Clinical Pastoral
Education
Sisters Hospital
CPE Program
2157 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214
Clinical Pastoral
Education (CPE)
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CPE is interfaith professional training for ministry. It
brings theological students, ministers and laypersons
of all faiths into supervised encounters with persons in
crisis.
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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
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of those to whom they minister.
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Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping
persons, students develop skills in inter-personal and
interprofessional relationships.
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Program Description
 Actual practice of
ministry to persons
 Detailed reporting and
evaluation of that practice
 Pastoral supervision
 A process concept of
learning
 A theoretical perspective
on all elements of the
program
 An individual contract for
learning.
 A small group of peers
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The Individual Learning
Contract
A Student’s Learning Contract is
personalized and is developed around the
following issues:
•Personal Growth
•Professional Growth
•Theological/Spiritual Growth
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Required Hours
• 1 Unit = 400 hours
– At least 100-200 hours
in group process
– At least 200-300 hours
in ministry
• 4 Units = 1600 hours
required for national
certification as a chaplain
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Didactics
Throughout the unit, students are engaged in
learning didactics:
A Didactic is a presentation on a specific topic in
which the presenter invites the CPE student to
share relevant experience.
All didactics have a theoretical basis. This helps to
provide the “why” of the process as well as the intended
outcome. Every didactic also has an evaluation
component.
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Verbatim Reports/
Pastoral Consultations
• Report of a
conversation
with a patient/client
• Analysis from
psychological,
theological
sociological, and
pastoral perspectives
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IPR (Interpersonal
Relationship Group)
• Opportunity to
give and receive
feed back.
• Lab for looking
at interpersonal
dynamics.
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Supervisory Conference
Weekly one-on-one with supervisor
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Ministry Placement Sites
Hospital based:
Ministry sites such as hospitals; nursing
homes; home health care and addiction
treatment centers
Community based:
Ministry sites such as Soup Kitchens;
Refugee Assistance Programs; Community
Centers; Prison Ministry; AIDS Ministry;
Residential Programs
Congregational Based
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Schedule of Units
Spring Unit
January - April
(25 hrs/wk)
Summer Unit
May - August
(40 hrs/wk)
Fall Unit
September – December
(25 hrs/wk)
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Sisters Hospital CPE
Accreditation
Sisters of Charity Hospital Clinical Pastoral Education Program is accredited by the
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education Inc. (ACPE) and affiliated with the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation
(USCCB/CCA)
Contact Information
ACPE
1549 Clairmont Road, Suite 103
Decatur, GA 30033-4636
(404)320-1472 (office)
(404)320-0849 (fax)
www.acpe.edu
USCCB/CCA
3211 South Lake Drive, Suite 317
St. Francis, WI 53235-3602
(414)486-0139 (office)
(414)489-0006 (fax)
www.usccbcca.edu
ACPE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This allows centers to provide
educational credits to Seminary and College Students.
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Certification
Students can be nationally certified as a chaplain after
completing 4 units of CPE. In order to obtain certification a
student must also have a Masters of Theology or Masters of
Divinity degree. The national certifying centers are The
Association of Professional Chaplains [APC] and The National
Association of Catholic Chaplains [NACC].
In some cases, students who complete less than 4 units of CPE
and have completed some theological coursework with a
significant amount of ministry experience, are able to obtain
work in the area of chaplaincy. However, this is at the discretion
of the employer.
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CPE Facts
 The Sisters Hospital CPE Program is more than 16
years old!
 More than 250 students have participated in CPE
within the Catholic Health System.
 Nearly all of the certified hospital chaplains in
WNY have participated in the CPE Program within
the Catholic Health System.
 The CPE Program at Sisters Hospital is the only
accredited CPE Program in WNY. The nearest CPE
Program in located in Rochester, NY.
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Application Requirements
•A completed application (this
includes autobiography & resume)
•A $50 application fee
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Ability to reflect on ministry and
learn from experiences
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An admission interview
•A basic 4 year college degree (may
be waived in leu of ministry
experience)
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Adequate background in theology
to participate in theological
reflection
•A minimum of 18 graduate
theological credits
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Ability to participate in an Adult
Learning Model
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Contact Information
Clinical Pastoral Education Department
2157 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214
716-862-1374 (office) 716-862-1644 (fax)
Web information: chsbuffalo.org
Mrs. Cindy Zielinski– Administrative Assistant cz0797@chsbuffalo.org
Fr. Christopher Okoli-Manager cokoli@chsbuffalo.org
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