# The Ministry of Presence November 08, 2024 ![Autumn leaves reflected in a window](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/10252023-autumncampus-159.jpg?itok=ptktP6WV) Swartz Hall window. Photo by Kristie Welsh For some, the idea of a chaplain may bring to mind a clear image—a religious leader connected to an institution, such as a hospital or the military, who is on call to offer faith-related guidance. For others, the idea of chaplaincy may be more of a question: How does this religious leadership differ from that of ministers, imams, rabbis, lamas, monastics, and the like? To explore the calling and curiosity that is chaplaincy, HDS interviewed alumni across different traditions and vocations to learn more about this multifaceted form of spiritual care. Alumni interviewed were: Rev. Marcus McCullough, MDiv ’10, Maytal Saltiel, MDiv ’12, Ailya Vajid, MTS ’11, Commander Christilene Whalen, MDiv ’99, and Vanessa Zoltan, MDiv ’15 (photos and more biographical info below). When asked to define chaplaincy, specifics varied but each alum interviewed emphasized a calling to be an unbiased witness for those seeking counsel. Rev. Marcus McCullough offered “a ministry of presence” as an apt description. The five chaplains interviewed shared additional details, drawing from their clinical pastoral education (CPE) training and professional perspectives, for this Q&A. ## How would you define chaplaincy from your perspective? **MCCULLOUGH:** I would describe chaplaincy—certainly in my case, as an acute care chaplain at a Level 1 trauma center—as being at the bedside and staying with people in moments that are challenging. Moments where others may want to leave the room, we remain. One of the things I love about chaplaincy is you learn so much about the human condition. I’m a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains, and one of our core competencies is understanding the human development process—how we learn and grow from toddlers to elders. You see whole life cycles in the hospital, and that stuff is universal. Of course, there’s nuance and cultural differences, but I’m able to at least have those stages of development in my mind. It’s another way to “get your pastoral tool kit together” as Professor Stephanie Paulsell says. ![McCulllough's selfie](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/hds2/files/mccullough-400px.jpg?itok=lBXzMs-E) **Rev. Marcus McCullough, MDiv ’10** **Role:** Hospital Chaplain for Baystate Health and Pastor of Bethel AME Church **Faith Tradition:** Christianity **Fun Fact:** Loves recruiting chaplains: “Complete your CPE and come join us at Baystate!” says the Reverend, noting a growing HDS community in western Massachusetts**VAJID:** Chaplaincy, for me, is accompanying someone through their life and spiritual journey. It is not having any expectations of someone’s way of being, but meeting them where they are and supporting them toward what they are seeking. Integrating the spiritual dimension into this care brings in something higher, giving people a greater sense of purpose, meaning, and even strength as they navigate things that can be very difficult in their lives. Spiritual care helps us process those hardships and begin to heal—perhaps finding meaning in what we have endured and seeing how we have been transformed by the experience. For some, this journey also encompasses building a relationship with the Divine. That is always a beautiful journey to be on with someone, as they (re)discover divine love, mercy, and nearness, and realize that God is always with us and within us. **SALTIEL:** We are in a moment in which there is such upheaval, such stress, and such isolation with all that’s happening in society. From my perspective in higher education, chaplaincy is important because it helps hold the bonds of community. It’s a place of helping people feel heard, feel seen, feel loved—and helping people also learn how to ask humble questions of one another. Most people need to learn how to make mistakes and learn that making mistakes is okay. I find this to be especially true for young people who may feel like they have to be perfect as soon as they arrive on campus. In short, I see chaplaincy as a place where people can exhale, breathe, and be unabashedly human. There’s so much to experience in our bodies, in our spirits, in our emotions, and in our relationships—and chaplaincy can help provide the vocabulary, the reflection, and the comfort needed to navigate life. **ZOLTAN:** I think chaplaincy is about creating a nonjudgmental space to ask both clarifying and probing questions from a place of deep curiosity. What I hope to do is help people tap into what they already know in their soul is right for them. By offering a nonjudgmental and loving space, they can get there through guided reflection. Another way to think about chaplaincy is a contract of self-care. A chaplain can provide guidance for that care, but the person who comes to you is really doing the work. One metaphor that comes to mind is a trainer at the gym—anyone can go to the gym and exercise, but a trainer asks questions about what’s working and what’s not, while holding people accountable to their plan with care and support. **WHALEN:** With chaplaincy, it’s an intentional effort to hold onto the faith you have while you help care for, advise, and support someone who is moving forward on their journey. Something I tell people going through some of the worst situations you can imagine, at their most vulnerable times, is that I have a lot of faith. So, if you don’t, I have enough faith for you! And I share that faith in everything that service members in the military can bring—from marriage and financial counseling on base, to navigating mental health crises while at sea, to officiating funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. That is one of the most difficult responsibilities and greatest honors, by the way, to be able to help a family say goodbye to a comrade. The work of chaplaincy can be heavy, but we also get to help people celebrate their joy with weddings and baptisms—honoring all the occasions that we find meaningful in this life. ## How might someone find a chaplain in your field? ![Whalen's headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/hds2/files/whalen-400px.jpg?itok=DcK61zJw) **Commander Christilene Whalen, MDiv ’99** **Role:** United States Navy Chaplain & Deputy Director for Religious Affairs, Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff **Faith Tradition:** Christianity **Fun Fact:** Served as an AME pastor after graduating from HDS and considers herself a “more seasoned chaplain—salt, pepper, and hot sauce!” since joining the military in her 40s**WHALEN:** As a Navy chaplain, sometimes people come to me by way of their commanding officer. Other times, it may be more personal, such as dealing with moral distress or even loneliness, which we see a lot during deployments. Over the years, I’ve been called to function on tactical, operational, and strategic levels. This is military talk, now: tactical is what people are called to do. Most chaplains and preachers are tactical, showing up to care for people in need. Those working on operational levels ensure that the tactical work is getting done. Where I’m at now with the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, we work on a different scale at the strategic level. We ask questions that will help support our military members and veterans more broadly: How do we influence policy? How do we advise and make a difference in the wider military world? **ZOLTAN:** My podcast *The Real Question* is designed for people to access chaplaincy through the media. Creating dedicated time for guidance and reflection on air is also something I offer through one-to-one sessions and through literary chaplaincy, which is nondenominational support through literature for those who may not feel as called to traditional, sacred texts. **SALTIEL:** If you’re familiar with the different readings of a Passover Seder, you may know the one about “The Four Children.” Essentially, the story says that each of us has these four archetypes within us: the wise child, the wicked child, the simple child, and the child who does not know what to ask. Inspired by this teaching, I wrote a piece called “The Four Students of the Chaplain’s Office.” In short, we have the students who are immediately drawn to us with enthusiastic curiosity—these are usually the students who are studying religion. Then we see the students who are wrestling with their faith and may want to fight about it—these are often the students who are struggling with their relationship to God and/or religion. Then, there are the students who know that they want to be around but don’t quite know why yet—these are the students who may just come by to study and enjoy our company. And then there are the students who may just dip in for ice cream (we always have ice cream, including nondairy, in our office!), but they’re not quite ready to engage—these are the students who don’t know what to ask yet, but they know that we’re here. I try to make sure that everyone feels like they can come and find whatever resources they may need from our office, from celebrating their faith, to questioning it, to navigating difficulties, to just brightening their day with a little ice cream. Higher ed chaplaincy makes space for it all. ![Vajid's headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/hds2/files/vajid-400px.jpg?itok=XI5D4PCC) **Ailya Vajid, MTS ’11** **Role:** Associate Chaplain for Muslim and Interfaith Life, Carleton College **Faith Tradition:** Islam **Fun Fact:** Wanted to grow up to be a fiction author when she was a kid and now sees storytelling as part of her work as a chaplain**VAJID:** In the higher ed context, people find me in a number of different ways. Many students seek me out because we share a tradition, or because they are interested in learning more about Islam. Some students are seeking deeper spirituality and knowledge or further cultivation in their faith and practice, and/or they are questioning the tradition or struggling with the ways they were raised in it. Some are excited to converse, share, and learn across traditions and build meaningful relationships. Some are seeking broader meaning-making or are exploring their life’s purpose. Some are seeking a sense of peace and connection within. Some are looking for a space to hang out and connect, and some come in a moment of great personal crisis. Loneliness, grief, anxiety, crises of faith, relationship issues, personal and global tragedies, exploring life after college—chaplains are here for all life’s questions and experiences that may benefit from the wisdom of traditions. **MCCULLOUGH:** At some hospitals, the intake process may include a question about faith tradition and/or if a patient would like to see someone for spiritual care. That’s one way people can find their way to a healthcare chaplain. At Baystate Hospital, we’re so woven into the work that the staff will see us and say, “Hey, I think this person could use a visit,” so it’s easy to get ahold of us. Another element of my chaplaincy is looking after the healthcare workers—especially after COVID with all the burnout and distress that we have seen in the field. I take great care in making sure hospital staff also have access to our chaplaincy team. It’s deeply rewarding and necessary work. ## Is there an insight you would like to share from your tradition that you find particularly meaningful? ![Zoltan's headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/hds2/files/zoltan-400px.jpg?itok=qXAGIag3) **Vanessa Zoltan, MDiv ’15** **Role:** Founder and CEO, Not Sorry Productions and Host of *The Real Question* Podcast **Faith Tradition:** Atheism **Fun Fact:** Other podcasts include *Harry Potter and the Sacred Text*, which grew out of a class created at HDS with Casper ter Kuile, MDiv ’15, and Professor Matt Potts, MDiv ’08, PhD ’13**WHALEN:** In the first chapter of John, it says, “Ye have an unction from the Holy One,” and this unction, or anointment, will teach you what you need to know. And, as I read it, it’s then inferred that this anointing will teach you about who you are—that the Holy Spirit will show you who you need to be. It then says in further in chapter two—and this always makes me cry—the Bible tells us to abide in the Lord and to stand with confidence. That has been my mantra in the military and with everything that I do. It doesn’t really matter what everybody else says; what matters is that you can stand with confidence knowing who you are. That’s what Methodism taught me: Be who you are, and the Lord will take care of the rest. **ZOLTAN:** My favorite quote from *Jane Eyre* can be paraphrased as: Laws and principles are for moments like these when our bodies and souls rise in mutiny against them. And I find that’s when people come for chaplaincy, when wondering if a change is needed. For example, I’m obsessed with apocalypse; I think apocalypse is coming. I think apocalypse has always happened. There’s an apocalypse in the Middle East right now. There are apocalypses happening in every hospital waiting room where people are getting diagnoses. So that leads me to some very real questions: What are you going to do in the apocalypse? What laws and principles can you come up with now that will make sure that you are generous and offering your hand even in difficult moments? What’s the work that you can practice today for who you want to be in an emergency? **MCCULLOUGH:** In terms of my tradition, I think my leading text is the Gospel of Mark, chapter two, where there’s a paralyzed man being brought to Jesus. They couldn’t get him in through the door, so they climb up to the roof and lower the man down through the roof. And I have always thought that those four unnamed men were doing something so special by carrying this paralyzed man to Jesus and being so dedicated even when the doorway was blocked—the determination! I’ve always thought there’s something special about being at the bedside of the infirmed, and I’ve preached that text for years and years. These four men, who are not even named, showed up and offered a wonderful ministry. For me, that embodies chaplaincy. And that embodies faith. I also love that text because the Bible says that when Jesus saw their faith, he healed the man suffering from paralysis. So, it wasn’t even the faith of the man brought to him that moved the heart of Jesus, it was the faith of the people that were carrying him. Being with people in need moves the heart of God, I believe. ![Saltiel's headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/hds2/files/saltiel-400px.jpg?itok=S0acQG8R) **Maytal Saltiel, MDiv ’12** **Role:** University Chaplain, Yale University **Faith Tradition:** Judaism **Fun Fact:** Known as the “flamingo chaplain” for her whimsical displays of pink lawn ornaments around campus **SALTIEL:** I often talk about myself as the chaplain who is Jewish, not the Jewish chaplain, because I serve the entire university. That said, I’m located within my own tradition, heritage, and family. For me, one of the biggest teachings is from Rabbi Tarfon, from the Mishnah—this idea that you are not obligated to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it. And I think about this in terms of everything. The world is so broken right now, and I cannot do it all. I can’t fix our community. I can’t fix our country. I can’t fix any of it. But I’ve got to try. And if we all try, if we all show up to do our parts, then we are going to heal the world. We are going to make this a better place and have something that our children can inherit that feels different than it does right now. So, I’ve got to show up and also, I can’t do it all. We have to work together in all of it. **VAJID:** There is a verse of the Qur’an that says God is closer to you than your jugular vein. It is also said in the Qur’an that God breathed of God’s spirit into each human being; thus we all contain something of the Divine within. Our humanity is sacred, and part of the work of chaplaincy is getting to know ourselves as our unique selves with our own purpose and as a collective humanity—all interconnected with one another and all sacred, containing Divine Presence within us. There is one more verse of the Qur’an that speaks of the Divine intention in our diversity which says that humanity was made into people and tribes “to come to know one another.” Thus, there is Divine intentionality in our differences. Getting to know one another across identities and divides is a gift that can enrich our lives as we learn from one another’s cultures, beliefs, heritages, wisdom, and ways of being. Sometimes I wonder, if we really looked at one another as if we were sacred, how different would the world be? ## Chaplaincy Across Fields: Nurturing Resilience and Compassion ![Collage of headshots](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/hds2/files/chaplaincyacrossfields-900px.jpg?itok=tlOFbWNE) From left: Kerry Maloney, chaplain and director of religious and spiritual life at HDS; Celene Ibrahim, MDiv ’11; Naomi Tzril Saks, MDiv ’10; and the Venerable Priya Rakkhit Sraman, MDiv ’17.### March 2024 Alumni Webinar This alumni webinar, held in March 2024, explored the role of chaplaincy in fostering resilience and navigating complex challenges. Representing different religious traditions and fields, HDS alumni—Celene Ibrahim, MDiv ’11, faculty and Muslim chaplain at the Groton School; Naomi Tzril Saks, MDiv ’10, palliative care chaplain at the University of California, San Francisco; and the Venerable Priya Rakkhit Sraman, MDiv ’17, Buddhist chaplain at Emory University—shared their insights and experiences on providing spiritual care in diverse settings. The conversation was moderated by Kerry Maloney, chaplain and director of religious and spiritual life at HDS. > *“I think about \[chaplaincy\] in the relative sense and in the absolute sense. In the relative sense, my job is to ensure people’s inner life is included in their well-being, whatever that looks like—spiritual, religious, existential, philosophical. In the absolute sense, the point for me is to remember my essential nature as love, quiet joy, beauty, and peace—and to live that out in any way in the service of healing of the patients, caregivers, and colleagues that I am so honored to be caring for and with.”* > *—Naomi Tzril Saks, MDiv ’10, on her work as a palliative care chaplain at the University of California, San Francisco* ## HDS Alumni Across the United States *Leading Chaplaincy in Different Traditions and Professional Fields* Harvard Divinity School alumni serve as chaplains across the United States. They represent faith traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, non- and inter-denominational, and more. Additionally, chaplains can serve people of all backgrounds, including those who have no religious affiliation or those who may be questioning their faith. ![Map of the US with chaplian alumn locations noted](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/hds2/files/usa.map_.jpg?itok=AHH1figj) This map represents just some of the HDS alumni working in chaplaincy roles across the country in a variety of professional fields, including healthcare, higher education, and the military. HDS alumni also serve as chaplains in countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, Greece, Japan, Korea, and Mexico. Military chaplains serve across the United States, at international posts, and at sea. If you are an HDS graduate doing chaplaincy work and do not see your community or industry represented here, please consider sharing your story with HDS. We would love to learn more about you and the communities you serve. Please contact Chandra Mohammed, associate director for alumni relations, at . --- EDITOR’S NOTE: Each chaplain interviewed shared their deep appreciation for what they learned during their time at HDS, particularly the multifaith education that helped enhance and expand their spiritual horizons. Another commonality shared is the recognition that the need for chaplaincy work outpaces the number of chaplains available throughout different fields. This Q&A has been edited for clarity and brevity—and has also inspired a new series to delve deeper into chaplaincy. Stay tuned to the HDS news channel and communications from the Office of Development and External Relations to learn more. --- *—By Amie Montemurro & Megan Welch* See also:- [ Alumni News and Profiles ](/discover-stories-about/alumni-news-and-profiles) - [ Chaplaincy ](/topic-tags/chaplaincy)