A Muslim Chaplaincy for Asylum Seekers? Results from an Evaluation Research Study

Due to the high number of Muslim applicants in the Swiss asylum system, in recent years there have been calls for an introduction of a Muslim chaplaincy service into Switzerland’s asylum centers. Acknowledging this need, the Swiss federal government ran a Muslim chaplaincy pilot service in Zurich’s Juch Asylum Center between July 2016 and June 2017, with a view to its possible roll-out across Switzerland’s federal asylum centers. This paper links methodological reflection with a presentation of key results in the evaluation of this project. Applying a mixed-method design based on the fourth-generation evaluation research, the study investigates the perspectives of the main stakeholder groups on the pilot project. The interaction with Muslim chaplains mostly led to a high degree of satisfaction among asylum seekers. The study shows there were difficulties and obstacles integrating Muslim chaplaincy into the center’s inter-professional setting, although the interfaith cooperation with Christian chaplains nonetheless developed intensively. The study’s methodological limitations, primarily caused by the setting of the study, are also discussed, as well as the impact the evaluation itself had on the asylum center setting.

PARTICIPATION OF CHAPLAINS IN THE LIFE OF THE ZUNR ARMED FORCES

The article analyzes the features of the chaplaincy service in the Galician Army, participation in training, educational and cultural activities among the riflemen. It was noted that priests of the Greek Catholic Church took part directly in the creation of the first Galician Army units. On concrete examples it has been proved that during the Ukrainian-Polish and Ukrainian-Bolshevik wars the structure of the chaplaincy service was improved, tasks and competences of its structures were determined, effective forms and methods of work were crystallized. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively explore the activities of the clergy in the context of the fighting of 1918–1920. The methodological basis of the article is the universal principles of historical research (scientific objectivity of the coverage of versatile aspects of the problem, complexity, historicism, critical approach to sources). Also applied are special historical methods (historical-comparative, historical-typological, historical-systemic, etc.). It was stated that the chaplains of the Galician Army played an important role in maintaining the high morale and combat spirit of the personnel and educating it in the patriotism spirit. It is emphasized on high personal qualities of chaplains, their high-level national consciousness and readiness for self-sacrifice. The perspective direction of further research is an analysis of the transformation of chaplaincy's political beliefs during the state construction of the ZUNR, as well as in the conditions of the Polish-Ukrainian armed confrontation (1918–1919). Keywords ZUNR, chaplains, church, patriotism, cultural and educational activity

Formation of the image of military chaplains in Ukraine

Kalenychenko T. A. Since the spring of 2014, we can observe the movement of update of military chaplaincy, the emergence of mass volunteering by religious leaders. While Ukraine only continues to develop a new Chaplaincy service, society has already received the first presentation about the priests at the forefront thanks to the work of the Ukrainian media. In this article, author examines the messages about the military chaplaincy of key media and analyzes the way in which the image was formed from the military chaplain to a secular society, and the role it has assumed.

Contributions of the chaplaincy service to the care of terminal patients

This study aims to identify chaplains' understanding in relation to spirituality, and to analyze the chaplaincy's contribution in the care of terminal patients. It is exploratory, qualitative research undertaken with seven hospital chaplains in two public hospitals in João Pessoa in the Brazilian state of Paraíba. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were subjected to content analysis. The categories which emerged were: Spirituality in the view of chaplains, and Contributions of the chaplaincy in employing spirituality in the care of the terminal patient. These categories evidenced that the chaplains value the spiritual dimension in their practice, helping the patient to cope with the end-of-life process. It is hoped that this study will provide resources for further investigations, bearing in mind that studies on the chaplaincy and spirituality in the care for the terminal patient remain incipient.