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1. Executive Director’s Reflection
2. World Day of the Sick, February 11, 2009
3. Save these dates! March 20-23, 2010 NACC National Conference
4. NACC 2009 Business Meeting, February 2, 2009
5. NACC workshops at the Summit ’09.
6. NACC and You!
7. Presentation on Chaplaincy by Larry VandeCreek at Ohio State University
8. Paul Buche, former NACC member, dies
9. News of another member’s death
10. Please see details of March 7th Chicago NACC Event
11. Other local/regional event dates!
12. Let us know your plans or need for help with events!
13. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
14. Recent job postings

Last Sunday, January 25th, the Church commemorated the conversion of St. Paul. One writer observed that Paul’s conversion is a paradigm for the way God works. God asks Paul, “why are you persecuting me?” then gradually reveals to Paul who Jesus is so that Paul can redirect his life. It is a paradigm. I reflect on the many times God leads me to question why I am doing what I am doing, then draws me deeper into what the mystery of Christ’s dying and rising means for me to help me purify and deepen my motives for ministry. Would that be true for you also? Such a conversion pattern helps us to live ever more intentionally.

As you read this column, about 1800 participants from the six associations of the Spiritual Care Collaborative and other associates will be in the midst of the Summit ’09 event in Orlando, Florida, Health and Hope: The Hard Reality of Living Intentionally in a Village of Care. Nearly 40 members of the six associations have spent over 18 months planning this historical event. We are grateful to all of them.

I want to especially thank the members of NACC who represented the NACC on the SCC planning committees. These committees convened monthly by phone to complete plans. They represent the best of NACC.

First of all, I want to thank Dr. Eleanor Braddock (Jefferson City, MO) who initially accepted to be the Summit vice-chair, but had to withdraw because of health issues. Then, our colleague, Edward Huff (Henderson, KY) offered to fill and fulfill co-chair responsibilities until this past fall when his position was eliminated and he had to leave the vice-chair role in order to dedicate himself to finding a new job. Thank you, Eleanor and Edward!

These NACC members served on planning committees: Mary Pat Campbell (Wausau, WI) – education, Linda Piotrowski (Lebanon, NH) – publications, Pablo Holquin (Austin, TX) – collaborative events, Rev. James Kunz (Rochester, MN) – spiritual needs, Mary Ann Cowan (Tampa, FL) – local arrangements, David Baker (Stevens Point, WI) – fundraising. Each planning committee was comprised of a member of each association. While the preparation process was a unique collaborative opportunity, it also required of these members special gifts of understanding and cooperation as they worked to find common ground in all areas. No one was compensated for his or her planning efforts. In fact, many of them were not even able to attend the Summit given the financial strains of their respective institutions. We are very grateful to all of them!

I also want to thank particularly Susanne Chawszczewski, our Certification and Education Coordinator, who was the primary staff person for the Education Committee. She had the challenge of helping that committee narrow over 370 workshop applications to the 70 plus chosen. She also handled all the administrative tasks of communication with speakers and presenters, preparing summaries of their materials, contracts, etc. Over the past several months she dedicated endless hours making sure this area of responsibility was fulfilled. Thank you, Susanne.

Appreciatively,
David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director

Next week Wednesday is World Day of the Sick. Since 1992, the Catholic Church, under the sponsorship of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care (www.healthpastoral.org), has celebrated this day on February 11 — the day commemorating the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. We are reminded to pray for the sick, reflect on the meaning of human suffering, and honor those who serve as caregivers. Please watch for Pope Benedict XVI’s message for that day at www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/sick/index_en.htm.

The 2010 NACC National Conference will be held March 20-23, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza – Riverfront, St. Paul, Minnesota. We will be putting together a 2010 Conference Planning Task Force in the coming weeks. If you would like to be considered for this Task Force, please contact Susanne Chawszczewski at schaw@nacc.org by February 14, 2009.

Today, February 2nd, over 350 NACC members are gathering for the annual NACC business meeting at the Summit ’09. A good portion of the time is dedicated to member exchange and feedback. To see a copy of the Executive Director’s PowerPoint presentation at the meeting, go to www.nacc.org/conference/2009materials.asp#busmtg.

Several workshops on certification were offered yesterday, February 1, 2009, at the Summit ’09. This information can also be helpful to many of you seeking more information on certification and renewal of certification. Go to www.nacc.org/conference/2009_NACC_workshops.asp to access these PowerPoint presentations.

Our executive director, David Lichter, also offered a workshop that provided background to participants who wanted more background on NACC and where they might volunteer their time and talents to their colleagues within NACC. For a copy of David’s PowerPoint go to www.nacc.org/conference/2009materials.asp#volwkshp.

We pass on to our members this lecture delivered by Larry VandeCreek, BD, ThM, D.Min, BCC, the nationally known author and speaker on chaplaincy and health care, at the Professional Chaplaincy in Health Care Conference on November 3, 2008, at the OSU Medical Center. http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/pdfs/VandeCreekPresentation.pdf

Paul Buche was a beloved member of NACC and an invaluable contributor to Vision and APC’s Chaplaincy Today. Both APC and NACC mourn the loss of a dear friend and colleague whom most of us knew only through conference calls of the NACC Editorial Panel. Paul was dedicated to finding high quality material for the Research Update column in Vision. Below is more background on Paul’s life and death, and comments from colleagues who were members of Vision’s Editorial Advisory Panel and from Rozann Shackleton, APC editor of Chaplaincy Today.

Rozann Allyn Shackleton BCC, Editor, Chaplaincy Today:
Paul has served as book review editor for Chaplaincy Today for a number of years. Though he and I never met in person, we developed a wonderful "e-friendship," which included lots of joking back and forth but never a mention of his failing health. Needless to say, I'm somewhat in a state of shock. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have participated in Paul's wonderful "holy play." Please keep him, his wife Sue and their whole family in your prayers.

Laurie Hansen-Cardona, Vision Editor:
It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you of the death of our much-loved colleague, Paul Buche... Paul had been battling melanoma for two and a half years. Recently it spread to his brain and a spot near his spinal cord. He was hospitalized about mid-January for eight days, then came home Jan. 21, and died last weekend at home with his wife, Rev. Sue Reid, as well as other members of his family and close friends at his side. I only knew Paul from conference calls, other phone calls, and a multitude of exchanged e-mail messages, but I feel like I lost a true friend. In between the work, he always found time to ask about my "little ones," share news of his grandchildren, as well as provide an orca update. This has been a real shock for me as I know it is for you, who have worked with him on this panel since before I began to edit Vision. Paul did such a fine job of finding authors of substantive research for Vision. Amazingly, the last time he sent out a wave of letters of inquiry (about 1 1/2 months ago), almost all of the potential writers responded positively (the usual positive response rate was about 3 out of 8). He joked to me that I must have sprinkled pixie dust on the Research Update section. As it turned out, he's left us with a quality lineup of writers for the next several months.

Linda Piotrowski:
I worked with Paul for both Vision and Chaplaincy Today. He is/was a dear, dear man. I will miss him. I am saddened by the news of Paul's illness and death. However, I am not at all amazed that Paul did not share the news of his illness with us. He was a quiet, diligent and intensely private person…. Paul is beloved by both NACC and APC. He did a yeoman's share of work related to publications for both organizations and I am sure for his place of ministry and many others. Here is an article about Paul that is wonderful: http://www.valleymed.org/Media/In_The_News.htm?id=322

Sister Norma Gutierrez, MCDP:
What a loss to all of us. His voice was also so gentle and inviting. May he rest in peace.

Michel LeDoux Sakurai:
Paul was gracious, giving, and an incredible asset to the NACC and our profession. How he will be missed! My prayers go out to his family and friends. May God's infinite love embrace Paul and his family this day and always.

Fr. Freddy Washington, CSSp:
I would like to join my voice to those who are grateful that Paul has had this opportunity to share time and laughs with us since the formation of the Editorial Board. Paul was truly a friend to all. I really appreciated the times Paul would call me outside of the conference calls. These will remain sacred times of ministering with each other. Even though I have never met Paul face to face, his gentle and inviting voice always called forth from the other their inner giftedness. Paul will be missed by many. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.

We also received news this past week that our NACC member, Brother Edward I. Yochim, CFA, died January 12, 2009. Please join in commending him to the Lord.

Details have been finalized for the Saturday, March 7th Lenten event for NACC members. It will take place at the Mulcahy Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood IL. For details (brochure) go to www.nacc.org/docs/resources/The_Mystery_of_God_and_Human_Suffering_Flyer_03-07-09.pdf or see our calendar at www.nacc.org/resources/edops.asp#mar09.

Several state liaison groups are working to finalize details for other gatherings. Please review the list below, and mark your calendars. More details of the events will be forthcoming in future NACC Now's.

•Friday, April 24, 2009, Saint Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. Details to follow.
•Monday, May 18, 2009, Assumption College, Worcester, MA.
•Tuesday, June 9, 2009, New Orleans, LA. Details to follow.
•Thursday, July 23, 2009, Omaha, NE. Joint APC/NACC, details to follow.

The NACC office staff continues to convene state liaison calls to help liaisons network among one another to assist with plans for local/regional events. Please contact cbridges@nacc.org if you want assistance with local events or want to set a planning call with other liaisons. We can’t always anticipate your need, so let us know! We are here to help! Also visit the state liaison area on the NACC website at www.nacc.org/volunteers/state_reps.asp.

Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing. We continue to pray for Sr. Nancy Crane, OP (cancer treatment), Judy Novak (cancer treatment), Sr. Rose Grabowski, SSJ-TOSF (stomach surgery), Bro. Brian Boyle, CPPS (broken foot), Rev. Jim Radde, SJ (recovering from surgery), Teddi Tomsic (major surgery), Sr. Hilda Mallet, MHS (cancer treatment), Sr. Rita Rzeppa, IBVM (recovering/rehab from knee surgery), and Dennis Eldridge (Kathy's husband, for cancer treatment).

STAFF CHAPLAIN
     Hoffman Estates, IL – St. Alexius Medical Center

CATHOLIC PRIEST CHAPLAIN
     Topeka, KS – St. Francis Health Center

CPE RESIDENCY
     Temple, TX – Scott & White Hospital

PRIEST/CHAPLAIN
     Towson, MD – St. Joseph Medical Center

DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL SERVICES
     Lake Oswego, OR – Mary's Woods