Charles “Chuck” P. Ceronsky graduated from St. John’s University with a B.A. in humanities in 1970, and an M.A. in theology with a focus in medical ethics in 1973.

Chuck began his career as staff chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis from 1973-78. Married to Carolyn Ceronsky in 1974, he stepped out of professional chaplaincy for a time to provide care for their first child in 1979. He returned to St. Mary’s Hospital as the founding director of St. Mary’s in-patient hospice program, and in 1981 assumed the position of Director of Pastoral Care. Until retiring in 2017, he served as Director of Spiritual Health Services at University of Minnesota Health in Minneapolis.

Some highlights across the span of Chuck’s career include:

• First lay chaplain certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains
• Member of the Archbishop’s Biomedical Ethics Advisory Committee for the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul
• Adjunct Faculty, St. John’s University Graduate School of Theology (1979-81)
• Director, Respect Life Program, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
• Pastoral Ministry instructor for the Permanent Diaconate Training Program for Catholic and Episcopal deacon candidates
• Chair, Archdiocesan Pastoral Health Care Commission, providing supervision of chaplaincy for the Archdiocese and the AIDS Ministry Program
• Member of Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee on State Chaplaincy
• Board member, Minnesota Center for Health Care Ethics
• Chair, University of Minnesota Medical Center’s Ethics Committee and Ethics Consult Service

The following is from a chaplain recently supervised by Chuck:

“My experience of Chuck is that he has achieved a rare level of integration of
exceptional personal integrity and spirituality with extraordinary professional
commitment and competence. Chuck motivates those he supervises by his
consistent support and demonstrated confidence. He manages to elicit creativity
and personal initiative within Spiritual Health Services at the same time that
he maintains strong and consistent expectations of teamwork, productivity, and
accountability."

The Ezekiel: Prophet of Hope Award  is presented to alums of Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary who, through their example, have challenged students, alums, and the entire Saint John’s community to promote the work of building collaborative environments in which lay, ordained and religious can live out their prophetic ministries to the church and the world.