Left to right: Betty Wyatt, Bryant, assigned to Ministry Saint Mary’s Hospital, Rhinelander; Jill Lemke, Woodruff, assigned to Howard Young Medical Center and One Penny Place, Woodruff; Ministry Eagle River Memorial Hospital, Eagle River; Jerry Morris, Wausau, assigned to Ministry saint Clare’s Hospital, Weston; Kate Sullivan, CPE Supervisor;
Sue Kruger, Chaplain at Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center, Merrill, Ministry CPE Coordinator; Dennis Fahey, Marshfield,assigned to Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield; Jennifer Davison, Stevens Point, assigned to Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield.
The clergy training program at Good Samaritan Health Center, Merrill, is now accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.
Good Samaritan Health Center is part of Ascension Health, the largest Catholic, not-for-profit healthcare system in the nation.
ACPE is an experience-based theological training for pastors, seminarians and chaplains to improve their skills with patients, families and staff. They attend a structured, rigorous program with a certified supervisor that involves reflection and inquiry on their work, themselves, and their openness to gaining new skills.
Ministry offers two quarters of training a year and has hired 12 full- or part-time chaplains for its facilities since it started the training program in 2010.
“We’re not just creating a pool of people to hire; we’re sending them into the world with skills,” said Sue Kruger, program chaplain. “It’s a community resource for theological training in north central Wisconsin.”
