Students from the Sydney Adventist Hospital, Avondale and online community gathered in the San Chapel to celebrate the San Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Graduation Ceremony.
The event, held on November 25, honoured 23 graduates who successfully completed their CPE training, each one having journeyed through a rich, reflective and often transformative process of pastoral formation under the tutelage of centre director Pastor Cheryll Bird.
Family members, friends, supervisors and supporters filled the chapel, creating an atmosphere of warmth and pride as graduates were recognised for their dedication, compassion and commitment to offering high-quality spiritual care in the healthcare, aged care, school, church and ministry setting.
The ceremony featured an address from San director of mission integration Dr Steve Stephenson, who spoke about the sacred privilege of entering patients’ stories and the importance of presence and empathy in spiritual care. He affirmed the graduates for embracing the vulnerable, reflective work at the heart of CPE and reminded them of the profound impact their ministry can have within the many chaplaincy settings.
Hospital CEO Brett Goods also brought words of encouragement, acknowledging the essential role chaplains and spiritual care practitioners play in the holistic mission of the San. He commended the graduates for their resilience and willingness to grow, noting that the hospital’s commitment to spiritual care remains a central expression of its values and identity.
