White: Keep joy, speak truth, practice self care

By Laurie Hansen Cardona
Vision editor

Keep joy at the forefront despite the turmoil you witness, honor your body by taking care of it, speak the truth, and you will be reconciled within, chaplains were told at the NACC National Conference in Milwaukee.

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Bishop Cupich: Reconciliation at heart of Catholic tradition

By Laurie Hansen Cardona
Vision editor

Bishop Blase Cupich of Spokane, WA, told Catholic chaplains that Catholic tradition clearly shows that the church’s ministry of reconciliation is not merely an option. “It is not an add-on. It is not an elective. It’s at the heart of who we claim to be,” he said May 21.

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Of coming full circle, gratitude and moving forward

By David Lichter, D. Min.
Executive Director

August 1, 2012, will mark my fifth anniversary with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC). I thank God daily for the gift of service and ministry with you and on your behalf. The other day, as I was sorting through some items for our recent home move, I came across my thesis for my Licentiate in Theology of 1977, only 35 years ago! The thesis was on Karl Rahner’s “Theology of Death as a Natural and Person Event.” It explored Rahner’s theological anthropology, his understanding of nature and grace, and how the human person throughout his or her life lives daily and practices the art of dying. With each “yes” to the moment, sometimes to small and great sacrifices and unknowns, we rehearse and prepare for the final “yes” as we in freedom and faith hand ourselves over to the greatest mystery, death itself. He called asceticism the anticipatory grasp of death, when we embrace freely limits to our human existence, whether in the form of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, or in the form of daily demands our vocation in life brings to us.

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NACC Board of Directors approves 2012-2017 Strategic Plan

By David Lichter, DMin

The planning journey started for the NACC Board of Directors in spring 2011 as it determined the need to review the accomplishments of the 2007-2012 NACC Strategic Plan, and decide on a procedure for renewing a planning process. At its October 2011 Board meeting, the directors, with the facilitation of John Reid and Maureen Gallagher of The Reid Group, conducted internal and external environmental scans to ascertain key financial, membership, healthcare, professional, ecclesial, and cultural trends that will most impact NACC’s future direction. They affirmed NACC’s current Mission, Vision, and Values, believing these statements remain the bedrock and foundation for the future. Finally, they began to rough out goals with some objectives.

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Q&A with James Chingos, MD, CPE, FACP and Tenny Thomas, MD, FACEP

By Marika H. Hull, MDiv, BCC and Sandra Lucas MDiv, BCC

Two physicians who collaborate with chaplains in Fall River, MA, agreed to offer Vision readers their perspectives on the role chaplains play on interdisciplinary teams.

Evidence-based spiritual care: No more randomized clinical trials

By Austine Duru, MDiv, MA, BCC

George Fitchett and Patricia Murphy, RSCJ, told chaplains that it is now important to “add research to what we already know” about chaplaincy, theology, the dynamics of disease, healthcare and spiritual care. Fitchett and Murphy made this case May 21 at the NACC National Conference in Milwaukee during a workshop session titled “Evidence-Based Spiritual Care For Chaplains: Update and Prospects.”

When chaplains talk about “evidence based,” Fitchett said, “there are three important components to keep in mind: we use the best evidence available, we use our individual judgment, and we modify these to address the uniqueness of the patient.”