1. Executive Director’s Reflection
In yesterday’s second reading (1 Cor 1:22-25), we read again Paul’s important reflection on Christ’s crucifixion. “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.” As Catholics, the crucifix is our primary symbol, isn’t it? It’s everywhere; and, for me as a Christian, it can be a stumbling block and foolishness, if I allow it to be as transformative as it should be in my life, if I step back and try to reflect on its meaning.
In some ways, I think I can take it for granted, as it hangs next to my desk just beyond my computer screen so that I can glance at it to remind me who I am and why I am where I am. Yet, daily I pray in the modern translation the Anima Christi by David Fleming, SJ, the prayer “May your passion and death be my strength and life. Jesus, with you by my side enough has been given. May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross.”
So, today what does this look like in my ministry and yours? Intellectually I know that the crucifixion and that prayer means more than “you will see me through the toughest of times.” How do I proclaim Christ crucified? How does it not be a stumbling block or foolishness?
I recently read a brief reflection on the cross by theologian Marcus Borg. This line particularly caught my attention and heart, “God is with us in our horror, our terror, our violence, and our suffering. God refuses to add to the evil and violence, but instead responds with vulnerable, compassionate love. That’s how God wins.” www.explorefaith.org/questions/cross.html
It made me think about our experiences in ministry when we are called upon to absorb the anger, hurt, and horror of the people with whom we are called into a caring relationship. Even when this outrage is not personally directed at you or me, we are the ones there to receive it. Whether it’s an outburst against God, a long-simmering rage at one who had abused that person, a smoldering fire of deep disappointment with the Church now fanned into flame by the present loss, or raw hurt from a profound break in a relationship with a spouse, a child, or a parent, we are there at that moment experiencing their full expression of their stumbling block to healing.
We are there receiving their rage and anger, not walking away from or adding to the evil and violence. Could those experiences of ministry become the other’s experience of God’s vulnerable, compassionate love? In those moments, could God be giving them through our ministry an experience of what the cross was intended to be? By our deep, compassionate caring, does the suffering, their cross, that was a stumbling block, now become an experience of God’s refusal to walk away, add to the violence, and only be a vulnerable love?
Perhaps the crucifix just beyond my computer screen needs to have a daily different face of the one who experiences that day a horror or suffering to remind me of the God who “refuses to add to the evil and violence, but instead responds with vulnerable, compassionate love.” Perhaps, I can hear a little differently the meaning of the line, “May your passion and death be my strength and my life.”
May our Lenten journey continue to be marked with not adding to the evil and violence by our thought, word and deed, but by that vulnerable, compassionate love. May we proclaim Christ crucified.
2. NACC Board of Directors is holding member listening calls on NACC 2018-2020 Strategic Plan
Dear NACC members,
The NACC Board of Directors is enthused to share with you the draft of the NACC 2018-2020 Strategic Plan. The Board members are very appreciative of NACC members’ input on our priorities, both through the member survey of March 2017 and at the NACC Conference business meeting. The Board worked with a professional planning consultant during the summer and fall to complete this plan. We believe it will assist us in setting a strong future direction for our mission effectiveness and sustainability.
We are inviting you to review the plan, and, for those who would like, to join during March in one of three conference calls to share with Board members what excites you about the plan, and how we can best engage you as members to move the plan implementation forward.
Here are the three dates and times.
Wednesday, March 7, 3:00 p.m. central
Friday, March 16, 9:00 am central
Tuesday, March 20, 12:00 pm central
Please register for ONE of these calls by going to this LINK.
After you have registered we will send you the meeting access information.
Blessings, David
David A. Lichter
Executive Director
3. Welcome to our NACC members who joined us in February!
Affiliate Members
Deacon Charles J. Ryder (St. Louis, MO)
Education Institution
Fordham University Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education
Santa Clara University Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries
St. Norbert College
Full Members
Ms. PhinaQueen Kaycee Iwuofor (Indianapolis, IN)
Chaplain Dale S. Recinella (Tallahassee, FL)
Ms. Edwina C. Yueh (Rolling Hills Estates, CA)
Student Members
Ms. Julie K. Berggren (Wilmette, IL)
Ms. Laurel K. Plumage (Mill Creek, WA)
Mrs. Catherine R. Zdziarski (Chicago, IL)
4. Recent death of an NACC member
Our former NACC member, Sr. Mary Sean Reagan CSJ, died on February 25, 2018. Sister Mary Sean joined and was certified with NACC in 1982, and remained a member until she retired in 2006. Please read the wonderful write-up on her life and ministry at www.courant.com/obituaries/hc-obituary-mary-sean-reagan-csj-sr-20180228-story.html
Please remember her in your prayer with gratitude for her healing ministry.
5. One last call for NACC members who are needed for NACC leadership positions!
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Mark 3:13-15, asks us to Extend our Influence. “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He himself wanted. And they came to him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have the power to heal sickness, and to cast out demons.”
As chaplains we too have been called to influence others: to engage in action, as we help develop the gifts God has given us. We are reaching out to you to help fill leadership positions within NACC by volunteering your gifts to serve on an NACC Commission, Committee, or Panel.
Extend Your Influence by helping others to develop. At NACC there are openings in many of our committees and panels. We are looking for individuals who have gifts and talents that can help influence the direction of NACC, as we grow and develop our members.
If you are ready to engage in an area of influence in our NACC community, please respond to these available positions. We have or will have openings for the following.
Certification Commission
Governance Committee
Annual Awards Panel
Education Advisory Panel
Editorial Advisory Panel
Marketing/Communication Advisory Panel
Nominations Panel
Research Advisory Panel
Please review the qualifications needed by following the links on this page of the NACC website: www.nacc.org/membership/volunteers. By choosing the link next to the position you are researching, you can follow it to the application. Please complete the application and return it to Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org. May God’s grace be with you, Cathi Ruiz, BCC – Chair of the NACC Nominations Panel
6. Need Experienced Interviewers ASAP for May 19 & 20, 2018 Interviews
Currently, we are short two interviewers with experience in Middletown, CT, and we are short two interviewers with experience in Irving, TX. Please contact Ramona Zeb (rzeb@nacc.org) immediately if you are an interviewer with experience who will be able to interview on the weekend of May 19 & 20, 2018. We also would like to have at least one back-up interviewer available at each location. The back-up interviewer should be prepared to be on-call as an interviewer up until one (1) week before interview weekend in case something happens with another scheduled interview. At this time, we are also in need of one back-up interviewer in each of the following locations: Middletown, CT; Irving, TX; and Milwaukee, WI. Contact Ramona Zeb (rzeb@nacc.org) or call (414) 483-4898 Ext. 304 if you are available. Your consideration is very much appreciated!
7. In the new Vision: Advance care planning
The March-April issue of Vision, “Advance Care Planning: Mission and Opportunity,” has just been posted. Please click here to learn more about this growing area of healthcare that matches our members’ skills. Some of our articles cover what advance planning is and is not; the laws and ethical issues that are involved; and a blueprint for how chaplains’ time in having the conversation can be billed and reimbursed.
8. NACC Networking calls for March/April 2018
If you wish to participate on any of these calls and are not already on that particular call list, please contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org for information. Times listed are Central Time Zone.
NACC Nurse Chaplain Networking Group; Tues., March 6; 2 p.m. CT
NACC Retired/Emeritus Member Networking Group; Wed., March 7; 10 a.m. CT
NACC Student Members Networking Group; Thurs., March 8; 10 a.m. CT
NACC CPE Educators Networking Group; Fri., March 9; 10 a.m. CT
NACC Deacon Member Networking Group; Wed., March 21; 10 a.m. CT
NACC Palliative Care/Hospice Networking Group; Thurs., March 22; 3 p.m. CT (NEW TIME)
NACC African Member Networking Group; Thurs., April 12; 10 a.m. CT
NACC Behavioral Health Networking Group; Tues., April 17; 11 a.m. CT
NACC New Member Networking Group; Wed., April 18; 10 a.m. CT
NACC realizes the value of networking and appreciates members taking time out of their schedules to share and lend support to others who are ministering in the same area. NACC is looking at alternate ways to connect our members, but until then, this quarterly call is a means to that end. In order for the call to have the most value for participants, we will postpone a call until the next quarter if there are less than 5 participants who have signed up for the call a week prior to its scheduled date. So please be sure to sign up for the call in advance so we can make an appropriate estimate of attendance.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
APC/NACC 2018 CONFERENCE, Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018!
9. Registration Flyers for the 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference have been sent out!
The 2018 Joint Conference flyer has been mailed out. If you haven’t received it yet, please know it should come any day. If you don’t receive it within one week, contact the NACC office and we can send you one. This flyer contains much of the key information regarding our 2018 Joint Conference. All other detailed information will be found on the NACC website.
10. How to Register for the Conference.
STEP ONE (1): Make your reservation at the Conference Hotel
Conference attendees who book sleeping rooms at the conference hotel will receive a $159 discount off their full conference registration fee. To receive this discount you must be registered at the conference hotel (Anaheim Marriott) and provide your confirmation during the registration process. Information on how to register at the hotel can be found on the NACC website.The discount will also be extended to locals whose mailing address is within 50 miles of the conference hotel as they will be commuting to the conference.
STEP TWO (2): Know the Email Address on File for You at NACC
In order for an NACC member to receive the discounted Member rate for conference registration, the member must register utilizing the same email address that is on file with the NACC. The online system will recognize the member’s email address and discount the registration. If you are unsure of the email address you have on file with NACC, please contact the NACC national office. If you do not have an email address on file, please contact NACC for further direction.
STEP THREE (3): Navigate to the Online Registration web-page and Register for the Conference.
Navigate to the conference online registration system. Be sure to have your confirmation number and your email address handy. Follow the screen prompts to register.
Registration Options:
Register online and pay with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or DiscoverCard.
11. As you register, please consider a donation to the NACC Scholarship Fund.
Please consider a donation to the Joint Conference scholarship fund. All donations received will help an NACC member to attend the Joint Conference. Every dollar counts; no amount is too big or small. Thank you for your support.
12. Conference Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships will be available from the National Association of Catholic Chaplains for registration fees for the 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference. The applicant must apply no later than Friday, March 8, 2018.Visit the NACC website for more information.
13. Poster Presentations
The 2018 Joint Conference Education Subcommittee invites you to submit poster presentation proposals for the 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference, July 12–15 at the Marriott Anaheim in Anaheim, CA. Poster presentations will allow you to share your expertise, inspire colleagues, stimulate thoughtful discussion and educate others on important issues within chaplaincy. For more information and to download a poster presentation application, please visit the Joint conference website.
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
14. Be sure to participate in the upcoming NACC webinar, on Thursday, March 15, 2018. The Hebrew Bible for Pastoral Professionals, by Elizabeth Berne DeGear, PhD, BCC
On Thursday, March 15, 2018, the NACC will host the next NACC webinar of our 2018 series, The Hebrew Bible for Pastoral Professionals, presented by Elizabeth Berne DeGear, PhD, BCC.
Participants will explore three theological nuggets that may enrich pastoral encounters and help the chaplain integrate spiritual care into the life of the institution s/he works for: the “gaze of grace” experienced by Noah, Moses, Ruth and others; the listening witness of the Book of Joshua; and the divine feminine in Genesis, Isaiah and Proverbs. The presentation will reflect on these scriptural perspectives in light of our own approaches to chaplaincy, and discuss how they might inform encounters with those in our care while also enhancing our sense of purpose within the organizations where we serve.
Additional information about this webinar (and our other 2018 webinars) can be found at the following link: 2018 webinars.
To register online and pay by credit card, please visit the registration page by clicking on this LINK. If you prefer to register using a paper registration form and pay by check, a downloadable registration form can be accessed at this LINK.
15. You can still register for NACC’s 2018 webinar series.
A full list of offerings, with program details, is available at this link: 2018 webinars.
The registration fee for individual webinars is $40 for NACC members and $55 for non-members. Please note that we are offering a package deal that encompasses all of the regular series of 2018 NACC webinars, available at a significant discount: $320 for NACC members, $430 for non-members.
To register online and pay by credit card, please visit the registration page by clicking on this LINK. If you prefer to register using a paper registration form and pay by check, a downloadable registration form can be accessed at this LINK.
NOTE: All of the NACC webinars are recorded, and online access to the recordings is made available to all registrants. If you cannot participate live, you still have the opportunity to enhance your learning (and earn CEHs) by means of the recordings.
16. NACC Local Gathering
La Grange Park, IL, Friday, March 16, 2018 (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.). The NACC is presenting a program at Presence Bethlehem Woods (in La Grange Park, near Chicago). Elizabeth-Anne Stewart, BCC, PhD will present on the subject of The Art of Sacred Listening. For details about the program and information about registering, please click on this link: REGISTER.
17. Apps for Healing and Wholeness
The Patient Services subcommittee of CHA’s Pastoral Care Advisory Committee is creating an annotated listing of apps for use by patients, their loved ones, and their staff. If, in your professional role, you currently recommend any apps for patients, families, and staff to use, would you please send information about the app, along with a 2-3 sentence description of the circumstances for which this app is useful and specifically how it supports people in those circumstances. We will be including apps that cost less than $5.00 to download. This will be available to the public on CHA’s care section of its website.
We are creating this annotated library in the possible following categories:
Patient Healing and Hope
Pain and Symptom Response
Well Being and Resilience
Bereavement
Religious Resources and Sacred Texts
Spirituality
Please send your examples to Carrie McGrath, Director of Mission Services, at CHA (cmeyermcgrath@chausa.org) by Monday, April 16th. Thank you in advance for your contributions.
18. Recently published resources:
Our retired board certified NACC member, Deacon Pat Bradley, has published a new version of the Stations of the Cross. It is available as an ePublication for tablets and smart phones. This version of the Stations emphasizes the observers along the road as Jesus went by. ePublished versions for all readers are available for $1.50 at www.smashwords.com. Just search for San Luis Stations of the Cross. They are also available from the Barnes and Noble bookstore for the Nook and from the Apple iBook store for the iPhone and iPad. Please post a review where you purchase them. Deacon Pat may be reached at tpbradley@me.com.
David Lichter also recently participated in and presented at the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry (AGPIM) meeting in Winter Park, FL, February 15-17. Dr. Zeni Fox, longtime scholar on lay ecclesial ministry (and past NACC webinar presenter) received the AGPIM Called and Gifted Award. Here is a link to an article about the meeting and Dr. Fox. catholicstarherald.org/the-work-of-forming-lay-and-ministerial-leaders
20. Other educational events
2nd Annual Spirituality and Aging Symposium — The Measure of Our Days: Awakening Hope in Aging, Loss and Death
This symposium is taking place March 4–8 at Saint John’s on the Lake in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For further information about the event, and registration details, please click on this LINK.
The First Train-the-Trainer Inter-professional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum (ISPEC), July 10-12, 2018, Washington, DC. The 2018 Application is now Open! What: The 2018 Inter-professional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum Train-the-Trainer Leadership conference will prepare physicians, nurses, and other clinicians from a variety of clinical settings to advocate spiritual care at their institutes and cultivate organizational change.
Attendees will be chosen through a competitive selection process.
Who Should Apply:
Each organization will have the opportunity to send a two-person team consisting of clinician-chaplain pairs.
If selected, attendees will receive:
Free Registration
All course supplies, including syllabus, workbook, and resources
Each organization selected to attend will receive free, unlimited access to the ISPEC online course for healthcare providers of their organization for one full year!
How to Apply: Please Review Request for Applications. All Applications are due by Monday April 2, 2018!
Fordham University Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care Conference
Fordham University is hosting its annual Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care Conference on Friday, March 2. The topic for this year’s conference is “Calming the Chaos: Clinical and Pastoral Responses in Traumatic Times.” The NACC has approved it for 4.5 CEHs. For further information about this event and registration details, please click on this LINK.
21. 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: Tim Charek, Joe Cipriano, Sheila Fonseca, Russ (Husband of Linda Bronersky, BCC-E), Vicki Farley (on the recent death of her husband, Tom), Maggie Finley, Mary K. Pauluk BCC, Sr. Mary Clare Boland SP, 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.
22. Recent job postings
The following positions have been posted recently on our Positions Available page.
For more information go to www.nacc.org/resources/positions.
PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Fresno, CA – Saint Agnes Medical Center
CHAPLAIN
Hinsdale, IL – RML Specialty Hospital
CHAPLAIN
Camp Hill, PA – Geisinger Holy Spirit Hospital
MANAGER of SPIRITUAL CARE
Philadelphia and Darby, PA – Mercy Philadelphia and Mercy Fitzgerald Hospitals
VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF MISSION OFFICER
Little Rock, AR – CHI St. Vincent Health System
DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE
Lauderdale Lakes, FL – Catholic Health Services
CHAPLAIN
Madison, WI – UW Health
CPE OPPORTUNITIES for GROWTH and LEARNING
La Crosse, WI – Gundersen Health System
LIFE CARE CHAPLAIN
Philadelphia, PA – Holy Redeemer Health System
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT of MISSION
Sioux Falls, SD – Avera Health
SUPERVISOR SPIRITUAL CARE
Springfield, MA – Mercy Medical Center
CHAPLAIN
Baltimore, Maryland – Mercy Medical Center
