The NACC published a special edition of the NACC Now e-newsletter, both to commemorate Pastoral Care Week 2007 and to address the dire situation in Southern California caused by wildfires.
These are some of the notes received from members in response.

Thank you for your sincere thoughts for us during the recent fires. I live in San Diego where over 500,000 people were evacuated. There are so many stories, so many homes lost, lives lost and friends displaced. Driving through many of the neighborhoods shows incredible devastation. The first responders were wonderful. As one who was trained for the Red Cross Spiritual Care Team I could see how all of the agencies in our city responded just perfectly. The reverse 911 system saved lives. I was proud of the way everyone came together to help, from donating food, water and clothing, to opening their homes for those evacuated. We pray that the fires will be out soon, that the Santa Ana winds subside and we get some much needed rain.

Josie Rodriguez, M.A.
Clinical Chaplain, Certified
San Diego, California

Dear NACC NOW staff,
I cried as I read your message "Think of our friends in California" as I am one of them. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We have two hospice patients affected by the fires as their homes are in the fire area. In the Esperanza fire of another year one of our patient's home was burned down. I live in San Bernardino near the highway going up to Lake Arrowhead.

Sr. Judith Turnock, OLVM, Certified Chaplain
Pacific Hospice, San Bernardino, CA

Hi,
Thank you for sending the news letter.
I'm up early this Saturday morning reviewing a presentation that my husband, Tom Regan, and I will be giving today at a meeting of Eucharistic Ministers at the hospital where we minister. We expect about 30 people in attendance.

It is the first time we will be addressing the group and we will be speaking about our chaplaincy training, certification and on-going education. For us, the brainstorming we did to prepare the presentation stirred up so many memories of CPE, applying for certification, going to Baltimore for the interviews and even the wonder of being certified and later being asked to lead the opening prayer in Portland.

We hope this has been a good week for you. What you wrote about Pastoral Care Week will become part of our presentation this morning. We thank you for your support.

God bless you all.

Pat and Tom Regan