An Episcopal (Anglican) Chaplain in retirement, reflecting on work and faith and life. NOTA BENE: my opinions are my own and do not represent the Episcopal Church or any health system that has ever employed me.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Random Thoughts on Chaplaincy
Chaplains are the adrenaline junkies of the clergy. You have to want to be awakened at 2:00 a.m.to go to a grieving bedside.
Actually, bls, there is a great risk of burnout. For many, the most important parts of professional clinical training is learning to know one's own limits, and to learn how to ask for help. In this day and age, those are really rare skills.
I must say, though, that to some extent this is also a matter of vocation, of charism, of temperment. It's what I'm called to do, and I usually find the strength to do it. On the other hand, don't ask me to sit quietly or patiently through a vestry meeting. They are important for the running of the church, but the patience required I don't always have.
Oh, Marshall, I hear you loud and clear.. I spent quite some time after my CPE summer (alomst a year ago now) trying to figure out if it was wrong to thrive on adrenaline and a night full of codes and crises.
And then I figured out that I needed (1) to be aware of it and (2) to let any guilt about it go.
You're welcome. And, sooner or later, those things will show up in parish life, too. If they're not as frequent, they're longer lasting: in the parish you live with the bereaved in a way we don't in the hospital. Both are important; they're just different.
EpiscoChap, I find your comments very comforting. I'm not a priest or chaplain but I am considering a call. I have an inkling of this through a recent Stephen Minister experience - a care receiver in Hospice care died on Sunday. My cell phone rang at 6:10am with the CR's sobbing daughter on the line. Since then I've had several contacts with his wife and daughter. In fact, I just returned from a meeting at the church to make arrangements for his requiem. I pray for God's gracious spirit to fill me and guide me in all of this, especially when treading where fools dare go. Thanks for the reality check. Peace.
5 comments:
"Chaplains are the adrenaline junkies of the clergy. You have to want to be awakened at 2:00 a.m.to go to a grieving bedside."
I sort of wondered about that. Does that mean there's no burn-out factor, then, or at least not a major one?
Actually, bls, there is a great risk of burnout. For many, the most important parts of professional clinical training is learning to know one's own limits, and to learn how to ask for help. In this day and age, those are really rare skills.
I must say, though, that to some extent this is also a matter of vocation, of charism, of temperment. It's what I'm called to do, and I usually find the strength to do it. On the other hand, don't ask me to sit quietly or patiently through a vestry meeting. They are important for the running of the church, but the patience required I don't always have.
Oh, Marshall, I hear you loud and clear.. I spent quite some time after my CPE summer (alomst a year ago now) trying to figure out if it was wrong to thrive on adrenaline and a night full of codes and crises.
And then I figured out that I needed (1) to be aware of it and (2) to let any guilt about it go.
Thanks for putting words on it!!
Jennifer:
You're welcome. And, sooner or later, those things will show up in parish life, too. If they're not as frequent, they're longer lasting: in the parish you live with the bereaved in a way we don't in the hospital. Both are important; they're just different.
EpiscoChap, I find your comments very comforting. I'm not a priest or chaplain but I am considering a call. I have an inkling of this through a recent Stephen Minister experience - a care receiver in Hospice care died on Sunday. My cell phone rang at 6:10am with the CR's sobbing daughter on the line. Since then I've had several contacts with his wife and daughter. In fact, I just returned from a meeting at the church to make arrangements for his requiem. I pray for God's gracious spirit to fill me and guide me in all of this, especially when treading where fools dare go. Thanks for the reality check. Peace.
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