Chaplains George Burn and Anne Vandenhoeck on building international bridges

Common and Uncommon Ground — Part II

Editor’s Note: The European Network for Health Care Chaplains (ENHCC) held its 9th consultation in Lisbon, Portugal from May 18-21, 2006. Fifty-one representatives of chaplaincy organizations from 27 European countries gathered in a charming retreat center of the Franciscan sisters in the Lisbon hills.

The central theme was: Building Bridges - Growing Hope. APC had two observers in Lisbon: Jo Schrader and George Burn. George continues his dialogue about his experience in Lisbon with Anne Vandenhoeck, committee member of the ENHCC and representative for Belgium.

GEORGE:

Anne, in what ways do you feel that we in the US, can be most helpful in support of the promotion of chaplaincy in Europe?

ANNE:

First I want to express here how proud I was that we managed to work, pray and share together for three days despite having so many languages, and having four different religious traditions present (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim) and having such cultural differences. Imagine 27 countries! But what unites us is stronger and bigger than what divides us. We were overjoyed that for the first time the Russian Orthodox Church was represented. They even brought their own translator to Lisbon!

I think the U.S. can be most helpful by sharing its research in the field of chaplaincy, by supporting the European chaplains that come to the U.S. to learn and by learning from us, too! I think we can learn from the standards you developed, from the way chaplains are integrated into care teams, and from the way you are organized and certified.

My guess is that you can learn from us how to deal with secular societies and how to get integrated on a political level in health care, especially in palliative care. Would you agree on that, George?

GEORGE:

I couldn't agree with your more. Not only can we learn from you in the ways that you deal with secular societies, but also we can learn about how Europe has dealt with integrating a multicultural approach to pastoral care. I was most impressed with the leverage that the Eurochaplains have within the European Union in terms of modeling palliative care and initiating the dialogue about this state-of-the-art practice at the highest levels of government. I also feel that, as a growing organization, you are feeling the financial burden of supporting those who are recovering from the era of Soviet domination. I for one am committed to raising funds to support your efforts and, as I mentioned in the closing session, my plan is to post a figure on our U.S. Chaplain's listserve and challenge our organization to provide matching funds.

There is an additional thing that I learned at the conference, one that needs to be addressed in each of our minds. The world is growing smaller. It is changing rapidly and often in conflict. I believe that we as chaplains are uniquely positioned to assist by being interpreters of change to the people we serve, and I believe it is imperative that we understand the implications of changes that affect all of us by creating these opportunities for dialogue between the U.S. and Europe. Therefore, it is my intention, if I am invited once again, to attend the next session in Estonia in 2008. My hope is that the ENHCC (and I will try to promote this from our end) will also be given an opportunity to address the APC convention in Burlingame California in 2007, perhaps formally but also informally. PS. Please bring more chocolate!

ANNE:

Consider it done, George! All the participants of the 9th consultation wish to thank you and Jo Schröder for your time, your enthusiasm, your sharing and your presence! See you in California or Estonia!

Anne M. Vandenhoeck, a member of the PlainViews Advisory Board, is a research assistant at the Faculty of Theology, Department of Pastoral Theology, of the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Her academic formation includes a master degree in Religious Studies and a master degree in Theology. A Catholic lay woman, she served as a chaplain for more than 13 years in several hospitals in Belgium and the United States. Currently she divides her time between working on a PhD, teaching Pastoral Theology and supervising theology students. She is a CPE supervisor in training. Anne is a member of the European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy.

Do you have thoughts about advocacy you’d like to share with your colleagues? Send an e-mail to info@PlainViews.org.