CPE Class Schedule
 

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The CPE Program at St.Vincent Indianapolis is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE). We are located in the East Central Region of ACPE.

Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.
1549 Clairmont Road - Suite 103
Decatur, GA 30033
(404) 320-1472
www.acpe.edu

East Central Region-ACPE
www.eastcentralacpe.org

Clinical Pastoral Education
The Pastoral Care Department provides a strong supportive environment for CPE and is another good reason for choosing St. Vincent as your place of training. The department is an ecumenical and diverse group of approximately 20 trained professionals who provide pastoral care services to the St. Vincent facilities. The chaplains serve as part of the faculty for the CPE program, offering seminars and serving in a resource capacity for CPE Students. The mission, vision, and values of thePastoral Care Department affirm the healing mission of St. Vincent. We are dedicated to being a powerful positive influence in the practice of pastoral care and pastoral education. We work to create a culture where creativity and collegiality can flourish.

What is CPE?

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is professional, experienced-based, graduate-level, theological education for seminarians/theological students, ordained clergy, members of religious orders, and qualified lay persons of diverse cultures, ethnic groups, and faith traditions. It brings students into supervised encounters with patients, families, and medical staff and provides opportunities to grow in areas of pastoral reflection, pastoral formation, and pastoral competence.

Students provide pastoral care in a clinical setting and reflect upon these interactions with a peer group and a CPE supervisor. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers, studetns develop new awareness of themselves as ministers and of the needs of those to whom they serve. From theological reflection on specific human situations, students gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they develop skills in interpersonal and interdisciplinary relationships.

Learning takes place in the context of one's clinical assignment, verbatim/case studies, one-to-one supervision, written assignments, critical reflection and interactions with patients and staff. CPE seeks to help students understand how their personal history and faith tradition affects the nature of the pastoral care they offer.

Why come to St. Vincent?
St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services is a member of Ascension Health System,  which is dedicated to strengthening the Catholic health ministry of spiritually centered, holistic care. Its mission originated in the work of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac who sought to bring special attention to the needs of the children, the elderly and the sick poor in France. It is out of this spirit of healing that we find our mission today. The rich tradition and history of caring for the sick make this a very fertile environment for Clinical Pastoral Education.

St. Vincent Hospital is a multi-facility organization, providing acute medical care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, residential rehabilitation, hospice and outreach services to the greater Indianapolis, Indiana area. This setting provides a variety of clinical experiences to students who enroll inour programs. Here at St. Vincent, CPE students will experience the unique partnership between state-of-the-art medical technology and an unyielding commitment to our mission and philosophy. Within this milieu students are encouraged to discover their pastoral identity and live out their faith.


CPE Programs
A CPE Internship consists of one unit of CPE with at least a minimum of 400 hours of clinical training. This unit focuses on ministry formation and development. There are a variety of formats for the internship including a full-time Summer Unit and two or three day Spring or Fall Expanded Units. In addition to internships offered at St. Vincent, internships are also available at Saint John's Health System (Anderson), Bloomington Hospital, Lafayette Home Hospital and Hancock Memorial Hospital.

A CPE Residency is a one-year ministry and training experience which provides a comprehensive CPE learning opportunity for persons working to increase their patient care skills in preparation for parish or institutional ministry. A stipend is provided and standard health care benefits are offered. A prerequisite for this program is the successful completion of one unit of CPE.

A Supervisory CPE Residency is a training program for those who have completed a pastoral care residency, have pastoral experience, and are seeking to be certified as a Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor. This residency is renewable on a year-to-year basis. A stipend and standard health care benefits are provided. Openings are limited.

Congregation-based CPE is designed for those holding at least half-time positions of ministry in a parish. The parish setting serves as the student's "clinical assignment." The focus of learning in this unit is pastoral care and leadership in a congregation.

Application Process
Complete standard ACPE application
Payment of $25 nonrefundable application fee
Internships: Admission Interview at St. Vincent or Admission Interview Report by ACPE Supervisor
Residency: On-Site Admission Interview at St. Vincent by supervisory staff, Pastoral Care staff, and CPE Consultation Committee members.

Program Staff
Rev. Rhonda Gilligan-Gillespie
Manager CPE Program

ACPE Supervisor

 

Rev. Sergei Petrov
ACPE Supervisor

Susan Harthon

ACPE Associate Supervisor


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