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Contents:
1. Executive Director’s reflection
2. Thank you in advance for your patience
3. Art Metallo to be honored at 2008 conference
4. Ira Byock named Outstanding Colleague
5. Board orients new members, selects officers
6. Send us your Advent prayer resources
7. Episcopal Advisory Council supports NACC
8. Vision seeks your charting expertise
9. Only five weeks left to renew certification
10. Milwaukee chaplain interviewed regarding charting
11. National Healthcare Decisions Day seeks liaisons
12. NACC member writes for PlainViews
13. Register for Chicago gathering December 1
14. Register for Northwest gathering Dec. 14
Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” Thanksgiving is this Thursday. I thank God for you, and the healing ministry you live out daily. Please reflect on the people in the past week who have thanked you. I think about Mother Theresa’s observation that there is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread. As we are aware of many hungers on our day of plenty, I pray we can in small ways meet people’s hunger for love and appreciation. Thank you. Appreciatively, David
Thank you in advance for your patienceAs you may know, the NACC office staff is going through transitions. We are still interviewing for Marilyn Warczak’s replacement as the certification specialist. Barbara Hempel just left, and Cindy Bridges is taking on her duties in membership services. Phil Paradowski is working part time while completing his paternity leave. In short, the staff is short-handed and going through transition while working very hard to meet needs and deadlines. I am grateful for their remarkable commitment to meet members’ requests and expectations during this time. In advance, I thank you for your patience as we respond to your calls and e-mails. Appreciatively, David Lichter
Art Metallo to be honored at 2008 conferenceDeacon Arthur Metallo, who has been part of the backbone of NACC and chaplaincy for more than 30 years, has been selected to receive NACC’s Distinguished Service Award. Art has served the profession of chaplaincy and the NACC generously, encouraging and advocating for chaplains and spiritual care services throughout his career. As the person who nominated him stated, “Art just retired but still is a chaplain’s chaplain.” Congratulations, Art! We look forward to honoring and celebrating with you in Indianapolis! We hope many of our members will join us there April 5-8.
Ira Byock named Outstanding ColleagueOur other award at the Indianapolis conference will be given to Dr. Ira Byock, the Director of Palliative Care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Dr. Byock will be honored with the Outstanding Colleague Award, given to a person or group outside the NACC who supports the NACC or the field of ministry. Dr. Byock is nationally known for advocating humane and interdisciplinary end-of-life care, including the vital role of spiritual care and chaplaincy. He models attention to the spiritual in his medical practice and in teaching medical students, residents, and others. We look forward to honoring Dr. Byock in person next spring.
Board orients new members, selects officersThe NACC Board of Directors convened in Milwaukee Nov. 8-9. Bonnie Burnett and John Pollack, who will join the board in January, were oriented to its workings. The officers for the coming year will be Karen Pugliese as Chair, Barbara Brumleve, SSND, as Chair-elect/Secretary, and Geraldine Hoyer, CSC, as Treasurer. We are grateful to them for accepting these responsibilities, as well as to Bridget Deegan-Krause for her service as Vice Chair for this past year.
Send us your Advent prayer resourcesThe November-December issue of Vision will be making its way to you very soon (although electronic subscribers have already seen it). We hope you will enjoy the Advent prayer service prepared by Linda Piotrowski. We invite all members to send us samples of your Advent and Christmas prayers and services, which we will put onto our NACC website under Resources for all our members’ benefit. Share your wealth! E-mail your samples to Phil Paradowski.
Episcopal Advisory Council supports NACCOn Tuesday, Nov. 13, the NACC Episcopal Advisory Council met during the USCCB General Assembly Meeting. Bishop Randolph Calvo and David Lichter hosted. David reviewed the strategic plan with the bishops, who expressed strong support for NACC’s direction. They encouraged fostering chaplains’ Catholic identity and providing opportunities for chaplains to reflect on the meaning of that identity in their life and ministry. For the complete roster of the Advisory Council, click here.
Vision seeks your charting expertiseWe are preparing a story about patient charting for a future issue of Vision, and many of our members have already been generous with their time and knowledge. However, we would still like to hear from members who can speak to the following situations:
If you would like to share your experience in any of these areas with your colleagues nationwide, please send an e-mail to vision@nacc.org.
Only five weeks left to renew certificationA friendly reminder: If you are required to submit your completed application and materials for renewal of certification in 2007, time is running out. The postmark date for the renewal application and materials to be received in the national office is Dec. 31. If you have misplaced your forms, you can download Renewal of Certification forms here.
Milwaukee chaplain interviewed regarding chartingChannel 6 News in Milwaukee recently contacted NACC for a story on chaplains and charting. While they were alerted to the sensitivity to patient privacy, they sought to understand charting practices. Kate Sullivan, an NACC supervisor at The Village at Manor Park in Milwaukee, agreed to be interviewed and explained the procedures and professionalism involved when a chaplain writes in a patient’s chart. The reporter expressed appreciation for all he learned. It is currently scheduled to air Nov. 27, on Fox 6 sometime during the 9 p.m. newscast. Thank you, Kate!
National Healthcare Decisions Day seeks liaisonsThe NACC is participating in National Healthcare Decisions Day, which will be observed April 16, 2008. The program is a collaborative effort of national, state, and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their healthcare decisions. Event organizers are currently seeking volunteers to serve as state and local liaisons. This is an opportunity to work collaboratively with other healthcare organizations and to gain increased recognition for your institution and for the NACC. For more information, visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org and follow the “sign up” link.
NACC member writes for PlainViewsThe most recent issue of PlainViews, the electronic chaplaincy newsletter published by The Healthcare Chaplaincy, contains an article by NACC member Linda Piotrowski about her attempts to remove the associations of fear and death from palliative care. To read the full article, click here.
Register for Chicago gathering December 1The NACC is pleased to offer you the opportunity to spend an educational day together at Loyola University Chicago. The event will be Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Mundelein Center Auditorium on Loyola’s Lakeshore Campus. Cost for the program is $40 and includes lunch and six Continuing Education Hours. David Lichter, our new Executive Director, will attend. Download the registration flyer here. Please respond by Nov. 26 directly to the Institute of Pastoral Studies and indicate you are an NACC member on the registration form.
Register for Northwest gathering Dec. 14On Friday, Dec. 14, David Lichter will be leading an Advent Day of Recollection for all chaplains in the Northwest at the Archdiocese of Seattle’s Palisades Retreat Center in Federal Way, WA, from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The $40 registration fee includes lunch and 5.5 Continuing Education Hours. For registration information, see the registration flyer. The deadline is Nov. 30.