Overview of the Evolution of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the Canadian Province of Ontario (1973–2023): A Teilhard Reflection

This article provides an overview of the development of chaplaincy and spiritual care in the Canadian province of Ontario in the last 50 years. Four spheres or areas in this development are described: (1) faith group pastoral/spiritual care, (2) armed forces chaplaincy, (3) spiritual care practitioners and psychospiritual therapists certified by the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care/Association canadienne de soins spirituels, and (4) specialized spiritual care. These four spheres overlap and influence each other. Some members in each sphere are registered psychotherapists in the College of Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario. These changes are interpreted through the evolutionary theology of Teilhard de Chardin.