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1. Executive Director's Reflection
2. NACC Certification Commission and Interview Team Educators Meet This Week
3. Southern California NACC Members Gathered June 20th.
4. Northern California NACC Members Gathered June 25th.
5. Healing Tree: A request for prayers
6. Recent job postings
7. Please go to the NACC website for these local gatherings

It was Sunday night, June 29th, around 11:30 p.m., in a room on the palliative care unit at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The overhead light seemed to give off a gray, luminescent glow on Mom’s ashen face, as she breathed her last breath. Just a few minutes before, my brother and sisters, my wife, Jackie, a few others had laid their hands on her, prayed, and said, “Mom, you can go. We are all here.” My sister-in-law, Kathy - the last person Mom seemed to be waiting for – had arrived about 30 minutes before and whispered her good-bye to Mom.

Mom’s three-day unexpected final journey was intense, disruptive, disorienting, yet grace-filled and in-the-end peaceful. She was 89, and all figured 100 was in reach before God reached for her quickly and mercifully.

Two strokes hit late Thursday, June 26th. They initially only showed symptoms of slurred speech and blurred vision, but progressed rapidly leaving her in a coma within 48 hours. During the Friday and Saturday hours, as her children, we desperately sought for Mom professional guidance and assurance. We were grasping for information to help us make informed decisions. We wanted to move her to neurology specialists at Froedtert, and got the help we need to do so. However, during these hours the strokes quickly and silently destroyed her brain cells. By the time she got to Froedtert Saturday night, she was comatose and only palliative care to keep her comfortable could be offered.

We could say goodbye and be at peace because grace was present, and aided by spiritual caregivers over these three days. On Friday, the first day at the Kenosha hospital, NACC chaplain, Sr. Mary Hauke visited Mom and contacted the pastoral assistant from her parish who visited within an hour. Saturday evening, her pastor, Fr. Roman, gave her the Sacrament of Anointing just before the ambulance took her to Froedtert. On Sunday, while Mom was in a coma in palliative care, Fr. Roy Mateljan, a priest chaplain stopped by twice, our NACC Chaplain Pedro Acosta Zapata came to lead us in prayer, and a pastoral care volunteer, called a doula, Marilyn Corlew, offered the family both a prayer shawl and a prayer quilt to wrap us in the prayer of spiritual care department. God’s consoling and healing presence surrounded Mom and us those days.

This past week was filled with preparation for her funeral, and celebrating, as family and friends, her gift to us of life and love. In our grief, my brother and sisters have experienced the strength and consolation of those who had been touched by Mom. She was a profoundly faith-filled and mission-driven person. Every day was meant for others in a myriad of ways. She lives in all of us.

I return to NACC missing Mom but strengthened by her presence and spirit in us, and grateful for the ministry of spiritual care after having my family experience it during those days.

This week the NACC Certification Commission and the Interview Team Educators (ITEs) will meet in Milwaukee. It’s the summer meeting for the Commission and the annual meeting for the Interview Team Educators. Meeting jointly provides an opportunity for orientation and welcoming of three new ITEs: Rev. Tom Garlick, Sr. Collette Hanlon, SC and Mr. Michael Doyle. Among other agenda items, the group will be reviewing the recently revised NACC Standards and Procedures for certification.

On Friday, June 20th, 25 NACC members gathered at the Vitas Innovative Hospice Center in Irvine, California. The Sisters of St. Joseph Health System and St. Joseph Hospital sponsored the meals. Participants spent the day getting to know each other, identifying key ministry issues, and focusing on future gatherings. Marie Polhamus will be their NACC Liaison. They are already planning a November education day on ethics. For participants see this page.

On Wednesday, June 25th, 24 NACC members gathered at Catholic Health West offices in San Francisco, California. Catholic Health West both offered their office space and meals. The participants learned about each other’s call to chaplaincy and current ministry, and identified key topics for future gatherings. Nancy Cook will be the northern California liaison. They are planning another fall meeting. For participants see this page.

Please continue to keep in prayer Sr. Paula Jacobs, SSM (terminal cancer), Dennis Eldridge (Kathy’s husband for cancer treatment), 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). Also please keep in prayer the family of Rose Mary (Mar) Blanco-Alvarado, our Administrative Specialist/Certification as they grieve the loss of Mar’s father this past week.

The following positions have been posted in the last two weeks. Please go to our positions available page for more information about them.

CPE RESIDENCY
     Temple, TX – Scott & White Hospital
DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE
     Augusta, ME -- MaineGeneral Medical Center
CHAPLAINS, PART-TIME
     Frankfort, IN and Elwood, IN -- St. Vincent Frankfort and St. Vincent Mercy Hospitals

Our local gathering list is growing. Therefore, we ask you to use our NACC local events calendar for more information on:

• Omaha, NE: July 17, 2008
• Portland, OR, September 19-20, 2008
• Alexandria, MN, September 25-26, 2008
• Green Lake, WI, October 26-28, 2008
• St. Louis, MO, November 5, 2008
• Baltimore, MD, November 12, 2008