ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS: JULY 1998

• Front Page
  • Marge Thom, a certified chaplain whose life's work has been with children and adults with disabilities, shares the pastoral letter of welcome she sent to a newborn child whose life would be brief.
  
  
• National News
  • C. Rosemary Marmouget, President of the National Interfaith Coalition for Spiritual Healthcare and Counseling, reports on the development of the Spiritual Healthcare Model and the all-day symposium, "Spiritual Care: The Physician's Role," held May 15 in Springfield, Missouri. The program was attended by 130 persons, primarily physicians.

  • NLC Consensus Decisions from the meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 31 - April 1, 1998.
  
  
• President's Report
  • NACC President, Sr. Monica Ann Lucas, SC, reports on recent national meetings of pastoral care associations or of pastoral care leaders she has attended, in which she sees their interconnectedness creating a pattern like threads in a tapestry.
  
  
• Executive Director's Column
  • In his article, "Worries in the Workplace," Fr. Joe Driscoll discusses the tension and worry that occur in the workplace, especially in the strain of human relationships. He asks chaplains to consider how do they personally live out their working life in their work setting and how do they minister to others to help people create a more healthy work environment.
  
  
• Special Features
  • Anne Murphy, a certified Chaplain in the Chicago area, reflects on the life and death of her cat, Blue. She asks: how can one see the benefit of euthanasia for animals and not move down a slippery slope to see the benefit for humans?
  
  
• Pastoral Research
  • In reflecting on a book review on Consilience, The Unity of Knowledge, by sociobiolgist Edward O. Wilson, Chaplain Margot Hover discusses the pastoral researcher as prophet: the pastoral researcher can speak to both science and religion in the dialogue about human life and health.
  
  
• Regional Happenings
  • Regional Conference Schedule at a glance.
    
  • A Southern California Hospital's Spiritual Care Gets the TV Spotlight on a CBS Special Assignment.
  
  
• What's Coming in Future Issues
  • The October 1998 issue will focus on Forgiveness. Articles on this topic are invited. The deadline is Monday, August 10, 1998.