Completion of Fourth International Unit: CHRISTUS Health Latin American Ministry

Under the prior Educational Placement arrangement through accredited CPE Centers, CHRISTUS Health provided four CPE units in our Latin American ministry (comprised of Mexico, Chile, and Colombia) between 2019- 2023. Prior This Week at ACPE articles (October 2019 and May 2020) detailed the beginnings of these units, how COVID-19 affected their progress (like the U.S. programs – with pivoting from hybrid to online modality), and the opportunities and successes in providing CPE programming that met ACPE Standards while being ethically integrous and culturally responsive to the students and the communities in which they serve.

The photo attached shows a culminative joyous in-person graduation held in Monterrey, Mexico, at CHRISTUS Muguerza Health System for six colaboradores pastorales who completed their second unit of CPE. The students came from throughout Mexico – Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Puebla, and Yucatán. A prior cohort had also completed two units of CPE – they are known as the “first generation,” and the group in the photo is referred to as the “second generation.” Joining the proud students are Dr. Horacio Garza (CHRISTUS Muguerza CEO), Rev. Lawrence Chellaian (CHRISTUS Health Senior Vice President for Mission Integration), myself, and Rev. Carlos Sanchez (ACPE Contract Certified Educator for the CPE units).

CHRISTUS Health will work toward provisional accreditation for the continuation of CPE within its ministry sites in Latin America.