Issue #277 – June 25, 2018

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(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)

NACC

1. Executive Director’s Reflection*
2. Please see the NACC Board Candidates for the 2019 open seat!*
3. Congratulations to our NACC members who were recently certified with ACPE!*
4. NACC is adding several new Education Institution Members
5. NACC Certification Commission will meet July 10-12 prior to the 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference.*
6. In Vision: Roots of crisis might lie in spiritual public health*
7. NACC Networking calls for May and June 2018*
8. NACC now offers NACC members opportunities for online networking!*

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

APC/NACC 2018 CONFERENCE, Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018!

9. Pre-conference registration is now closed. Didn’t register but still want to attend? Visit the registration onsite at the conference.
10. Room reservations now only onsite.

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

11. Request: Has anyone been asked to add a Qibla to their chapel?*
12. CHA’s Pastoral Care Advisory Committee offers list of apps for spiritual care!*
13. Strengthening Chaplaincy Certification with Research: APC, NACC and Transforming Chaplaincy Launch Initial Research!*
14. Don’t miss this FREE webinar! Ministry to the Incarcerated in the Era of Pope Francis*
15. Don’t miss this week’s webinar on Spiritual Care for Palliative Patients!*
16. Have you registered for this Special Webinar Series, July 25 – August 15, 2018?*
17. NACC Local Gatherings*
18. Did you know you can access the CHA Health Progress May-June 2018 issue dedicated to spiritual care, and utilize these excellent articles?*
19. Healing Tree: a request for prayers*
20. Recent job postings*

1. Executive Director’s Reflection
Yesterday was the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist. Isaiah 49: 1-6 was offered as the first reading where Isaiah reflects on his calling, “The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.
He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory… I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” So how can we appreciate more our ministry when reflecting on John the Baptist?

Last weekend Jackie and I invited over for dinner two neighbor couples. Our conversation eventually got to the ministry you provide as chaplains. Both couples are Christians who truly believe that one needs to know Christ to be saved, and that our role is to make sure everyone knows about and turns to Christ in order to go to heaven. Should not Christian Chaplains (like John the Baptist) point out and bring people to Christ for their salvation? Is this not their duty?

Yes, I shared that it is the chaplain’s practice and responsibility that he or she through compassionate listening help the one being cared for to discover and embrace the spiritual resources of his/her own tradition or whatever provides meaning and purpose for that person’s life. “Are you not morally responsible to help that person know Christ?” I was asked.

I shared our Catholic perspective from Nostra Aetate, http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

So, am I not, as John the Baptist, fulfilling my Christian calling, when, as core to my ministry, I am pointing to Presence whenever and however I “recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral” that another holds as the source of his/her spiritual life? Would I not be failing in my responsibility if I do not have “sincere reverence” for those “ways of conduct and of life?”

“But you are not naming and proclaiming Christ crucified as the source of their salvation?” Yes, Christ is the source and motive of my ministry. Christ’s sensitivities and worldview is mine. Our Catholic understanding of the dignity (creation) and destiny (redemption) of the human person guides my ethical conduct in ministry. Being a community of compassion and human solidarity is how I live with our brothers and sisters. Yes, Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life.”

However, could we not say that being John the Baptist also encompasses being “light to the nations” by pointing to the Light in people’s lives as that Light is present to and experienced by them? As John the Baptist is quoted as saying, “Behold the Lamb of God,” is not BEHOLD our sacred ministry, as we are agents and messengers who help others BEHOLD the HOLY in their lives?

So how do you and I hold in our ministry the mystery of both these quotes above? 1. “Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself.” And 2. “She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men.”

How should I have dialogued with our friends differently? Did I water down, weaken, misrepresent our Truth, and out of what we live and move and have our being? How does your ministry reflect being John the Baptist?

Blessings on you and your ministry!

David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director

2. Please see the NACC Board Candidates for the 2019 open seat!
Your NACC colleagues in leadership positions on the NACC Nominations Panel, the Governance Committee, and the Board of Directors worked conscientiously to discern leadership needs, seek board applicants from our membership, assess the potential applicants based on current board needs, and provide you with board candidates that bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the board. We are grateful to all those who offered to be applicants for candidacy to the board.

The NACC Board of Directors is pleased to announce three candidates for the one [1] elected member seat on the Board of Directors. Rev. Lawrence X. Chellaian BCC, Deacon Jack R. Conrad BCC, and Dr. Elizabeth A. Lenegan PhD, BCC, have graciously made themselves available to member discernment and election. Here is a link to their photos and background.

The voting time period will be four weeks, from Monday, July 2, 2018 through Monday, July 30, 2018. NACC Members will be alerted when the open voting begins with an email containing a link to the electronic voting process. Note: members without email will receive a letter and a ballot in the mail. Your mailed ballot needs to be returned to the national office by Monday, July 30, 2018, to be counted.

3. Congratulations to our NACC members who were recently certified with ACPE!
Congratulations to our three NACC members who recently passed their subcommittees at the ACPE Atlanta Meeting.

ACPE Certified Educator – Marge Wentland, BCC
ACPE Cerified Educator – Marika Hanushevsky Hull, BCC,
ACPE Association Supervisor, LaVera Crawley MD

4. NACC is adding several new Education Institution Members
The NACC has invited education institutions from where our BCC members have received their degrees to become Education Institution Members. The nature and benefits of this membership can be found at www.nacc.org/membership/apply-for-membership/. We have had many inquiries, and several have already joined. If someone is looking at NACC Certification on our website and click on the graduate program link (www.nacc.org/certification/graduate-theological-programs), they will find these institutions and the degrees that qualify for board certification. Several other education institutions are in the process of completing their membership, including: Loyola Marymount University, Loyola University New Orleans, and St. John’s University.

Please encourage the school from which you received your graduate degree to consider becoming a member, by sending them links to our website above! They can also contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) or David Lichter (dlichter@nacc.org).

5. NACC Certification Commission will meet July 10-12 prior to the 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference.
The NACC Certification Commission will hold the second of its two in-person meetings of the year on July 10-12 just prior to the 2018 APC/NACC Joint Conference. The Certification Commission will be reviewing and voting on interview team recommendations from the May Certification Interviews as well as discussing and acting on many important topics related to certification. The Commission will also have a joint meeting with the NACC Board of Directors on July 11.

6. In Vision: Roots of crisis might lie in spiritual public health
Any solution to the opioid crisis should consider why people resort to drugs in the first place. Chaplain Frank Mächt suspects that thinking in terms of spiritual public health could make a difference — and that chaplains are equipped to do it.

7. NACC Networking calls for May and June 2018
If you wish to participate on any of these calls and are not already on that particular call list, please click on the registration link or contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org for more information. Times listed are Central Time Zone.

Monday, June 25; 10:00 a.m. CT | Under 45 Member Networking Call
Monday, June 25; 2:00 p.m. CT | Corrections Networking Call
Wednesday, June 27; 2:00 p.m. CT | Dir. of Spiritual Care Networking Call
Thursday, June 28; 10:00 a.m. CT | New Member Networking Call
Thursday, June 28; 1:00 p.m. CT | Pediatric Settings Networking Call
Thursday, June 28; 3:00 p.m. CT | Palliative/Hospice Networking Call

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. Unfortunately, the calls lose value if there are few participants, limiting the sharing that could take place. 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.

8. NACC now offers NACC members opportunities for online networking!
Welcome! To all members who want to continue the discussion started during network calls, or to discuss topics that need attention when a call is not scheduled. You may now network through an online conversation. Sign into the NACC website with your user name and password. Choose NACC Professional Networking Forums. You will note a list of Forums. Choose the one you are interested in: i.e., Nurse Chaplain Group. You may either choose an existing topic to comment on or begin a new topic discussion by initiating it on this page. This forum will grow as members share thoughts, questions and ideas. Remember that this is a PILOT and any feedback directed to Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org will help us make it more user friendly.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

APC/NACC 2018 CONFERENCE, Thursday, July 12, to Sunday, July 15, 2018!

9. Pre-conference registration is now closed. Didn’t register but still want to attend? Visit the registration onsite at the conference.
Pre-conference registration is now closed and all subsequent registrations will be taken onsite at the conference utilizing the rates for onsite registration. Visit us onsite at the conference registration desk beginning on Tuesday, July 9th at 3:00 pm.

10. Room reservations now only onsite.
June 17, 2018 was the last date to book room reservations at special conference prices. The hotel no longer holds our room block. You can still register with the hotel at their rates. Confirm your arrival and departure dates when you register.

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

11. Request: Has anyone been asked to add a Qibla to their chapel?
Our NACC member, Jim Manzardo, asks our members if any of you has been asked to add a Qibla to their chapel. If so, he is wondering how others might have done so. If you have, could you please contact Jim at JManzard@luriechildrens.org to share with him how you did so? Thank you so much.

12. CHA’s Pastoral Care Advisory Committee offers list of apps for spiritual care!
CHA’s Pastoral Care Advisory Committee is pleased to offer a list of apps to assist in the pastoral and spiritual care of patients, their families and health ministry associates in the areas of: healing and hope, pain and symptom response, well-being and resilience, bereavement, religious resources and sacred texts, prayer, meditation, health care navigation, as well as community and caregiver resources.

Unless a price is noted, at the time of compilation, all apps listed are under five dollars and available for download on both the Apple App Store and on Google Play. Users should be advised that some of the apps offer additional in-app purchases.
www.chausa.org/pastoralcare/resources/spiritual-care-and-healing-apps

13. Strengthening Chaplaincy Certification with Research: APC, NACC and Transforming Chaplaincy Launch Initial Research!

For years, certification by one of the major professional chaplaincy organizations such as the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI, an affiliate of the Association of Professional Chaplains) or the National Association of Catholic Chaplains has been the gold standard for professional chaplains working in health care. Recent developments in healthcare, chaplaincy, and chaplaincy education suggest it is time to examine our current chaplaincy education and certification processes to ensure they are continuing this tradition of excellence and serving the profession as well as possible. Specifically, the time seems right to begin developing a research-informed approach to chaplaincy certification.

To begin this journey, APC and NACC have contracted with Transforming Chaplaincy to conduct a qualitative research study, including a series of interviews to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current certification processes. Interviewees will include: 1) chaplains who have recently met with certification committees (both successfully and unsuccessfully); 2) chaplains who serve on certification committees; 3) experienced chaplains who know the competencies needed for the work they do; and 4) spiritual care department managers who need competent chaplains to work in their departments. From these interviews, we hope to begin to learn if current certification processes focus on the right competencies and whether they can be evaluated objectively. Building a research-informed approach to chaplaincy certification will not be accomplished with a few small studies. The aim of these projects is to outline the issues and guide future, more rigorous research that will help the professional chaplaincy organizations maintain the highest standards for certification.

The research is being led by George Fitchett and Daniel Grossoehme. The work is being guided by an Advisory Committee that includes representatives of the sponsoring organizations (APC, NACC), as well other Strategic Partners. The work will begin in summer 2018; preliminary findings will be reported at the 2019 chaplaincy conferences.

Members of APC and NACC are welcome to submit comments about the certification process and suggestions for a research-informed approach to certification. Further questions about the project are also welcome. To share comments, suggestions, or questions, please contact Daniel Grossoehme (Daniel.Grossoehme@cchmc.org).

George Fitchett, DMin, PhD, BCC, is Professor and Director of Research, Department of Religion, Health, and Human Values at Rush University Medical Center and Co-Director of Transforming Chaplaincy. Daniel Grossoehme, DMin, BCC, is Associate Professor, Pulmonary Medicine and Staff Chaplain III at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is a Transforming Chaplaincy Co-Investigator.

14. Don’t miss this FREE webinar! Ministry to the Incarcerated in the Era of Pope Francis
Fr. Dustin Feddon and Fr. George Williams, SJ will be holding an hour long webinar to educate and gather input from those ministering to the incarcerated/detained. The flyer is attached. The link to the registration is: https://goo.gl/forms/TOc969hE6ljtM05D3.
Both men are part of an Executive Committee of a new entity focused on creating National Catholic leadership for those ministering in prisons, to returning citizens and those affected by crime and incarceration. Here are more details about the presenters:

Fr. Dustin Feddon
Chaplain, Diocese of Tallahassee-Pensacola
Fr. Dustin was born in Birmingham, AL and raised in Birmingham and Tallahassee, FL. He attended Florida State University and was received into the Catholic Church in 2007. After receiving a PhD in Religious Studies from Florida State University in 2013, Fr. Dustin was ordained a Catholic Priest in 2016. He serves as a priest and prison Chaplain in the diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee as well as adjunct philosophy professor at Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary.

Fr. George Williams SJ
Chaplain, San Quentin State Prison
George Williams, SJ was born in New Haven, CT and graduated from Syracuse University in 1979 with a dual degree in Political Science and Communications. He then served 5 years as an Air Force Officer in Alaska, Germany and Saudi Arabia. He left the Air Force in 1984 to join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and spent a year in Nome, AK working as the rock show DJ and news editor for KNOM, a Jesuit-founded radio station serving the people of Western Alaska. It was in Alaska that he met Jesuits for the first time and was inspired by them to join the Society of Jesus. After Nome, he returned to Boston and entered the Society in 1987. After vows, he studied philosophy at Gonzaga University in Spokane for two years and then went to Brazil for his regency assignment where he worked in a poor community in Northeastern Brazil. During his long retreat and his first year as a novice he felt called to work in prison ministry, so when he returned to Boston he went to volunteer at the Boston City Jail and was immediately hired as their Catholic Chaplain. He has been engaged in prison ministry in one form or another ever since. While working in the Boston jail system he got an MSW from Boston College and then went on to graduate theology studies at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology (now Boston College School of Theology and Ministry), in Cambridge, Mass., where he received his master’s degree in divinity (M.Div.) and a MA in Spiritual Direction in 2004, the same year he was ordained to the priesthood. After 5 years working in the MA state prison system he was offered the Chaplaincy at San Quentin State Prison in CA, where he has worked since 2011. He recently completed a doctorate in criminology from Northeastern University, the subject of his dissertation was Correctional worker´s burnout and resilience.

The webinar will be broadcast live from the USCCB website. Those who register will get the link from the co-sponsor – Catholic Mobilizing Network. The webinar will also be recorded and can be shared afterwards. Those who register will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Watch for more details as a second webinar will be held in July to discuss formation of ministers by the Formation Committee.

15. Don’t miss this week’s webinar on Spiritual Care for Palliative Patients!*
Thursday, June 28, 2018 (12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Central Time). Spiritual Care for Palliative Patients, presented by Matthew Jacobson, MDiv, BCC. This presentation serves as an interactive exploration of providing collaborative spiritual care which encourages interdisciplinary support for patients receiving palliative care. We will review the roles of spiritual care and professional chaplaincy for the relief of suffering according to the Clinical Guidelines of the National Consensus Project as instruments of accompaniment for patients with serious or life-limiting illness. We will explore spiritual needs of patients, potential spiritual care interventions, and hopeful outcomes of providing spiritual care for palliative care patients.

Program Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Articulate a definition of palliative care.
2. Describe a framework for spiritual assessment that is useful for palliative care interdisciplinary teams.
3. Recognize the potential outcomes of quality spiritual care.

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, for this webinar as well as for any other NACC 2018 regular series webinar, 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.

16. Have you registered for this Special Webinar Series, July 25 – August 15, 2018? Spiritual Care in Common Terms: How Chaplains Can Effectively Describe the Spiritual Needs of Patients in Medical Records, presented by Gordon Hilsman.

At the request of the NACC, last summer Gordon led a book review series of four one-hour webinar sessions which gave members the opportunity to read and process Gordon’s book with him. (The participants purchased the book in advance.) Due to the wide popularity of this series, the NACC and Gordon have arranged to reprise his presentation this summer. The four sessions will cover the content of the six chapters of the book. This series will provide the beginning, learning, and seasoned chaplain an opportunity to refine her/his theory and practice of documentation. Participant cost for these four sessions is $60, which includes all four sessions (but does not include the book – you are responsible for obtaining a copy yourself). This series will provide 10 CEH’s.

The four sessions will take place on the following dates:
 Wednesday, July 25 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)
 Wednesday, August 1 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)
 Wednesday, August 8 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)
 Wednesday, August 15 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)

For further information, and to register online to participate in these sessions, please use the following link: REGISTER. If you prefer to pay by check, please mail your $60 check made out to NACC to: National Association of Catholic Chaplains, 4915 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 501, Milwaukee, WI 53207.

17. NACC Local Gatherings

• New Orleans, LA
  New Orleans will host a local NACC gathering on Wednesday, July 25 (12:30 – 4:00 p.m.). David Lichter will present on the topic of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care: Trends, Critical Success Factors, and Collaborative Initiatives. The participant fee is $15 for NACC members or $20 for non-members, which includes lunch and the program. 2.75 CEH’s are offered. For further details about the event, and to register online, please click on REGISTER.
• Alexandria, MN
  The 2018 Fall Chaplains’ Conference will take place in Alexandria, Minnesota, on September 20-21. The theme for this year’s event is “The Prophets: Speaking to Us in Times of Loss, Trauma, and Injustice,” with Rev. Dale Launderville, OSB, and Dr. Corrine Carvalho as the speakers. The full registration fee is $135, or $65 for students. Daily rates are also available. A total of 7.75 CEHs are offered for participation in both days’ activities. For further details about the event, and to register online, please click on REGISTER.
• Save these dates for a local gathering near you!
  Additional local gatherings are being planned at the following locations. Please note the dates on your calendars – further details will be announced in due course.
  
  • Houston, TX ~ September 29
  • Livonia, MI (Madonna University) ~ October 18
  • Charleston, SC ~ October 22
  • Milwaukee, WI ~ November 9
  • Baltimore, MD ~ November 13

If you prefer to pay by check for any of these events, please mail your check, made out to NACC, to: National Association of Catholic Chaplains, 4915 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 501, Milwaukee, WI 53207.

If you have any questions about NACC webinars or local gatherings, please contact Andris Kursietis at the NACC national office at 414-483-4898 or akursietis@nacc.org.

18. Did you know you can access the CHA Health Progress May-June 2018 issue dedicated to spiritual care, and utilize these excellent articles?

The invaluable May-June 2018 issue of CHA Health Progress is dedicated to spiritual care. (www.chausa.org/publications/health-progress/current-issue) Many of the articles were written by NACC, NAJC, and APC members, along with articles by Tracy Balboni, MD, George Fitchett with our own Allison Delaney, and our Vision Editor, David Lewellen. This is the first issue dedicated to spiritual/pastoral care since the May-June 2009 issue! It is intended to provide an overview of key topics in spiritual care. You can all access and download the articles separately to be used for staff meetings, executive education, and advocacy. Please use them!

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: Dr. Maritza Ramos-Pratt, Danny Shea (husband of Debra Shea), Larry DuPlain and Dorothy Bricker (brother and sister of Sr. Mary DuPlain); Dan Waters (at the death of his mother, Betty Jane Waters), Sr. Theresa Chiappa SSC, Emory Tavss (5-year-old grandson of member Carol Bamesberger), Sister Maria Luisa Guerena, CSC, Jim Letourneau (on the death of his brother, John), Nolan (3-year-old grandson of Dale Recinella), Tim Charek, 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.

20. 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.

CHAPLAIN – Full-Time, Days
Lourdes Hospital, Binghamton, NY

FULL-TIME PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Long Beach, CA – Dignity Health St. Mary Medical Center

CHAPLAIN/PRIEST – Full Time
Saint Mary’s Health Network – Reno, NV

CHAPLAIN
Paterson, NJ – St. Joseph’s Health

CHAPLAIN/CATHOLIC PRIEST (Full Time)
Kansas City, Kansas – Providence Medical Center

COORDINATOR, CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL CARE
Fresno, CA – Saint Agnes Medical Center

STAFF CHAPLAIN
Harrisburg, PA – Geisinger Holy Spirit

SCHOOL CHAPLAIN
New Milford, CT – Canterbury School

ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST CHAPLAIN
St. Louis, MO – Mercy Hospital

View these jobs and more at www.nacc.org/resources/positions.