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Rev. Dr. Stavros Kofinas on European Chaplaincy
Growing and Maturing in and with Europe: European Chaplaincy on the Rise
In reviewing the histories of religions and that of health care in Europe, one will immediately see that there is a very close correlation between the two, a correlation which shaped a great part of medical care as well as the culture of Western Civilization. Today, some of the major providers of health care within the European Union are religious institutions. Hospitals, hostels, special care units, counseling centers are operated and funded by various Faith groups. So it is that within the European Union, thousands of chaplains serve health care settings, offering the spiritual care and guidance that is essential for one’s recovery and offering spiritual support to health care workers as well.
The way chaplaincy is organized within the European Union varies from country to country. One of the reasons for this is due to the fact that there are distinct cultural factors that characterize the national identity of each country. Perhaps this is not well understood by those outside of Europe. Even though a sharp distinction of cultural factors has somewhat changed over recent years due to a trend toward multicultural societies, there are still elements of life-styles that maintain a national cultural identity. One of these factors is religion. So it is that in most countries there are national chaplaincy organizations of Churches of a denomination that administer the work of chaplains. There are also some multi-faith chaplaincy organizations that bring chaplaincies together in each country. In other cases, the national religious authority (Metropolitan, bishop, etc) directs spiritual health care.
After five meetings of various chaplaincies between 1990 and 2000, The European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy (ENHCC) was formed at the 6th consultation which took place in Crete. Based on the “Cretan Declaration”[1], the Network is the largest body composed of official representatives from all the Christian denominations and chaplaincy organizations of Europe, which provide pastoral care in various health care facilities. The Network aims at mutual sharing and understanding both on a religious, cultural and organizational level. It brings together the various chaplaincy experiences of all the health care systems in Europe. Since Crete, the ENHCC has had three consultations: Turku, Finland (2002), Dublin, Ireland (2004) and Lisbon, Portugal (2006). This coming May (2008), participants of some 46 chaplaincies from 32 European Countries will gather for their 10th gathering in Tartu, Estonia.
The challenges facing European Chaplaincy remain to be focused on networking within a Europe that is growing but remains diverse in many ways. But this only adds to the richness the ENHCC has, a richness of culture and know how that that each chaplaincy brings to the opportunity of together on common goals and concerns. Two major contributions have been made in the past: the forming of the “Standards for Health Care Chaplaincy” and a joint “Statement on Palliative Care”. At the upcoming Consultation, the participants of the Network will review European policies and developments regarding care at the end of life.
Within a growing Europe, chaplaincy cannot remain isolated in its own self concerns. This is why efforts have been made to establish relations with Commissions of the EU and with the Church and Society Commission Conference of European Churches. It has also formed working relations with the American Association of Professional Chaplains. As Europe grows, all of us that participate in the European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy hope that we can contribute to its maturity and its unity. By doing this, we are sure that we will grow and mature as well.
Footnote:
[1] See “Cretan Declaration” at (www.eurochaplains.org)
For more information on the European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy, please visit our Web site: www.eurochaplains.org.
Fr. Stavros Kofinas was born and raised in the U.S.A. He received his Doctor of Ministry in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatric and Pastoral Care from Andover-Newton Theological School. He was ordained a deacon in 1974 and a priest in 1976. After moving to Greece, he became the chaplain of the Red Cross Hospital in Athens and then the priest of the parish of St. Nicholas in Thebes. He piloted a training program at the Red Cross Hospital for priests of the Archdiocese of Athens and special care programs for dialysis patients and mothers whose children suffer from beta-thalassaemia. He organized the initial chaplaincy program for the Thriasion Hospital of Elefsis and has served as supervisor for the Counseling Center of the Metropolis of Peristeri. His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew placed Fr. Stavros as coordinator of pastoral health care issues for the Ecumenical Throne and he is in charge of organizing the first Consultation for Pastoral Health Care for all the Metropolises of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that will take place in Rhodes in 2008. In 2000, he organized the 6th Consultation for Hospital Chaplaincy on the island of Crete. It was at this consultation that the European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy was founded. Today this Network consists of 46 chaplaincy organizations from 29 European countries. In 2002, he was elected as coordinator of the European Network and was re-elected for a four-year term in 2004. During his term he has formed close relations with the European Union in matters regarding health care and spiritual care and has made special efforts in bridging chaplaincy concerns with the American Association of Professional Chaplains. Fr. Stavros married Georgia Pistolis in 1972. They have one daughter.
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