A few weeks ago we congratulated Dr. Merlita (Lyn)Montecastro for passing her board for Diplomate Supervisor with CPSP-PH. And now there is more to celebrate.
Dr. Lyn has relocated to Cebu City. She will be teaching courses and serving as a Chaplain at a school there.
She is also hoping to establish a training center there— “ATIMAN Life Counseling Center.” Until it is established and accredited by CPSP-PHILIPPINES, she will be supervising CPE in partnership with Bukal Life. She plans to have an online CPE group starting the end of September.
On July 30, 2022, CPSP-Philippines held a Diplomate board for Chaplain Merlita (“Lyn”) Montecastro. Members of the board were Diplomates Dr. Larry Gusto, Dr. Paul Tabon, and Chaplain Vo Canoy, with Lyn’s supervisor Chaplain Celia Munson completing the panel.
Chaplain Lyn passed the board and is now only the 7th Diplomate of Pastoral Supervision with CPSP-Philippines.
Chaplain Lyn has had both Chaplain Celia and Dr. Cal Sodoy as supervisors. Chaplain Lyn has served with Bukal Life Care for several years, and has also earned her Doctor of Theology degree from Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary. She will soon be relocating with her husband, Dr. Gilbert Montecastro, to Cebu City where she hopes to training in Pastoral Counseling and Supervision.
Several of our centers are active now. However, in this post we will focus on three.
Glocal Community— Headed by CPSP-PH President, Dr. Paul Tabon, and based in Baguio, has recently opened up a new training— Community Chaplain training. The course connects chaplain’s with PNP, barangay leaders, and municipalities to serve. While this course is an end to itself, those who complete are well-set to move into CPE. Dr. Tabon presently has 20 trainees in the program. He has also worked with trainees from Bukal Life Care in working with the police in Christian Life Coaching. Picture below.
The Chaplains Office. Based in Bocaue, Bulacan and headed by Chaplain Renato Eustaquio is starting a “hybrid” CPE program. It has different sub-disciplines… Hospital, Community, and Corporate chaplaincy, along with Pastoral Counseling.
Jethro Guidance Center, Inc. -Collegium of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP) servicing the need for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) of students of Union Theological Seminary (UTS). Thank you Rev. Dr. Larry Paul B. Gusto, Rev. Ephraim Guerrero, Rev. Dr. Sim Dang-awan and Rev. Carmel Villar of the Dr. José Andrés Sotto Center for Spiritual and Pastoral Care-UTS. Pictures below.
As an added item—- Sadly we only found out about this a year late. We share sorrow with PACPE in the passing of Dr. Lucio Mutia in 2021. Dr. Mutia headed the program at Silliman University having a great impact on Clinical Pastoral Education in the Philippines. He will certainly be missed.
The weekend of the June 4th, The Chaplains Office, headed by Chaplain Renato Eustaquio, had a chaplain’s retreat in Baguio City.
At the event, four were certified as Clinically Trained Ministers. Dr. Paul Tabon, President of CPSP-Philippines, did the awarding. Those who earned CTM are…
Baguio City. Bukal LIfe Care has two CPE groups active for Summer Intensive. One is led by Chaplain Vo Canoy. The other is led by Chaplain Lyn Montecastro. A Half Unit is expected to start the third week in June supervized by Chaplains Celia Munson and Vo Canoy.
Chaplain Vo’s CPE Group
Bocaue. The Chaplains Office, led by Chaplain Renato Eustaquio, has an active CPE group at Dr. Yanga’s Hospital. They are planning a Chaplain’s Retreat in Baguio the weekend of June 4. They are also developing a video series of trainings for counselors, missionaries, and pastors. And finally, they are planning to start a one-year program in July. We wish them well in this.
Manila. Jethro Guidance Center, is moving forward with their recent partnership with Union Theological Seminary with an ongoing CPE batch being held there. It is being supervised by Dr. Larry Gusto and Chaplain Ephraim Guerrero. Looking forward to seeing this effort expand.
Community-Based CPE at Union Theological Seminary
Iligan City. The Chaplain ministry at Iligan City Adventist Hospital, led by Dr. Victor Navarro, will be completing a CPE Batch June 9th. Dr. Cal Sodoy will be guest speaker for this event. CPSP-Philippines has not been long in Mindanao. We are thankful for the work of Dr. Sim Dang-Awan Jr. in promoting our work there, with it bearing fruit through local efforts of Chaplains Victor Navarro, Elvin Salarda, and Phanuel Buac. We look forward to more good things happening there.
Davao. And speaking of Minidanao, Dr. Cal Sodoy is leading a training at Davao Central College. This two week activity will hopefully happen in August and tentatively this will be done with Dr. Raymond Lawrence (General Secretary and founder) of CPSP joining face-to-face. Several of us are also hoping to join even if for a shorter time.
On April 28th, 2022. the Union Theological Seminary, Philippines and Jethro Guidance Center, Inc. signed the Memorandum of Agreement of partnership in providing Clinical Pastoral Education.
Rev. Dr. Eleazar Fernandez signed in behalf of UTS and Rev Ephraim Guerrero, for JGCI. Larry Paul B. Gusto, President of Jethro Guidance Center, acted as witness.
Let us celebrate this partnership.
Jethro Guidance Center, Inc. is a training Center accredited by CPSP-Philippines, and is based in Manila.
Yes… things have been slow because of the pandemic for the last few months, but that does not mean that nothing has happened. Here are a few photos of some recent activities:
Webinar held in February on “Pastoral Care in Hospice and Palliative Settings” facilitated by Ptr (and Dr) Joshua Marcos. This event was sponsored by Jethro Guidance Center. Note that Jethro Center is also holding CPE presently in Manila.CPE gathering online led by Chaplain Renato Eustaquio of “The Chaplain’s Office” in Bocaue, BulacanCPE Group led by Diplomate Vo Canoy with Bukal Life Care, in Baguio City, Philippines. This group is finishing up with two groups starting in mid-to-late March.
CPSP-Philippines 