyond, must be able to reflect on how we came into chaplaincy, what brought us
into chaplaincy like others in the developed countries. How we came into
chaplaincy is bound to vary with individuals and there is nothing wrong with
that.
We however, should be able to freely tell our stories of how
we came into chaplaincy and what chaplaincy has made us to become or what we
are doing presently in chaplaincy or know why we are in chaplaincy.
For sure our stories will be different from one another.
Taking examples from chaplains from developed nations of the world; some became
career hospital chaplains, some military chaplains, some police chaplains, some
correctional chaplains and some higher education chaplains.
What exactly can we say we have become in chaplaincy in
Nigeria, continent of Africa and beyond?
This would be an assignment for all trainee and trained chaplains
that pass through me for either general professional chaplaincy studies or
clinical professional chaplaincy studies or specific professional chaplaincy
studies and internship.
Good to go!
My Journey into
Chaplaincy: The news
that chaplaincy was going to make people become interfaith and interreligious
minister thrilled me and I enrolled to study chaplaincy as well in the divinity
school. By the time I graduated at the divinity school, I had also became a
certified chaplain and counselor.
An additional training for another two years that qualifies
me to become a certified psychospirituo-therapist
I had to seek additional training and education that will
make me become a chaplaincy educator of my dream apart from being theological
educator. At the end of this course of study I became a certified chaplaincy
educator and trainer, that is what chaplaincy has made me to become and what I
have been doing in chaplaincy.
As a certified professional chaplain, a certified clinical
psychospiritual therapist, a certified pastoral counselor and a certified
educator; I desire to see chaplaincy professionalized in the continent of
Africa and chaplaincy practiced professionally as well.
This pursuit of mine; I started in the year AD2005 with lots
of challenges and intimidations but today professional chaplaincy practice and
service delivery is beginning to take root in Nigeria, continent of Africa and
beyond.
As a certified chaplaincy educator and trainer, I have been
able to co-establish Prodam-J chaplaincy Institute for the training of
professional chaplains. I have also been able to establish a center for CCPE
study programmes and a center for supervised clinical chaplaincy practice and
internship.
I have also been involved in chaplaincy literature writing
and publishing to create needed awareness for the public. I have also been able
to found and incorporated Association of Professional Chaplains Inc. focusing
on the continent of Africa and beyond in its operation for granting chaplains
needed professional certification for the practice of chaplaincy.
The importance of internship cannot be overemphasized neither
can it be swept under the carpet as it has always seemed as an eye opener to
many trainee chaplains as to what type of chaplains they can become, what type
of chaplaincy career they should go for and the necessity to complete CPE or
CCPE units to enable them get certified.
Until very presently when Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute I
represent started sending trainee chaplains on internship to pubic
institutions, internship was none existence.
With this innovation, we are confronted with serious
challenges as most lof the public institutions in our societies know next to
nothing ablout professional chaplaincy or clinical chaplaincy practice.
Some public institutions say they have not heard of
chaplaincy even though what we promise chaplains can offer their institutions
are very appealing.
We therefore have to use board certified chaplains we hae
available to supervise trainee chaplains on internship in their communities
nearest to them as it is impossible to get supervisors from the public
institutions that have no staff chaplain.
We are hopeful that in the next ten years, our stories shall
be different.
Recommendations: Internship will remain mandatory for
trainee chaplains who desire to be certified to practice chaplaincy
professionally. Reference can be made on my article on mandatory nature of
internship.
Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training
to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at
the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for
adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you
outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or
WhatsApp – 09091981944
Chap. David Mike-Jacobs
CPC, CPST, BCC.
Professor of
Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.
Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com
23rd Oct,
AD2022
