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Contents:
1. Executive Director’s Reflection
2. Nominations for NACC Board Position due April 30, 2009!
3. Thank you, NACC Volunteers!
4. Former NACC President dies
5. Prayers and Support for Binghamton Tragedy
6. Hospice/Palliative Care NACC Chaplains networking has begun!
7. No Job! Now what? Some thoughts from one who’s been there
8. Other topics under discussion among NACC members
9. NACC 2010 Conference Planning Task Force Named
10. NACC Member in the News
11. SCC Summit ’09 Website for Summit Materials
12. Last Notice about April 16, 2009, National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD)
13. Another interfaith calendar resource
14. A bibliography for healthcare chaplains
15. Wisconsin liaisons set date and topic for local event
16. Local/regional event dates
17. Other educational events
18. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
19. Recent job postings
20. Positions wanted
A Blessed Easter to all of you! And Buona Pasquetta!
In Italy this day after Easter was known as Pasquetta or little Easter, when families would journey outside their city/village walls to the country to picnic. Some say the tradition was to imitate the two disciples who journeyed away from Jerusalem to Emmaus and encountered Jesus along the way. While this tradition has been taken over by much consumerism, it’s worth a thought, isn’t it? On their journey outside the walls the two disciples struggled with their disappointment, loss, loneliness without Him. Where or how will I journey today “outside my village” to reflect on the mystery of the past few days?
How might the Lord want to encounter me (us) in that journey today? What might “outside my village” mean to me? Is it outside my comfort zone? Outside my safety zone? Is it the phone call I hesitate to make? The room I do not want to visit? The memory I fear to encounter? The other’s culture I have not taken the time to understand? Perhaps the journey “outside the walls” will lead me to my own inner disappointments and loneliness. What is the outside metaphorical journey of today, and tomorrow?
In some respects this present economic and social climate is outside what we are used to, isn’t it? As we journey now through these days we all are dealing with situations we never expected nor wanted to encounter. How am I allowing Jesus to speak to me (us) in the midst of this journey? What does Hope look like then for us?
I found myself drawn back to a quote of Dag Hammarskjold in 1952 before he received his calling to head the United Nations: “pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live, great enough to die for." To paraphrase him, my prayer for us is that these times lead us outside our walls to encounter Jesus as He is present so our hearts burn anew in His rediscovered nearness. As part of me does not want to take the day to go outside, I am reminded again by Hammarskjold, “It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.” Blessings on our Pasquetta picnic!
Nominations for NACC Board Position due April 30, 2009!The NACC Board of Directors (BOD) is calling for nominations for the at-large BOD elected member to replace the position that will be vacated by Patrick Bolton in 2010 when his term expires. This year, the BOD did an assessment and determined that candidates with one or more of the following experiences are needed for leadership in the NACC in order to carry forth the vision and strategic plan of the organization:
Please go to www.nacc.org/aboutnacc/board_election.asp for the details on how to nominate members, and to download an application. All applications must be sent to the National Office and postmarked by April 30, 2009!
All certified members who meet the basic criteria (both the competencies and professional experiences listed above) may stand as candidates for election. We encourage members to nominate a peer who meets these criteria along with a brief letter of recommendation for candidacy (please, no more than one page). Nominees must be informed and agree to stand for election. Certified members who meet the criteria may also self-nominate, providing a brief letter indicating their rationale for candidacy. All applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2009 and will be reviewed by members of the NACC Governance committee. The slate of candidates will be proposed to the voting membership by September 2009. Elections will take place, on-line, during the month of October. This new election method will be explained in future issues of NACC Now and in the Vision. Results will be announced on November 2, 2009. Any questions about the nomination process can be directed to David Lichter (dlichter@nacc.org) at the national office.
Thank you, NACC Volunteers!As most of you know, April is National Volunteer Month. We want to thank all our members who volunteer to serve in our many leadership and service roles within the NACC. We could not fulfill our mission without your generous spirit, expertise, willingness to do what it takes, and countless hours. Please go to www.nacc.org/volunteers, review the list and offer a prayer of thanks for their gifts!
Former NACC President diesOne of our former NACC presidents, Rev. Raymond K. Smith (1981-1982) died on Monday, March 30, 2009 in California. May he rest in peace. In the NACC 40th Anniversary Reflections, Fr. Raymond wrote, “My time as president of NACC was still a part of the early years of formation and organization of the Chaplains’ Association. Our goal was to become an organization that truly served its membership in their areas of ministry…” May we continue to honor that goal in gratitude for Fr. Smith’s life and ministry.
Prayers and Support for Binghamton TragedyBarbara Brumleve, NACC Board of Directors chairperson, e-mailed our NACC members of Binghamton offering our prayer and support to them as they dealt with the tragedies of last week. Our prayers continue to them. Our NACC members include: Father Alfred J. Bebel, Sister Kathleen Haley, and Mrs. MaryAlice Westerlund. Here is Barbara’s e-mail and Mr. Frank Beazley's response:
From: Barbara Brumleve
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 8:36 PM
To: Beazley, Frank
Subject: my prayers and support
Mr. Beazley and Sister Kathleen, my prayers and support for you, for Fathers Bebel and Boretto, and all the staff of Our Lady of Lourdes and the people of Binghamton as you mourn the loss of life in your city today and provide support to many persons, some of whom may well be your co-workers at the hospital. Please know of my personal prayers for all of you. Barbara Brumleve, SSND
Thank you for thinking of us. As a Canadian immigrating to the United States, this was an event that hit very close to home. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated as we in turn pray for the victims, their families and even the individual who caused this tragedy.
Peace & Blessings. Frank Beazley, Director Spiritual Care, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital
Hospice/Palliative Care NACC Chaplains networking has begun!We have had a great response to networking from many of you who are working in hospice and palliative care ministries. A list serve has been set up and members are contributing to it. If you would like to participate, please e-mail dlichter@nacc.org and we will get you involved in the list serve.
No Job! Now what? Some thoughts from one who’s been thereMargot Hover, D.Min, ACPE/NACC Supervisor Emeritus, has been through her own times of joblessness, and offers some reflections on these times and joblessness. Thank you, Margot, for sharing your wisdom and encouragement. For anyone wanting to offer their thoughts as well, please contact dlichter@nacc.org. Click here to read Margot’s reflection.
Other topics under discussion among NACC membersOver the past weeks, members have contributed to several topics. We welcome others to join in. These include:
The 2010 NACC National Conference planning task force has been formed (www.nacc.org/conference/committee.asp), and they are reviewing the many suggestions that were sent to Susanne Chawszczewski. We appreciate their willingness to serve. Many more volunteered whom we hope to utilize as the planning moves forward. The Conference will be held March 20-23, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza – Riverfront, St. Paul, Minnesota.
NACC Member in the NewsOur NACC member, Jane Smith, has recently been in the news for guess what? Learn the raw details of her notoriety! Seriously, congratulations, Jane, for modeling healthy choices! www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/04/06/raw-foods-change-lives/
SCC Summit ’09 Website for Summit MaterialsJust a reminder to you that the SCC website has posted on its Summit ’09 webpage workshop materials and photos from the Summit to use as a resource. Please visit www.spiritualcarecollaborative.org/summit-archive.asp.
Last Notice about April 16, 2009, National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD)The NACC, along with over 500 other national, state and community organizations, is proud to participate in the second annual NHDD, which will be celebrated on Thursday, April 16, 2009. The theme for this year’s NHDD is “Leading by Example.” What are your plans? For resources go to www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.
Another interfaith calendar resource“I work in a CCRC with independent & assisted living, respite care, skilled care, rehabilitation care and dementia care. We are an interfaith community. Monthly, I publish an Interfaith and Catholic Faith Calendar. I rely on a website, www.interfaithcalendar.org for the interfaith portion of the calendar. I find it very helpful.” From Elizabeth Heffernan, eheffernan@franciscancommunities.com".
A bibliography for healthcare chaplainsIssue 3 of the series Practical Bearings: The Critical Bibliography for Health Care Chaplains is now online at www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/practicalbearings/, the HealthCare Chaplaincy’s website. In “Meeting the Other: Interreligious Encounters in the Provision and Supervision of Spiritual Care,” Rev. Dagmar Grefe, Ph. D., Manager, Spiritual Care and Education, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, provides an annotated commentary and key texts that address interreligious spiritual care. The literature listed in this series represents three avenues---theological, social-psychological, and spiritual care---to the understanding of what is going on when persons meet the religiously other at the bedside or in supervision. Practical Bearings offers the most thorough and current resources for pastoral educators and pastoral practitioners through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation and HealthCare Chaplaincy. For more information, please contact: Rev. Dr. Leonard M. Hummel, hummel@ltsg.edu.
Wisconsin liaisons set date and topic for local eventThe Wisconsin state liaisons are planning an NACC-sponsored gathering on Saturday morning, June 27, 2009, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, WI. Rev. Andrew Nelson, Ph.D., a moral theologian and healthcare ethicist, will present and facilitate a dialogue on the Ethical and Religious Directives and their practical applications for chaplains. Watch for more details!
Local/regional event datesMore local gatherings are being set. Please review the list below, and mark your calendars. More details of events will be in future NACC Now's.
In the past two weeks we have been alerted to other educational events that you can find on the NACC website. They include:
Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing. We continue to pray for Raymond Kelleher (heart surgery); Fr. Bill Spacek (detached retina and other eye issues); Jim Castello (recovering from surgery); Sr. Nancy Crane, OP (cancer treatment); Bro. Brian Boyle, CPPS (broken foot), Rev. Jim Radde, SJ (recovering from 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).
Recent job postingsThe following positions have been posted in the last two weeks. Please go to Positions Available for more information about them.
PRIEST DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE
Miami, FL – Catholic Health Services
STAFF CHAPLAIN
Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati Children's Hospital
In this time of change and uncertainty it is more important than ever to use every resource available. If you have lost your job recently, if you’re just seeking a new or better position, or if you are an employer seeking a chaplain for your organization, be sure to visit our Positions Wanted webpage. NACC members can take advantage of this free service by placing a job-seeking ad, for free, which will run for 60 days. To see the ads, visit www.nacc.org/positions/wanted.asp To place your own ad, send an email to Phil Paradowski: pparadowski@nacc.org.