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150 years of soul care: St. Mark’s hosts Utah’s first and only chaplain education program

Learn more about the 150 year legacy of soul care at St. Mark’s Hospital and first and only chaplain education program in Utah.

January 26, 2022
The Rev. Nancy Cormack-Hughes, MDiv, BCC

“Many people believe we are body, mind and spirit,” began Reverend Nancy Cormack-Hughes, Director of Spiritual Care at St. Mark’s Hospital. “Therefore, a surgeon may do a masterful job repairing a broken body, but if the individual is struggling in mind or spirit, they’ll have a difficult time getting fully better. That’s why it’s so important we focus on holistic healing.”

As St. Mark’s Hospital celebrates its 150th anniversary, it simultaneously celebrates 150 years of spiritual support for patients and their family members. Since its inception, the hospital has provided diverse chaplains and a full spectrum of compassionate emotional and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones. Sometimes that support comes in the form of blessings or prayers, sometimes it shows up as conversations or assistance with advanced directives, oftentimes it means listening and being present in a difficult moment.

For example, Rev. Cormack-Hughes remembers playing a precious role in the end-of-life care of an ICU patient whose only family member battled their own health issues across the country.

“I sat alone with this patient in the ICU while on the phone with her sister (this was before iPads were handy). I watched the monitor as the patient’s heart rate slowed, and I talked through every breath so the East Coast sister could ‘watch’ her sister die. I held the patient’s hand as a surrogate for the sister … and the patient passed peacefully. Moments like that are sacred and a privilege to experience,” said Rev. Cormack-Hughes.

Utah’s first and only chaplain education program.

From the beginning St. Mark’s Hospital has led with a spiritual perspective to healing. Founded by the Episcopal Church, St. Mark’s maintained its spiritual roots and continued under that direction until its transfer to Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in the late 1980s. Then, in 1984, St. Mark’s and Episcopal Community Services (ECS) created Utah’s first clinical pastoral education (CPE) program.

For more than 30 years, the Pastoral Care Center at St. Mark’s has been providing CPE from The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) – the standard for spiritual care accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. The ACPE program is owned by ECS, housed at St. Mark’s Hospital—it’s the only ACPE program in Utah.

“I feel proud of that,” Rev. Cormack-Hughes said. “We have trained a lot of chaplains at St. Mark’s over the years. Some serve all over the country, and many serve right here in our community. I give huge kudos for continuing that legacy of chaplain care, and therefore soul care.”

Learning from a legacy: The hospital with a soul

Rev. Cormack-Hughes herself underwent CPE within St. Mark’s Hospital. In 2015, she completed a residency under the leadership of one of her adored predecessors, Father Lincoln “Linc” Ure.

“I lovingly call him the patron saint of St. Mark’s Hospital. He was a mentor, educator and a soul friend to all,” Rev. Cormack-Hughes said.

Linc served in the hospital for more than 40 years and played an instrumental role in bringing the ACPE program to St. Mark’s. Beloved by staff and patients alike, Linc perpetuated spiritual care and left an unforgettable legacy. Linc died within St. Mark’s Hospital in 2016, in what Rev. Cormack-Hughes considers “both a tragic and perfect” transition in his spiritual journey.

Of course, Linc and his lessons will never be forgotten. Neither will the combined efforts and care of 150 years’ worth of St. Mark’s pioneering physicians, nurses, team members and chaplains. Perhaps the hospital’s deeply rooted community heritage is what best nourishes and cultivates its living legacy.

“There are a lot of good hospitals in Utah, but St. Mark’s Hospital is the hospital with a soul,” said Rev. Cormack-Hughes.

Learn more about the St. Mark's Hospital Pastoral Care Center

 

Published:
January 26, 2022
Location:
St. Mark's Hospital

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