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Contents:
1. Executive Director’s Reflection
2. TODAY is the LAST DAY to vote in the NACC Board of Directors election!
3. Thanks to all NACC members who assisted with Certification Interviews
4. Spiritual Leadership Competencies identified by Care Services Task Force
5. Our plenary speakers for 2010 National NACC Conference
6. 2010 National NACC Conference Brochure arriving in November. Watch for it!
7. Seeking volunteer(s) to run Conference 2010 silent auction
8. Last call for NACC writers and poets
9. Sign up today for the NACC fall audio conferences!
10. Pastoral Care Week almost here!
11. Video promoting the chaplaincy profession available
12. News on Tim Serban and the Red Cross in American Samoa
13. Do you have guidelines for “duties to care”?
14. NACC Chaplains involved in published report
15. Participate today in the survey about chaplains' use of online communication tools with patients
16. Please invite your nursing colleagues to participate in survey
17. Local/regional event dates
18. Other educational events
19. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
20. Recent job postings
21. Positions wanted
Nearly 130 participants gathered this past Friday, October 9th, for the NACC local event in Buffalo, NY! Wow! It was a spirited gathering that included several NACC and a few CAPPE members from nearby Toronto. Along with the main presentations, several workshops were offered. I attended one on research, Research as a Significant Component of Chaplaincy: Theory and Praxis.
Nelson Grimm, PhD., Director of Field Education, Northeastern Seminary, Rochester, NY, and Carol Kistner, Resident Chaplain, Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, NY, presented. Nelson did a good job providing an overview of the need for chaplains to be involved in research to advance the profession. Carol shared her research project to show how possible a research project can be for chaplains. Participants were interested to learn more.
Research for chaplaincy is critical to positioning the profession among other professions. At this workshop I also made the point that participants could also be involved RIGHT NOW in two important research projects that will help chaplaincy. In the past two and THIS NACC Now we have invited members to participate in the research projects both of Mary Johnson (#15 below) and of Linda Piotrowski and Karen Pugliese (#16). WILL YOU PARTICIPATE TODAY? HELP US ADVANCE THE PROFESSION!
Our 40 and under members!
This past week we held a conference call for our NACC members 40 years of age and younger. It was an energizing and dynamic exchange. One member created an NACC Facebook account while we were on the call to enhance ways to be connected to one another. Wow! We have 74 members in this age category. It is a very different profile from our overall membership profile. They represent
less than three percent of our membership, and their demographic profile is much different from the over 40 group. Our entire NACC profile includes: 44 percent lay women and men, 33 percent women religious, 17 percent priests, and a very small percentage that are deacons and brothers.
The profile of this 40-and-under group is nearly 60 percent lay women and men and
33 percent priests (only four are not foreign-born), and 4 women religious, one deacon, and
one brother. The Church, and NACC, will evidently rely on the charisms of lay ministry, and continue to be shaped by the ordained men beyond our boundaries who have come to the United States to exercise their priestly ministry, and have found a ministry in chaplaincy. Both of these trends hold important challenges for NACC.
The lay women and men who have been called to serve in the pastoral and spiritual care ministry are bright, committed, mission-driven individuals who have embraced the call of and highly value the professional nature of the ministry. Will they continue to find a home in and what they need spiritually and professionally in NACC and the Church? Will the NACC and these lay ministers be in dialogue with other ecclesial ministry associations both to share the wisdom of 40 years formation and certification, and to learn from these ministry groups how to reflect on Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord? I personally look forward to that dialogue among our members and with the other associations (click here for the list), as well as the dialogue with our NACC Episcopal Advisory Council when it convenes on November 17th at the USCCB Fall Assembly!
Also, our 40 and under foreign-born priests who have become certified or are seeking certification in NACC want to make chaplaincy their ministry. We know the vital need for sacramental ministry that only priests can provide. We also know the cultural challenges these men face. Each of us encounters cultural challenges when beginning to work in a healthcare setting - all the more for these priests who are adjusting to an American culture and a professional healthcare culture where NACC chaplains serve on multifaith spiritual care teams, multidisciplinary professional teams, and serve people of all faiths. Over the past two years I have received letters from NACC chaplains heading pastoral care departments who have expressed their appreciation for the devoted and quality service these men are providing. I have also heard concerns about the need for more enculturation for some of these men, both with their language and with their sensitivities to working with colleagues and associates, and relating to American families. I look forward to finding ways to discuss their significant presence in NACC and our ministry more directly with the aim to understand how we can better serve our members, and those who rely on our ministry and profession.
Finally, thank you to all our 40 and under members! Thank you, lay men and women, clergy, religious women, the deacon and brother! We need more of you!
What are your thoughts on research and our 40 and under profile? E-mail me at dlichter@nacc.org.
Appreciatively,
David Lichter
If you have not yet voted, JUST CLICK HERE. It takes less than a minute. Please join your colleagues in voting! All you need is your membership number. Vote now through NACC Now! Thank you!
Thanks to all NACC members who assisted with Certification InterviewsAll our NACC members thank the Interview Training Educators (ITE’s), interviewers, and site hosts for the generous and high quality service to NACC the weekend of October 3-4. We are indebted to them for their commitment to ensure the certification interview process serves fairly and pastorally those being interviewed, as well as the profession of chaplaincy. A list will be posted soon on the NACC website.
Spiritual Leadership Competencies identified by Care Services Task ForceThe Pastoral Care Summit Care Services/Staff Development Task Force has identified the Spiritual Leadership Competencies needed by a chaplain considering leadership roles in pastoral care. These will be disseminated widely as a resource for our members, and a source of dialogues among our partners, e.g. CHA and the SCC. To access them go to www.nacc.org/advancing/pctask.asp.
Our plenary speakers for 2010 National NACC ConferenceWe are delighted and privileged to have as our 2010 National NACC Conference, Winds of Change, Spirit of Promise, plenary speakers the following distinguished leaders:
Individual Change and Promise
Rev. Jan Michael Joncas, S.L.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Catholic Studies and Department of Theology
University of St. Thomas
Ecclesial Change and Promise
M. Shawn Copeland, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Theology
Boston College
Professional Change and Promise
Ira Byock, MD
Director of Palliative Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire and Professor of Anesthesiology and Community & Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School
Global Change and Promise
Sr. María Elena González, RSM
Former President, Mexican American Cultural Center
San Antonio, Texas
In November you will be receiving our Conference 2010 brochure. It will be an excellent program. We look forward to seeing many of you in St. Paul, MN. Go to the NACC Conference webpage for more information!
Seeking volunteer(s) to run Conference 2010 silent auctionWe had wonderful success with a silent auction at our NACC 2008 National Conference thanks to the initiation and leadership of Linda Piotrowski. Thank you again, Linda! We are looking for a volunteer or volunteers to run the silent auction for Conference 2010. It is not an overwhelming project, and you will have support. If you have some interest or have questions as to what it entails, please contact Susanne Chawszczewski at schaw@nacc.org.
Last call for NACC writers and poetsEvery year, the NACC prints prayer cards for World Day of the Sick, for use in hospitals, hospices, long-term care facilities, parishes, and anyone else interested in the spiritual needs of sick persons and caregivers
We would like to invite our members to consider writing a prayer to be used on the prayer cards for 2010. We will publish two cards: Prayer for Sick Persons and Prayer for the Caregiver. You may submit prayers for either or both.
Prayers may be written in any style or format you like, but they should be no more than 32 lines long, with an average line length of not more than 10 syllables. To see examples of past prayers, visit www.nacc.org/resources/wds/pastPrayerCards.asp.
All submissions must be received at the NACC office by Oct. 15. We will notify the person(s) whose prayers will be used by Nov. 9. We are not able to offer payment, but the authors will be credited. We will share a total of two prayers in print, although some runners-up may be featured on our website later in the year.
Sign up today for the NACC fall audio conferences!NACC is happy to announce the Fall series of Audio Conferences.
(1) October 8 and October 15, 2009 – Sr. Dianne Bergant, CSA presents the Book of Job: Loss, Personal Suffering, and our Pastoral Care Ministry.
These audio conferences (2) will provide participants with an overview of the most recent studies on the Book of Job and its key insights that can help those who minister to individuals experiencing loss or grief.
For more information and to register, click here.
(2) November 12 and November 19, 2009 – Dr. Susan K. Wood, SCL presents Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: Insights and Implications for Pastoral Care Ministry.
These audio conferences (2) will provide participants a background on Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord. Dr. Wood will offer an overview of its contributions, ongoing discussions on church ministry and the formation and authorization of lay ecclesial ministers, and some implications for the specialized ministry of pastoral care.
For more information and to register, click here.
(3) December 3 and December 10, 2009 – Fr. Peter Fink, SJ presents Healing Ministry and the Sacraments: A Contemporary Understanding of Sacraments Can Enrich our Pastoral Care Ministry.
These audio conferences (2) will provide participants with an excellent update on the theology of sacraments, particularly the sacraments of anointing and reconciliation.
For more information and to register, click here.
Register for audio conferences two, three, and four and save $5. For more information and to register, click here.
Pastoral Care Week almost here!Pastoral Care Week this year is October 25-31, 2009. The theme is "PASTORAL CARE: Supportive Presence”. Many chaplains are using the new NACC “Chaplaincy Ministry” video as a communication tool during that week. If you want a copy to use, you can still have one delivered by October 25th. See the next item for details to order them.
Video promoting the chaplaincy profession availableOur video on Chaplaincy, both a recruitment version (that begins and ends with “Is God Calling You?”) and a version without this question, are available in DVD format. The charge is just $6.00, the cost of production and shipping. You may preview the video at this link. To order copies please email Cindy Bridges for instructions.
News on Tim Serban and the Red Cross in American SamoaWe keep in prayer all those with the American Red Cross who are aiding Tsunami victims in American Samoa. Our NACC member Tim Serban, BCC, the Spiritual Care Response Team (SRT) Lead DRO-560 for the Tsunami American Samoa Red Cross effort, communicates regularly with Earl E. Johnson, (Acting) Coordinator, SRT, American Red Cross. For Tim’s most recent (October 9, 2009) communication go to www.nacc.org/resources/srt_main.asp.
Do you have guidelines for “duties to care”?
Chaplain Julia Rajtar chairs the hospital ethics committee at Westfield Hospital, New Richmond, WI. They are discussing the concept of "duty to care". She asks NACC Now readers if any of you have guidelines for chaplains in a pandemic in two situations:
1. Duty to receive the H1N1 vaccination.
2. When resources (such as personal protective equipment) are scarce, what is our duty? Certainly we need to protect ourselves. However, people who are alone and isolated will still need spiritual care. If we run out of personal protective equipment, what is our duty to care?
If anyone has had dialogue or has developed guidance on these issues for chaplains, please contact Julia at julia.t.rajtar@westfieldshospital.com. She will be happy to share results.
The City of Hope and The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish) over the past year have worked on the Consensus Project to improve the quality of spiritual care in palliative care nationally. They are pleased to announce that the Journal of Palliative Medicine has published the Special Report “Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care as a Dimension of Palliative Care: The Report of the Consensus Conference.” Thanks to NACC members Karen Pugliese, BCC, and Diane Kreslins, BCC, for their involvement in the project and report! Click here for the Special Report.
Participate today in the survey about chaplains' use of online communication tools with patientsPlease take a few moments to respond to an anonymous survey about use of the Internet in chaplain-patient communications. Thank you so much. The survey is located here: www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=EYtEVDWItcZ5GWrkGbvm9A_3d_3d Questions/concerns? Chaplain Mary E. Johnson can help at Johnson.mary3@mayo.edu.
Please invite your nursing colleagues to participate in surveyChaplains Linda Piotrowski and Karen Pugliese seek your help in getting feedback from your nursing colleagues about how nurses perceive chaplains and their availability, willingness to work as a team, and whether or not nurses read chaplaincy charted notes. We ask that you either share this item from NACC Now or copy and paste the following web address along with a personal note from you into an e-mail and send it to one or more nursing colleagues. We will report the results in future issues of Vision. The web address is www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=BcIroyCBl_2bHDOnPgVz1okA_3d_3d For further details please read "Chaplains, Nurse Colleague Present at Oncology Nurse Forum" in the September/October 2009 issue of Vision.
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.
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 Fr. Bob Nee BCC, LICSW, CT (intractable epilepsy), Kelly Elizabeth Sexton (cancer: daughter of NACC member Melyssa Sexton), Joyce Fink (heart attack/recovery from open heart surgery), Judy Novak (brain surgery and recovery), Mike J. Murphy (cancer treatment), Fr. Bill Spacek (detached retina and other eye issues); Sr. Nancy Crane, OP (cancer treatment); 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 our online job board for more information about them.
CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN
St. Petersburg, FL - Bon Secours Maria Manor
DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE
Richmond, VA - Bon Secours Richmond Health System
PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Hollywood, CA - QueensCare
MISSION AND SPIRITUAL CARE ASSOCIATE
Newberg, OR - Providence
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.