News
Chaplains receive first certificates in chaplaincy
The first Church of Ireland Certificates in Third Level Chaplaincy were presented recently (22 September 2016) in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
Seven chaplains, who are already involved in Third–Level chaplaincy ministry in Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, University College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology, received their certificates and were commissioned by Archbishop Michael Jackson.
Susie Keegan (DIT), Philip McKinley (DCU), Scott Evans (UCD), the Revd Julian Hamilton (Methodist Chaplain at TCD), Sarah Marshall (DIT), Andrew Somerville (DIT) and the Revd Steve Brunn (TCD) are the first chaplains to undertake the course in Third Level Chaplaincy in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute.
The course was coordinated by the Revd Dr Patrick McGlinchey of CITI and the Revd Rob Jones who leads the Third Level Chaplaincy Team.
The course represents the first exploration of what it means to be a chaplain in universities and colleges, Archbishop Jackson noted during the service. ‘We in the Church of Ireland have facilitated a closing of the gap in both training and confidence,’ he commented.
He said that those who are already working in chaplaincy have skills but the training provided is specific to their context and the providing of pastoral care in a secular institution.
‘You represent something dynamic and essential to lived Christianity in this city… Through chaplaincy the opportunity is given to people to explore issues of faith which they might not have had the opportunity to do before,’ the Archbishop said.
The Third Level Chaplaincy course had four main elements: Missiology and Cultural Awareness, Ethics in a Chaplaincy Context, Spirituality and Counselling Micro Skills. All four lecturers were involved in Third Level education and either had connections with CITI or, in one case, was a full–time member of staff.
These are the Revd Dr Patrick McGlinchey (CITI), Revd Dr Kieran O’Mahony OSA (Dublin Archdiocese), the Revd Professor David Smith (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) and Mr Eamon McIlwee (adjunct lecturer, CITI).
The course was taught at CITI and engaged with some of the key theological themes relevant to student ministry.