Deacons certified as hospital chaplains

Intermountain Catholic

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IC photo/Christine Young

Two permanent deacons for the Diocese of Salt Lake City were certified recently through the Clinical Pastoral Education program. Deacon Otto Johansson, who graduated four years ago from the Clinical Pastoral Education program and has served as a hospice chaplain at St. Joseph Villa, received his board certification. Deacon Ricardo Airas, the diocesan vocations director, was certified as a Pastoral Care Provider. Felipe Jimenez, a seminarian for the Diocese of Las Vegas who has been serving at St. Joseph Villa, also was certified as a CPE. During the Aug. 5 celebration in the chapel of Salt Lake City’s George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center for the graduates of the 2015 program, Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory, Saint Patrick Parish pastor, blessed the hands of each chaplain from various faiths. “May your hands bring comfort and promote healing to all who come into your care,” Fr. Gally prayed as he blessed them. Among the CPE program requirements are that graduates read about 2,800 pages and serve 1,600 clinical hours.