Marion VA Chaplain Service graduates 4 new CPE Residents

Congratulations to the following graduates of the Marion VA Health Care System. Clinical Pastoral Education Residency Program.

• Chaplain Moses Jayaraj
• Chaplain Bradley DeRamus
• Chaplain Augustine Ibezimako
• Chaplain Thomas Lusitana

About Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

     CPE is interfaith professional education for ministry, bringing theological students and ministers of all faiths (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and others) into supervised encounter with persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers, students develop new awareness of themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister. From theological reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they develop skills in interpersonal and interprofessional relationships.

      Students complete learning contracts which includes: Pastoral Reflection (reflection on one's self as person and pastor in relationship to persons in crisis, the educator, and peer group members, as well as the curriculum and institutional setting), Pastoral Formation (focus on personal and pastoral identity issues in learning and ministry), and Pastoral Competence (deepening and unfolding of competence in pastoral function, pastoral skills and knowledge of theology and the behavioral sciences).

      CPE is learned at several different Levels. The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) accredited Centers offer Level I and Level II CPE, as well as Educator CPE or Certified Education Candidate (CEC) training, in sequence. ACPE certified CPE is usually offered in single units (10-12 weeks) or in a year-long program (3-4 consecutive units). Some ACPE accredited Centers have other part-time options as well.

      The Marion VA Chaplain Service CPE Program originated in 2014 when Chaplain James (Jim) Wright and Chaplain Michael Doan worked to establish the program with provisional accreditation, enrolling 4 CPE interns. In 2017, the program became fully accredited by ACPE; competed and won 4 academic grants through the VA’s Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA), enrolling 4 residents and 4 interns in 2018. To date the Marion VA CPE program has enrolled and trained over 38 students. Chaplain Wight is also an ACPE nationally faculty member and supervises students nationwide, to include students at Liberty University, Virginia. In 2020 Ch, Wright took on the role of supervising students at the St. Louis VA CPE center after they lost their educator and is currently providing CEC training for students at Marion VA and St. Louis VA CPE centers.