Stretched by Life, Lifted by Faith
Our National Conference will be taking place two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent violence born of racism and other biases. Multiple forms of polarization and discord have further divided our country, family, friends and even our Church. Trauma in many manifestations has needed to be identified and addressed. We are being stretched by life. Yet, as NACC members, we are ones who continue the healing ministry of Jesus in the name of the Church. The Paschal Mystery marks our lives and our profession. We know and experience that we are lifted by our faith. This Conference is devoted to gathering with one another to be a safe and sacred space to support one another in courageous and honest dialogue on those areas that challenge and stretch us to own our common humanity and destiny, as well as to identify and celebrate what makes and sustains us as healing ministers.
Chaplains will be able to:
- Initiate, renew and deepen relationships with colleagues (OL2, OL2.1).
- Attend to their own physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being through personal reflection, professional sharing, and communal ritual (PIC3).
- Ascertain and incorporate new pastoral care strategies and creative spiritual care practices developed in a pandemic and post-pandemic environment (PPS2, PPS5, PPS6, PPS9, OL1).
- Identify unconscious bias and racism in self, community, and culture, implementing tools to facilitate and foster greater awareness, effective spiritual support, and collaborative professional relationships (PIC1, PIC2, PPS3, OL2.1, OL4.1).
- Distinguish and articulate elements from the Catholic tradition which ground their personal spirituality and professional ministry as well as develop responsible strategies to deal with elements of the Catholic tradition causing personal and professional challenges (ITP2.1, ITP2.2, PIC3, PIC3.1, PIC5.1).
- Further articulate their identity as Catholic chaplains and ministers of the church (ITP2.1, ITP2.2, PIC5.1).
