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Vol. 20, No. 1
January/February 2010
From Amman, Jordan: Living everyday with God, Insha’Allah
Vision is published six times a year by the
National Association of Catholic Chaplains.
Its purpose is to connect our members with
each other and with the governance of the
Association. Vision informs and educates
our membership about issues in pastoral/
spiritual care and helps chart directions for
the future of the profession, as well as the
Association.
ISSN: 1527-2370
Executive Editor
David A. Lichter, D.Min.
Editor
Laurie Hansen Cardona
lcardona@nacc.org
Graphic Designer
Gina Rupcic
The National Association of Catholic
Chaplains advocates for the profession of
spiritual care and educates, certifies, and
supports chaplains, clinical pastoral
educators and all members who continue
the healing ministry of Jesus in the name of
the Church.
NACC Editorial Advisory Panel:
Sr. Michele LeDoux Sakurai; Michelle Lemiesz; Linda
Piotrowski; Rev. Freddy Washington, CSSp;
and board representative Norma Gutierrez,
MCDP.
NACC National Office
4915 S. Howell Avenue Suite 501
Milwaukee, WI 53207-5939
(414) 483-4898
Fax: (414) 483-6712
info@nacc.org
www.nacc.org
A blessed 2010 to all of you! 2010! A new decade! I asked myself, “What is the most important emphasis for us this year?” Only one word surfaced immediately -- leadership. 2010 needs to be for NACC -- “Leadership 2010”! Leadership has diverse definitions, such as motivating or directing others to achieve a goal. For NACC, let me offer this leadership vision: be an inspirational, persuasive influence that positively impacts your organization (including NACC) to fulfill its mission. Let me address this from three perspectives.
First of all, each of us, as a spiritual care provider, is called to be this type of leader in our respective settings. It is all the more critical at a time when our institutions experience the social and financial stresses that threaten mission fulfillment. Those of us in organizational leadership roles, such as a director of pastoral care or mission, exercise diverse spiritual leadership functions that require a specific set of competencies, as we outlined in the November-December 2009 Vision. However, every chaplain is called upon to provide an inspirational, persuasive influence that positively affects the organization’s spiritual and moral climate.
Secondly, the NACC needs this type of leadership from its members to fulfill its mission. I was not with you when the “regional” structure existed. I understand it provided many of you direct volunteer leadership roles. Almost a decade has now passed since that structure, and NACC still continues somewhat to feel the effects of a decade-long dearth of too few leadership opportunities through which members can exercise that inspirational, persuasive influence upon one another and promote the spiritual care ministry (our NACC mission). But it’s a new decade with new opportunities!
We are beginning to re-engage you, as members, in new leadership roles. I have been impressed with the willingness of so many of you to volunteer your time and expertise, whether as state liaisons or on task forces to advance special projects, such as the NACC website, membership, marketing/recruitment, metrics, conference planning, and others. Thank you. Conference calls have aided us in mobilizing one another around these projects so that we can be the “inspirational, persuasive influences” that positively impact one another and our profession. Thank you.
However, I see other ways that you are being inspirational and persuasive influences that positively affect one another and the profession. These are exercises in leadership. Some of them are:
These are examples of the many inspirational and persuasive influences you can have on one another and the profession. Please keep it up! If you have not tried any of these, please make it a priority for 2010! Be part of “Leadership 2010.”
Finally, NACC needs members to assume important leadership roles on its board, commissions, and panels that exist to oversee and fulfill NACC’s mission to promote the ministry of spiritual care, and educate, certify, and support our members. In the past year the Governance Committee revisited the responsibilities and membership criteria for these entities. They are:
You can learn more about these bodies on the NACC website (www.nacc.org). Given the purpose of these entities, a level of experience and prior leadership involvement within NACC is expected. In setting the membership criteria for these entities, the Governance Committee struggled to balance the need for sufficient experience with the benefits of “new blood.” To help us with identifying and qualifying members for these bodies, we instituted a Nominations Panel, and its work has begun.
The first “test” this fall was with seeking a new member for the Ethics Commission. In September we invited members to apply through NACC Now. We had a good number of applicants, which was really satisfying. Many of them completed application forms that asked them to explain how they met the criteria. The Nomination Panel then reviewed the applications and made their recommendation to the Governance Committee. While not all the applicants were selected, we greatly valued their volunteering because now we are aware of them, their background, and their interests for future NACC needs. Thank you!
We have several “tests” in 2010, as we look to fill at least three Board of Director positions by January 2011. “Leadership 2010” invites all of you to learn about NACC leadership needs, to consider volunteering for these needs, and to encourage and invite colleagues whose experience and gifts match current leadership needs.
My prayer for NACC in 2010 is that each of us will embrace generously this new decade by examining how we can grow in our call to be inspiring, persuasive influences who can positively affect our places of ministry and NACC, and embrace generously the call to lead! It’s a new decade! Lead us on, O Lord!
Please let me know your thoughts and comments.