Issue #255 – August 14, 2017
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(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)
NACC
1. Executive Director’s Reflection*
2. Welcome to our NACC members who joined us in July!*
3. Honoring NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups*
4. September 15 Initial Certification Application Deadline is fast approaching.*
5. Continued thanks to those who have given to our 2017 Annual Campaign!*
6. NACC Networking Call*
7. Former member celebrates her 60th Jubilee!*
8. From Vision: Chaplains and case managers as a team*
APC/NACC 2018 CONFERENCE, Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018!
9. Call for Professional Development Intensives (Pre-Conference Workshops) and Workshop Proposals! Proposals now being accepted!*
10. Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018, for APC/NACC Conference!
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
11. Did you see the recent article on Spirituality and Health Care in US News & World Report?*
12. Next NACC Webinar!! Thursday, September 14, 2017 –Gerard Magill, PhD will present “Dignity in Dying: Catholic Approaches to End-of-Life Intervention”*
13. Special NACC webinar: Thursday, September 21, 2017, “Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada: Catholic Health Care Perspectives” *
14. Special Invitation to all chaplains! Take time to “Come Home to Yourself”*
15. Tuesday, October 17, 2017, Partners in Strengthening the Future of Spiritual Care
Symposium*
16. NACC encourages setting local events around October 17 Symposium!*
17. Local NACC gathering, Milwaukee, Friday, September 15, 2017.*
18. For information on the remainder of our NACC 2017 Webinar Series, please go to:
www.nacc.org/education-resources/nacc-webinars-and-audio-conferences
19. Healing Tree: a request for prayers*
20. Recent job postings*
1. Executive Director’s Reflection
I had not caught this before – this juxtapositioning of two readings. The first reading from I Kings 19:19-30 describes the experience of Elijah in the cave on Mount Horeb, where God was not found in the strong and heavy wind, nor the earthquake or fire, but in a “tiny whispering sound” that induced Elijah to hide his face in his cloak and to stand at the entrance of the cave. That story leads to the gospel narrative of Matthew (14), where Peter “saw how strong the wind was” and “he became frightened” and began to sink, crying out “Lord, save me!” Then the famous gesture of Jesus who “stretched out his hand and caught Peter,” while saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:30-31)
It seems the common element in the two readings was the strong wind in which God was not present, neither for Elijah nor Peter! Hmmm… Elijah heard God in the whisper; Peter in his cry for help and in Jesus’ chastisement. Do I presume that God is never in the anxiety-producing disruption (strong wind), but in what follows, in the whisper or the outcry?
Perhaps we get some hint from the twice-repeated question of Yahweh to Elijah in the cave, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” As we recall Elijah had felt failure in his mission. When the first “What are you doing here?” question is raised to Elijah, (Kgs 19:9), Elijah bemoans the fact that the Israelites had rejected Yahweh’s Covenant and were seeking to kill him. Then after the wind, earthquake and fire, in the whisper is heard again this same question, “What are you doing here?” (I Kgs 19:13) We realize that this is now not a question of place “What are you doing HERE?”, but of purpose, “What are you DOING here?” The whisper instructs him to go “back to where you came” and get on with the mission. Could I interpret all this as “don’t let frightening disruptions (strong wind, earthquake, fire) distract or deter you from staying true to the mission?”
There are days of discouragement and doubt, are there not? Perhaps, it is good for me and us to let God ask us again, “What are you doing here?” I pray God helps me hear the question as one of purpose (What are you DOING here?) and not place (What are you doing HERE?).
So what are we doing here?
Blessings,
David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director
2. Welcome to our NACC members who joined us in July!
Please join us in welcoming our new NACC members who joined us in July!
Full Members
Mrs. Vanessa A. Banh (Wichita, KS)
Ms. Moira C. Reily (Morgantown, WV)
Student Members
Rev. Nnaemeka Paschal Ajuka (Sacramento, CA)
Mrs. Margaret M. Gering (Easton, PA)
3. Honoring NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups
Do you known someone who has inspired you in the work and profession of chaplaincy? We want to know. Now is your chance to express your gratitude and nominate this person. Two (2) awards, Distinguished Service Award and Emergent Leader Award, recognize NACC members for outstanding dedication and service to NACC or to the field of chaplaincy. One (1) award, Outstanding Colleague Award, is presented to a non-NACC member individual or group whose work has proven complementary to, supportive of, or otherwise has contributed to the advancement of the profession of chaplaincy.
Please consider nominating. These awards will be presented at our 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference July 12-15, 2018 in Anaheim, California.
Send us your nominations for the NACC Distinguished Service Award, Emergent Leader Award, and Outstanding Colleague Award. Deadline is Friday, September 15. You can learn more and access the nomination forms at www.nacc.org/about-nacc/annual-awards.
4. September 15 Initial Certification Application Deadline is fast approaching.
September 15 is the next certification application deadline. All materials must be postmarked no later than September 15, 2017, for consideration for a May 19 or 20, 2018, certification interview. For questions regarding the application process, please contact Ramona Zeb at rzeb@nacc.org or at (414) 483-4898 ext. 304. Best wishes to all those who are working to prepare their materials!
5. Continued thanks to those who have given to our 2017 Annual Campaign!
We are deeply grateful to those who have been able to give already to our 2017Annual Campaign. To date we have received 309 gifts totaling $32,865 compared to 325 gifts totaling $38,390 at this time last year. If you have not yet been able to make a donation, please consider doing so today or this week! Thank you!
Please note: If you misplaced your Annual Campaign envelope, please contact Phil Paradowski (pparadowski@nacc.org) for a new one. Also, you can make your donation online by going to the Annual Campaign webpage or just click here to donate. Please give as you can! Blessings!
6. NACC Networking Call
Thursday, August 24, 2017 at 11:00 am CT – Palliative Care/Hospice
If you are not on this networking call list, but would like to be, please contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org.
7. Former member celebrates her 60th Jubilee
Former NACC member Sister Mildred Gross, ASC, celebrated her 60th Jubilee last week. Read about Sr. Mildred at bellevillemessenger.org/2017/08/former-provincial-sister-mildred-gross-asc-celebrates-60th-jubilee. Congratulations, Sister!
8. From Vision: Chaplains and case managers as a team
Case managers are an important part of the interdisciplinary team, charged with looking holistically at a patient’s progress. In the new issue of Vision, chaplain Kevin Stephenson describes a pastoral care visit that let the case manager create a better treatment plan for a difficult patient.
Chaplain and case manager collaborate on difficult patient
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
APC/NACC 2018 CONFERENCE, Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018!
9. Call for Professional Development Intensives (Pre-Conference Workshops) and Workshop Proposals! Proposals now being accepted!
APC and NACC are inviting proposals for Intensives and Workshops. Please go to www.nacc.org/2018-joint-nacc-apc-conference/call-for-proposals to access information and application forms for submitting your proposals.
10. Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018, for APC/NACC Conference!
Mark your calendars for the APC/NACC Conference in 2018! This conference will be held Thursday, July 12, through Sunday, July 15, 2018, at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, California. It will be preceded by preconference workshops and our NACC retreat. Plan to join us!
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
11. Did you see the recent article on Spirituality and Health Care in US News & World Report? *
Spirituality in Health Care: Seek and Ye Shall Find
12. Next NACC Webinar!! Thursday, September 14, 2017 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time, Gerard Magill, PhD, will present Dignity in Dying: Catholic Approaches to End-of-Life Intervention.
If you have not already done so, it is still not too late to register for this webinar.
Program Summary
The presentation discusses dying in dignity to present Catholic approaches to end-of-life interventions. Three related perspectives are examined. First, there is an explanation of the guiding ethical principles in the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (5th ed. USCC, Washington, DC, 2009). Second, there is a consideration of Palliative Care as crucial for life-limiting chronic diseases as part of end-of-life care, especially when challenged by increasing policy support for assisted suicide. Third, several ethically puzzling end-of-life issues are discussed, including terminal sedation, donation after cardiac death, and posthumous pregnancy.
Program Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
About the Presenter
In 2007 Professor Gerard Magill was appointed as the the Vernon F. Gallagher Chair for the Integration of Science, Theology, Philosophy, and Law at Duquesne University. He is a tenured Professor in Duquesne University’s Center for Healthcare Ethics. He graduated with the following degrees: Gregorian University, Rome, Italy (1969-1976), Bachelor Degree in Philosophy (PhB); Bachelor Degree in Theology (STB); Master’s Degree in Theological Ethics (STL); Edinburgh University, Scotland (1987), PhD degree in Theological Ethics. He is completing a book on Governance Ethics for Boards of Directors in Healthcare. His most recent book is Religious Morality in John Henry Newman: Hermeneutics of the Imagination, Springer, 2015.
Participants qualify for 2.0 CEHs total for the session (which includes 90 minutes for the webinar plus 30 minutes preparation time).
To register for this webinar, as well as for any other NACC 2017 webinars, please visit the webinar page on our website by clicking on this LINK. The web page contains a link to a downloadable paper registration form, and also a link enabling you to register online and pay by credit card.
13. Special NACC webinar: Thursday, September 21, 2017, “Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada: Catholic Health Care Perspectives”
In collaboration with our Canadian members, the National Association of Catholic Chaplains is offering a special webinar entitled Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada: Catholic Health Care Perspectives, presented by Dr. Christopher De Bono, PhD, MDiv.
The webinar will take place on September 21, 2017, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm (CST)
(1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET; 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm CT, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm MT; 10:00 am – 11:30 am PT).
Program Summary
What does Medical Assistance in Dying (aka Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide) look like in Canada? What does it mean for the Catholic Health Care community and beyond? This workshop will provide the critical historical context on MAiD. It will focus on the tensions as well as opportunities that MAiD represents in both acute and residential care settings. Clinical, ethical and pastoral theological lenses will be brought to bear on the phenomenon.
Program Objectives
Participants will:
- Learn what Medical Assistance in Dying means for Canadian Catholic health care in acute and residential care settings
- Learn why Medical Assistance is dying is both a tension and an opportunity
- Learn what practical steps a Catholic health system/Catholic sponsor can take in responding to Medical Assistance in Dying
- Learn what Medical Assistance in Dying looks like in Canada.
For more information, and to register for this event, please visit our website at this link: REGISTER.
14. Special Invitation to all chaplains! Take time to “Come Home to Yourself”!
We invite you to join with other chaplains for a refreshing time of spiritual support to recenter, reconnect and recharge. We will quiet our minds, open our hearts and listen together for the Spirit in our lives. Using the conference call format, each session will hold a combination of prayer readings, meditation, music, and sharing, designed to create a nourishing space for spiritual movement. The monthly meetings, September 2017 – June 2018, will be facilitated by members who are also experienced Chaplains and Spiritual Directors. We hope the shared community will sustain, refresh, and enliven our call to ministry as we come together in Love.
The goal of the sessions is to facilitate 30-40 minutes of centering, slowing down, reflection and a brief engagement with participants.
Fee to cover administrative costs, conference call, etc: $45 per conference line (for all 10 sessions).
Date/ time: second Thursday of the month, at 4:00 p.m. ET; 3:00 p.m. CT; 2:00 p.m. MT; 1:00 p.m. PT
Facilitators:
- Marylee Ferranti, BCC, has been involved in chaplaincy since 1999 and trained in Spiritual Direction at Mercy Center, Burlingame, CA. She is experienced in meditation, guided imagery, healing touch and has a special interest in care for caregivers.
- Lisa Irish, MEd, MA, BCC, trained in both Spiritual Direction and Retreat Leadership at Mercy-by-the-Sea in Madison, CT. She currently sees directees in Madison and at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT. Her work also includes grief support, writing and programs to affirm those in ministry.
- Mary T O’Neill, BCC, DMin, LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist) is currently retired from over 30 years of CPE Education and Supervision. She has a strong conviction about the interconnectedness between our self-care and our genuine care for those we serve.
To register for this event, please visit our website at this LINK.
15. Tuesday, October 17, 2017, Partners in Strengthening the Future of Spiritual Care
Symposium
The leading organizations in the field of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care have come together to offer a joint symposium, “Partners in Strengthening the Future of Spiritual Care.” This symposium will cover a range of information including partnerships, collaboration and research pertinent for those in the field of Spiritual Care. In addition, attendees will qualify for 4.5 hours of applicable Continuing Education credits towards their respective certifications.
Hosted by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC), National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), and Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), this learning event is geared towards all chaplains, spiritual caregivers, directors of spiritual care, mission leaders, healthcare leaders, and all engaged in, or having responsibility for, spiritual care in your institutions.
Please join us for a vital program that will leave you informed, inspired, and equipped to strengthen spiritual care in your setting.
The symposium (presented from the APC headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois) will be accessible via streaming video to remote audiences via high-speed internet. Primary participation will take place online at registered sites, but limited seats will be available for in-person attendees.
Participants will:
- Gain insights from Dr. Christina Puchalski into the vital role of spiritual care in current healthcare environment, and the critical partnerships needed to strengthen spiritual care for the future;
- Hear from the presidents of the five major associations on the key challenges to professional chaplaincy, and the collaborative efforts undertaken by these strategic partners to address these challenges;
- Receive the most recent resources and research for positioning and strengthening spiritual care within one’s place of work.
The program consists of three 90-minute presentations. The program qualifies for 4.5 CE hours for maintenance of ACPE, BCCI®, CASC, NACC, NAJC Certification. An additional 1.5 CE hours could be added with the use of guided discussions.
For more information, and to register for this event, please visit our website at this link: REGISTER.
16. NACC encourages setting local events around October 17 Symposium!
As our members plan for local events this fall, please consider setting the gathering to participate in the October 17 symposium.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Andris Kursietis at: akursietis@nacc.org.
We hope you will accept this opportunity to enhance your learning and to meet with fellow chaplains in your region. Please invite your colleagues, even if they are not members of the NACC – all are welcome.
17. Local NACC gathering, Milwaukee, Friday, September 15, 2017.
The NACC is holding a local educational gathering on Friday, September 15, at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. The topic to be presented will be Chaplains and Research.
Those of you in the Midwest region who would be interested in attending, please click on the following link for more information and the opportunity to register, either online or with the option of using a paper registration form: REGISTER.
18. For information on the remainder of our NACC 2017 Webinar Series, please go to:
www.nacc.org/education-resources/nacc-webinars-and-audio-conferences
19. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing. We will leave the person’s name on the Healing Tree list for three months, unless you ask us to remove your or the person’s name earlier. You can always request us to leave the name on longer.
We continue to pray for: Russ (husband of NACC member Linda Bronersky), Mary Columbo Reichert and family, Betty and Louis Skonieczny, Anne Murphy, Sr. Mary Clare Boland SP, Sr. Romona Nowak, OP, Fr. Jim Radde, SJ, Julie Bablin, Sheila Amrich (niece-in-law of NACC member Sr. Paracleta Amrich), Isabelita Boquiren, Susan Balling, Jim and Frances Castello.
20. Recent job listings
The following positions have been posted recently on our Positions Available page.
For more information go to www.nacc.org/resources/positions.
CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN
Albuquerque, New Mexico – UNM Hospitals
PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Warwick, NY – Good Samaritan Hospital
DIRECTOR of PASTORAL CARE
Baltimore, MD – Bon Secours Health System
CPE PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION
Indianapolis, IN – Franciscan Health Indianapolis
SPIRITUAL CARE STAFF CHAPLAIN
Carroll, Iowa – St. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home
DIRECTOR of MISSION INTEGRATION & SPIRITUAL CARE
Medford, Oregon – Providence Medford Medical Center
COORDINATOR of CPE PROGRAM
Hartford, CT – Saint Francis
LEAD CHAPLAIN
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Door County Medical Center
SPIRITUAL CARE LEADER
Lake Oswego, OR – Mary’s Woods
HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN
Waterloo, Iowa – Covenant Medical Center
PASTORAL CARE CHAPLAIN
Adrian, Michigan – The Adrian Dominican Sisters
