National Pastoral Care Competencies and Resources for Guiding Formation Programs
NACC and its Partners in Pastoral Care developed several resources for those in your diocese who are designated to oversee and or direct pastoral care in your parishes and correctional institutions
- Pastoral Care Competencies in English and Spanish. These are based on the four pillars of Co-Workers in the Vineyard to guide the development of your program:
- Diocesan Pastoral Care Competencies for the Sick, the Homebound and Older Adults
- Criminal Justice Ministry Pastoral Care Competencies
- Pastoral Care Project Booklet in Spanish and English offers a model structure for a pastoral care formation program, including rationale, a three pathway model for formation/credentialing with suggested content, methodologies, and sample content structure linked to the competencies.
- Pastoral Care Project Booklet
The USCCB Subcommittee for Certification of Ecclesial Ministry and Service is kept current and accepted these developments. The NACC presented this to the Subcommittee in the fall of 2021 receiving final approval. NACC seeks to partner with dioceses to support your pastoral care ministry further.
Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition (CPMC)
The NACC assumed the fiscal sponsorship of the CPMC in 2020. CPMC is a national network of Catholic organizations and individuals serving people affected by incarceration. CPMC’s goal is to recruit, train, support, and empower those called to prison ministry. NACC partners with CPMC to provide programs for formation and credentialing (www.nacc.org/cpmc).
NACC and CPMC describe the three Pathways for Formation and Credentialing and current program offerings for this spring. Please alert your personnel overseeing pastoral care for correctional ministries to these descriptions and programs. www.nacc.org/cpmc/cpmc-formation.
CPMC offers monthly Town Halls and Webinars on vital topics on prison ministries. Many dioceses are taking advantage of these networking and program opportunities. www.catholicprisonministries.org/about-cpmc
The National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) Your Diocesan Partner in Supporting Pastoral Care
- National networking and support for the diocesan leader responsible for pastoral care
- Networking ZOOM sessions with others on specific topics
- Shared website page for questions, resources/methods, insights gained
- Common, national resources for:
- Partners in Pastoral Care (www.nacc.org/about-nacc/partners-in-pastoral-care)
- Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition (www.catholicprisonministries.org)
- Pastoral care volunteers
- Networking with others in the field
- Resources and topics
- Discernment for other pastoral care roles
- Partners in Pastoral Care model preparation programs for pathways
- Pastoral Care competencies (based on USCCB certification standards) for diverse settings
- Prison ministry
- Seniors/homebound
- Foundational pathway
- Structure
- Core content
- Sample lessons and materials
- Specialization pathway preparation
- Prison ministry
- Seniors/homebound
- Leadership pathway
- Preparation for director/coordinator/leader of programs
- Train the trainer competencies
- Certification for those working in specialized settings
- National Programs for Special Ministry Topics
- National credentialing/certification for pastoral care (other than Board Certified Chaplains)
- National Online Training Programs (pending funding)
If you would like to learn more about any of these programs or resources, contact NACC Executive Director Erica Cohen Moore at ericacohenmoore@nacc.org.
