New Orleans chaplains still witness and hear of struggles By David Lewellen approved several doctors’ desire to Vision editor leave. “As long as someone was around to care for the ones who early a year and a half after remained, I didn’t think everyone had Hurricane Katrina, Sr. Alberta to stay.” NSchindler still doesn’t have a Sr. Ellen Poche, CSJ, NACC home phone. And she’s one of the Cert., also stayed at her hospital for a vision lucky ones. week after the storm hit, although Sr. Schindler, OP, NACC Cert., conditions were not as dire. But many National Association of and other NACC chaplains have a needs remain. The primary hospital Catholic Chaplains close-up view of the unrepaired that cared for the poor has not devastation that the hurricane brought reopened, Sr. Poche said, and blocks February 2007 upon southern Louisiana in August upon blocks of houses are still Vol.17 No. 2 2005. But in addition to the physical uninhabitable. destruction, they see that people are “Every conversation will somehow still hurting inside. get to Katrina at some point or other,” “Everyone’s suffering from Sr. Poche said. “There are two times, emotional stress,” said Sr. Schindler, pre-Katrina and post- speaking by cell phone from her work Katrina. People are still as a hospice chaplain in New Orleans. trying to regroup.” Sr. ‘I think it’ll take “Suicides are up, crime is up; half of Poche’s provincial house the schools are not open yet, and was under “only” three and 20 years before young people are on the streets.” a half feet of water and has we’re nearly The spiritual effects of the storm still not been repaired. She have been mixed. “People of strong is living with another back to normal’ faith understand that it didn’t come congregation, but being — Sr. Ellen Poche In This Issue: from God, and they rely on their out of her own space for faith,” Sr. Schindler said — in fact, a more than a year is “not as Letters 2 common theme of those conversations much strain as I thought it was going is wondering how people can cope to be.” Her order, the Sisters of St. From the Executive Director 3 without faith. For those without faith, Joseph of Medaille, has made a point “there’s no pattern,” she said. “It’s of doing many more gatherings than Karen Pugliese 4 across the board.” usual to meet and offer mutual Research Update 6 “I’ve run across a number of people support. Only 12 of 47 sisters have who think God is punishing New returned to New Orleans; most of the Seeking, Finding 8 Orleans, that kind of mentality,” said rest are in Baton Rouge. Fr. Ignatius Roppolo, NACC Cert., a When the hurricane approached Thanks for certification help 10 retired chaplain. But “a lot of people New Orleans, Sr. Schindler and her Episcopal Advisory Council 11 accept that this is something they sisters evacuated to a community in have to go through. What they need Kentucky. So far, only six have In Memoriam 11 is people to talk to. Any place in New returned to Louisiana; they stayed in Orleans, if you want to strike up a six different locations before the To Know By Heart 12 conversation, all you have to say is, damage to their house was repaired in Vision and Action participants 13 ‘How’d you do during Katrina?” the fall of 2006. “You don’t recognize Fr. Roppolo’s story is harrowing; he the toll that it takes” to be away from 2007 Conference 14 spent six days after the storm at a home, she said. “It’s good to get back. hospital with no power, helping one We’re very grateful.” World Day of the Sick message 15 doctor and two nurses care for 15 But as a hospice chaplain, she sees Book reviews 16 hospice patients, five of whom died the strain that dislocation causes to during that time. He helped with the sick and elderly. “The lives of News brief 16 nursing tasks, said prayers, and gave many elderly people have certainly counsel; in the very early period, as Positions available 17 medical personnel were evacuating, he See Hurricane on page 9 2 Vision February 2007 Letters Promote distance learning May we all be inspired to learn to “be not afraid” when challenged by the pain of our brothers and sisters. to help rural chaplains Rob Vlacancich Fultondale, AL Editor: How many units of CPE does it take to be a good chaplain? Is reiki too controversial This is not the start of a joke. It is a serious question. NACC has determined that four units are necessary for certification. I to use in chaplaincy? currently have one unit under my belt and have been blessed Editor: with the opportunity to be a member of the Pastoral Care Professional chaplains have come a long way in the medical Department in a long-term care facility where I, along with my community. colleagues, provide pastoral care to 137 residents, their families The skills, knowledge, and training we bring and our own and friends, and the staff. efforts to be accountable through certification have won us I find myself (and I know I am not alone in this dilemma) appreciation and respect. But this respect may be in jeopardy. having difficulty obtaining additional units of CPE. I am a From time to time I have seen chaplains refer to the practice of single, self-supporting homeowner with no spouse, partner, or reiki, most recently in Vision, September 2006. Some chaplains religious community to assist me, and live in rural Maine. I have been trained and initiated in some level of reiki practice and cannot afford to take a summer off, nor can I afford to miss offer it as an aspect of their ministry. Reiki relies upon the belief work for an extended unit of CPE. A residency would mean in a subtle form of energy manipulation that has not been leaving my home unattended or being a landlord for a year. And measured or detected by 21st-century technology. Such energy commuting to the two sites available for CPE in Maine would work is among the most controversial complementary alternative involve a round trip of either 132 or 180 miles. medicine practices, because no significant validation in So what’s a chaplain to do? controlled studies has been published in mainstream medical I bring many gifts from my previous life experience to my journals. work as a chaplain. I wish I could have this experience translated My concern is that chaplains promoting reiki undermine the into CPE units, or do some sort of independent study supervised progress we have made in being taken seriously in the medical by my Pastoral Care director or a CPE supervisor that would community, which bases its interventions on clinical trials. Many award me units of CPE. see it simply as quackery, and no rigorous scientific research I know that in the past, only two units were required for proves otherwise. Perhaps one can say the same about prayer and certification. And we can all, most likely, think of individuals pastoral intervention in general. But these standards of spiritual who are or would be gifted chaplains with perhaps only a unit or ministry are imbedded deeply in the tradition and are well two of CPE for fine tuning. On the other hand, for some, even within the discipline of pastoral care. Reiki, as its practitioners four units would not bring them up to par. Unfortunately, I say, is not a religion. It deals with channeling a universal life entered the profession too late and require three additional units. force with the help of symbols or “keys.” It involves energy Thus it was with great interest that I read the article “Distance transfer rather than supplication for intervention from a personal Learning May Extend Supervisors’ Reach” in the October 2006 God. Standard 410.3217 requires that we “demonstrate aptitude issue of . Distance learning for CPE may not be ideal, but Vision for facilitating complementary healing modalities in ministry.” it may be an idea whose time has come. I wish blessings on This does not mean that we uncritically accept anything that Sister Anita Lapeyre, RSCJ, and The Center for Urban Ministry strikes us as interesting. We need to discern carefully if and ask that NACC prayerfully consider the situations of those modalities cross into esotericism before adding them to our of us who do not have easy access to CPE centers and consider professional repertoire of pastoral interventions. Our primary alternative routes for CPE. roles involve prayer and touch, as Christ himself gave example Pat Gavula when interceding to the Father on behalf of the sick. Norridgewock, ME If a chaplain believes that is what is happening when Account of averted suicide inspiring practicing reiki, then let’s call it that, a Christian intercessory prayer for the sick, without appropriating New Age “energy” Editor: manipulation language that can lead to confusion and the Michele LeDoux Sakurai’s article in the November-December diminishment of the hard-earned trust in chaplains we now Vision (“Building a relationship averts assisted suicide”) brought enjoy. Is our faith in universal energy and our ability to channel tears of pride to my eyes. it? Or is our faith in Christ himself? I praise God for her compassionate, non-judgmental presence I welcome further dialogue on this issue. and perseverance with Jerry. His decision, I would guess, was Peter T.