A Milestone for Buddhist Chaplaincy in Europe

This March, the first group of twenty-one Buddhist practitioners graduated from the Buddhist Chaplaincy course, created by the European Buddhist Union in collaboration with Dharma Gate University in Budapest, the oldest Buddhist university in Europe.

What made this training programme unique was its pan-Buddhist approach and emphasis on experiential learning. Developed for and attended by practitioners from the Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna tradition, the two-year programme combined online and residential learning with practicums in hospitals, nursing homes, palliative and hospice care, and prisons.

By practising and learning together across Buddhist traditions, areas of specialisation, and nationalities, the course was the first step to build a strong foundation for a vibrant European Buddhist chaplaincy sangha. The newly trained chaplains now serve their communities in a variety of ways, and many have already begun working as full-time, part-time, or volunteer chaplains in the public sector.

A new course is already in the planning for autumn 2027. More information

Image: The new chaplains with course leaders Kirsten De Leo/Rigpa teacher, Dzogchen Beara and Dario Doshin Girolami/Zen priest, Rome.