My Acceptance Into Chaplain School

Today I met with Chaplain Mark Allison, who interviewed me to see if I was a good fit for his World Spiritual Health Organization CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) program, and to see if I felt it was a good fit and good timing for me. I have had a very strong feeling that this was all going to come together, but I wasn't certain how. The minimum requirement for the program is a bachelor's degree, which I do not have, but I'd been told that occasional exceptions were sometimes made. I was hoping to be one of them.

We discussed many things in my application, which mostly consisted of a LONG list of questions with long answers required (I submitted 10 pages of single-spaced text with size 11 font!) As I learned in this meeting, one thing he wanted to see was how vulnerable I was willing to be. I guess spilling my guts in those pages about some of the hard things in my life was the appropriate response. Ha ha.

After meeting for nearly one and a half hours, he explained that they were already past capacity for this term, but he said, "If the timing is good for you, would you like to join us?" Of course I would!!! I'm excited and a little nervous, especially since I'll be right there in a group of people that possibly have advanced degrees in seminary, theology, psychology, etc. Little ol' me with about 80 college credits to my name, most of which are at least 37 years old! But life has a way of educating us in the things that matter most, and I've received a good "education" in many areas.

The requirements for each of the four terms are 4 hours of class each week, 700 pages of reading and 400 clinical hours of volunteer time. So, to graduate in a year, I'll have read a minimum of 2800 pages and put in 1600 clinical hours. I'm going to be one busy girl, but I am really looking forward to it. Some of my time in serving in the homeless branch will count when I'm visiting one on one with someone in need of a listening ear, and that happens frequently!

I feel excited. I feel blessed. I am grateful.

Chaplain Mark Allison speaking at the graduation of the 

most recent group of chaplains. (Photo: Deseret News)