1. Executive Director’s Reflection
2. View Photos from 2008 Conference
3. NACC State Liaisons: a new way to connect
4. Florida Chaplains gather
5. NACC Board of Directors seeks nominations
6. Decide soon about February 1-4, 2009 Spiritual Care Collaborative Summit
7. May 2, 2008: Deadline for 2009 Spiritual Care Summit Workshop Applications
8. April 16, 2008 National Healthcare Decisions Day Results
9. Healing Tree: A request for prayers
10. Volunteer for Educational Opportunities
11. Silent Auction
12. ACE Program Workshop
Note these local gatherings
13. Worcester, MA: May 19, 2008 Northeast Chaplains
14. Long Island, NY: June 21, 2008 Long Island Chaplains
15. Irving, CA: June 20, 2008 California Chaplains
16. San Francisco, CA: June 25, 2008 California Chaplains
17. Omaha, NE: July 17, 2008 Central States
18. Other NACC gatherings with dates for fall 2008

NACC’s Strategic Goal Three is to strengthen NACC relationships within the Catholic Church (NACC’s Strategic Plan is located here). Susanne Chawszczewski and I just participated in a three-day National Ministry Summit: Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership with more than 1,200 Church pastoral ministers (lay, bishops, priests, deacons) from all over the U.S. and some international representatives. Six Church associations sponsored and led this Summit (Website here).

The gathering examined the findings of a four-year national study on pastoral ministry and identified recommendations for furthering the development of ministry. (For documents reviewed, go to this site). As chaplains are endorsed as “ecclesial” ministers, the deliberations of this Summit provided an ecclesial context and perspective for our ministry. Discussion circled around issues familiar to NACC such as, training, standards, collaboration, models, professionalism, and certification. While NACC, in some respects, has “been down this road,” NACC being on this road with many other ministry associations is vital for the future of ministry within the Church.

As you may recall, last August (2007), NACC was also represented by Susanne and D.W. Donovan at a Symposium on Lay Ecclesial Ministry at St. John's School of Theology, Collegeville, with over 200 Catholic leaders representing U.S. bishops, national organizations, diocesan offices, Catholic colleges and universities, Hispanic, African American and Asian Pacific ministry leaders, pastors, and lay ecclesial ministers. That gathering focused on compelling questions affecting the advancement of lay ecclesial ministry formation, authorization, pathways into ministry, and workplace issues. Those gathered walked away with specific commitments to advance ministry in their respective organizations. NACC’s commitment to accomplish the objectives of Strategic Goal Three is our contribution to advance lay ministry. We will share more on this in future editions of NACC Now.

Visit Larry Gindhart Photography to view photos of the 2008 Conference

We want the NACC members of each state to select a State Liaison to fulfill three functions: connect state chaplains to the national office and one another; lead communication with/among state NACC members; and facilitate the coordination of intrastate/interstate events. At the 2008 Conference, we invited those sitting by state tables to discuss and choose a state liaison. Most states recommended members for that role. Go to this page for the list. Thanks to those who volunteered! We still need reps for the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. To view a position description go here. Please email Cindy Bridges if interested in representing that state.

NACC members of Florida gathered on Sunday, April 20, at the San Pedro Retreat Center in Winter Park, Florida. The day was marked by the sharing of each person’s chaplaincy call, Eucharist, meal, update on NACC, and a reflection on “Moving from a Troubled Heart to a Trusting Healing Ministry.” Blair Holtey commented, “The topic for reflection and chance for us to ‘share’ seemed so important to people… I felt more connected to everyone. It was like getting together with a group of old friends.”

Please consider yourself or another member as an NACC Board member candidate. We seek diversity (age, culture, geographic, chaplain/ supervisor, leadership roles), and special skills (finances, marketing/PR, web-based learning, legal). Friday, May 16, 2008 is the deadline for nominations to be received for the one member-at-large position. Send your nomination to the Governance Committee in care of the National Office via regular mail, fax (414-483-6712), or email (info@nacc.org). Go to the Board Election page for more information about the process.

Wow! We just ended our wonderful 2008 Conference, yet we want and need to alert you to the SCC Summit 2009, February 1-4, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. Next year’s NACC National Conference will actually be a first-time Summit among all six of the cognate associations of the Spiritual Care Collaborative (AAPC, ACPE, APC, CAPPE, NACC and NAJC). The theme of this historic summit is “Health and Hope: The Hard Reality of Living Intentionally in a Village of Care.”

Several members have asked for some details for budget planning purposes. Conference room rates are $126 single/double (plus applicable taxes) and can be reserved 3 days before and after the conference at this rate. Early Bird Registration is $300 and late registration is $350. NACC is planning to have a pre-conference retreat on Saturday, January 31, 2009.

Please note: On Sunday February 1, 2009 the Super Bowl is in Tampa. Early booking of flights to Orlando will keep your airfares more reasonable. The Summit is being held at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center. Reservations may be made by calling: 407-939-1020. If you want to view the resort, visit the website.

Applications for 90-minute workshops are currently being accepted with a due date of May 2, 2008. You can view information about the conference, the workshops and the workshop application at the Spiritual Care Collaborative website. Mark your calendars now for this exciting event!

On the afternoon of April 22, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the Concurrent Resolution in support of National Healthcare Decisions Day. As you know, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution on April 3. Below is a link to Congressional Quarterly’s reCap, where you can view the video of the proceedings. A free membership is required to watch videos; you’ll have to search for the Resolution after obtaining a membership: click here to go to reCap.

Please continue to keep in prayer Jeanne Childs (surgery on May 13), Sr. Nancy Flaig, OSB (chemo treatment for cancer), Sr. Mary Skopal, SSJ (recovering from back surgery), Sr. Mary Anna Euring, OP (bout with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), and Sr. Alice Smitherman, OSB (recovering from heart surgery).

Throughout the past six months, the NACC has helped to organize local events throughout the country and it is our intention to assist in continuing to develop and promote this education for you, the community of learners. And this is such an exciting time for us and for our members! However, it is also important for you to become involved through your ideas, your input, and your assistance in planning these opportunities. Please see the May 2008 Vision for details on the many ways you can become involved! Email Susanne at schaw@nacc.org to volunteer for these opportunities.

NACC's First Silent Auction netted $1,594! Many thanks to the generous donors of items for our successful first silent auction at the conference in Indianapolis. Successful bidders walked away with books authored by plenary speakers, mulitcultural resources, oil paintings, quilts, beaded moccasins, fabulous hand crafted jewelery, shawls and quilts, homemade jams and jellies, stress relief kits, and even an overnight artist's retreat. The monies raised will be used to provide scholarships to student chaplains. We hope to repeat this successful event at future conferences.

A message from Chaplain Linda Piotrowski to participants in the ACE program workshop and the Palliative Care Chaplaincy workshop: I sent out PDF files of the workshop materials the week following the conference. A great number of e-mails were returned to me with messages from e-mail servers as to undeliverability of the message. The PDF files will be posted on the NACC website. You may access them there. Please contact me directly with any questions, etc. linda.f.piotrowski@hitchcock.org. Thanks!

Please mark your calendar! NACC members are invited to an educational gathering at Assumption College, Worchester, MA, on Monday, May 19, 2008, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., 5.5 CEH’s. Virginia Kimball, a theologian, laywoman and mother of nine, will reflect on Mary and chaplaincy. David Lichter, NACC’s Executive Director, will also attend and provide news on NACC. Thanks goes to Fr. Tom Garlick for helping to arrange this. The announcement and registration form are here.

The chaplains of Long Island are gathering on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, for their annual prayer/study day. The event will take place at Dominican Village in Amityville, NY. David Lichter, NACC Executive Director, will present on "Cultivating a Contemplative Presence for Chaplaincy." For information contact Cathy Grandjean, Director of Chaplaincy. (cgrandjean@maryhaven.org)

Please mark your calendar! On Friday, June 20, 2008, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. NACC members will spend a day together at VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, in Irvine, CA. David Lichter will lead the day. 4.5 CEH’s will be granted. Watch for more details in the next NACC Now! If you are still interested in helping, please contact David Lichter, dlichter@nacc.org.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. NACC members are invited to a gathering at the System Office of Catholic Healthcare West, downtown San Francisco. David Lichter will lead the day. 4.5 CEH’s will be granted. Watch for more details in the next NACC Now. If you want to help with the day, please contact David Lichter, dlichter@nacc.org..

On Thursday, July 17, 2008, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., APC and NACC are co-sponsoring an education day being given by Art Lucas, Director, Spiritual Care Services, Barnes/ Barnes-Jewish Hospital, BJC HealthCare, St. Louis Missouri, on the “The Discipline for Pastoral Care”, $45 includes lunch, 4.5 CEH’s. NACC members will gather after the workshop from 3:00-4:30 p.m. For Art Lucas’ bio go here. Watch for more details in NACC Now.

Boston, MA: September 11, 2008
Portland, OR, September 19-20, 2008
Alexandria, MN, September 25-29, 2008
Green Lake, WI, October 26-28, 2008
St. Louis, MO, November 5, 2008