Issue #304 – July 22, 2019
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(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)
NACC
1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
2. Death of our NACC member, Sr. Shirley A. Nugent, SCN, BCC *
3. Member in the news *
4. Honor NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups! – September 13 deadline *
5. Were you a Jesuit Volunteer before becoming a chaplain? *
6. Need to know more for your renewal of certification? Attend this free webinar! *
7. Would you have interest in a networking group for those ministering in trauma settings?
8. Thank you to those of you who have already given to our 2019 Annual Member Campaign! Please join them! *
9. In Vision: How to attract more and younger chaplains? *
10. Vision seeks contributors for topic of pain
11. NACC Networking call for July 2019 – All are welcome to participate!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
2020 CONFERENCE, Monday, May 11 – Thursday, May 14 in Cleveland, Ohio!
12. Monday May 11 – Thursday, May 14, 2020, for 2020 Conference!
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
13. News on Palliative Care *
14. Register today for free webinar on the CHA/NACC Spiritual Care Survey *
15. Sign up today for NACC’s next Webinar on August 15, 2019!! Engaging the Religious Aspects of End of Life Decision Making presented by Rev. Rebekah Wagner, MA, BCC. *
16. NACC Local Events *
17. Healing Tree: a request for prayers *
18. Recent job postings *
1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
Yesterday’s Gospel passage (Luke 10:38-42) was the familiar Mary and Martha story where Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens, and Martha is preparing the food. We have heard and read this story so many times. Mary is the contemplative; Martha is the busy servant who needs to take time also to recognize and soak in the presence of Jesus.
Well, I am grateful again for being struck by something I had not heard before. When Martha came to Jesus, she was “burdened with much serving,” and frustrated with Mary not helping her. She said,
“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”
Ouch! If I were Jesus, my head would have turned, and I would have been a little (maybe a little more) defensive, saying, “What do you mean, I don’t care? What do you mean your sister ‘left you’?” I probably would have gotten into it with Martha. I probably would have been thinking, “Don’t make your crisis, your interpretation of your situation, my problem! Don’t make your desired solution, your order to me!”
I was feeling Martha’s frustration that was born out of feeling “burdened” by ministry. Funny, how that works. I get worked up when I take on too much, or begin to view ministry as too much, or a burden of my own making. Funny, how I begin to think of just one solution and want to recruit someone into solving this for me. Funny, how I don’t immediately dialogue with the Lord on this and allow Him to help me see the source of the issue. Funny, how I don’t let Him help me to view the situation differently, and to move me from burden to blessing, from growling to gratitude. Funny, how that works…
So, I see Martha a little differently now, as she has helped me to see myself a little differently. She has helped me step back a bit from ministry when I am feeling burdened and examine the roots of this feeling. Can I take that feeling to the Lord, and not a complaint about others or ask for one solution? Can I “sit with” Jesus in that feeling, and let Him look at me with love?
What do you do when ministry seems a burden?
Blessings,
David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director
2. Death of our NACC member, Sr. Shirley A. Nugent, SCN, BCC *
One of the exceptional giants of the NACC recently died, Sr. Shirley A. Nugent, SCN, BCC, on July 11, 2019, at the age of 87. She joined NACC is 1981 and was certified as a NACC chaplain and a CPE Supervisor (Educator) in 1983. Sr. Shirley was deeply active in NACC over the years in our Certification area from interviewer, ITE, Certification Commission, as committed to improve our professional certification standards and procedures., as well served as the NACC representative to the USCCB Commission on Certification and Accreditation. In 1998 Sr. Shirley received the NACC Prestigious Award “in recognition and appreciation for her remarkable contribution to professionalism in healthcare ministry through her pioneering leadership these past fifteen years in creating and promoting standards for accreditation, certification, and ethics.” Sr. Shirley was a vital contributor to the NACC. May God bless her with Fullness of Life! To read the article about her in Vision click here. Here also is a link to her obituary. http://nelsoncountygazette.com/?p=40585
3. Member in the news *
NACC member Sr. Patricia L. Hayden SC has been elected to a four-year term as president of her Congregation in Delhi Township, Ohio. She and the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati celebrated the installation of their newly elected Leadership Team last month. Read more here:
https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/sisters-of-charity-of-cincinnati-welcome-new-leadership-team/58513
4. Honor NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups! – September 13 deadline *
Send us your nominations for the NACC Distinguished Service Award, Emergent Leader Award, and Outstanding Colleague Award. The deadline is Friday, September 13. You can learn more and access the nomination forms at https://www.nacc.org/about-nacc/annual-awards.
Do you know 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 joint Vision 20/20 The Future of Spiritual Care Conference in 2020!, May 11-14, 2020, in Cleveland Ohio.
5. Were you a Jesuit Volunteer before becoming a chaplain? *
During the 2019 Conference we learned that several of our NACC members had been Jesuit Volunteers, and that experience also influenced their direction in ministry. We would really like to know if more of our members have been Jesuit Volunteers or similar. We would want to promote our chaplaincy ministry to the Jesuit Volunteer network. If you have been involved with the Jesuit Volunteer Corp or similar, please contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) to share your experience.
6. Need to know more for your renewal of certification? Attend this free webinar! *
Thursday, August 22, 2019 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time: Renewal of Certification by the NACC. This webinar will provide participants with an overview of the renewal of certification process and documentation and provide a forum for answering questions about NACC renewal of certification. This free webinar will be presented by NACC Certification Commissioners, Kathleen M. Ponce, BCC and Austine O. Duru, BCC. To register, click on this LINK.
7. Would you have interest in a networking group for those ministering in trauma settings?
Following one of the 2019 Conference workshops, there is a request to form a networking group for those ministering in various trauma settings. Please, contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org if you would like to be part of this group.
8. Thank you to those of you who have already given to our 2019 Annual Member Campaign! Please join them! *
We are deeply grateful to all those who have been able to give so far to our 2019 Annual Campaign. To date, we have received 298 gifts totaling $35,730 compared to 292 gifts totaling $33,062 at this time last year. If you have not yet been able to donate, please consider doing so today or this week! Thank you!
Please note: You can also make your donation online RIGHT NOW by going to the Annual Campaign webpage (https://www.nacc.org/donate/) or just click here to donate. Please give as you can! Blessings!
9. In Vision: How to attract more and younger chaplains? *
The business meeting at the NACC’s annual conference prompted an engaging discussion of how the association can reverse its membership decline and raise the profile of spiritual care. To read more in the new issue of Vision, click below.
https://www.nacc.org/vision/july-august-2019/business-meeting-how-to-attract-more-and-younger-chaplains/
10. Vision seeks contributors for topic of pain
The September-October Vision will have the theme of pain and our responses to it. We are looking for authors who can write about topics such as spiritual pain; medication and the opioid crisis; palliative care and pain management; chronic pain support groups; requests for assisted suicide; alternative treatments, e.g. acupuncture, aromatherapy; the placebo effect; and Catholic theology and pain, e.g. “offering it up.” And if our members have further ideas, we are happy to consider those as well. Please send a summary of your article idea to Vision editor David Lewellen, dlewellen@nacc.org. The copy deadline is Aug. 5.
11. NACC Networking call for July 2019 – All are welcome to participate!
Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 12 p.m. CT ………………Palliative Care/Hospice Networking Call
To sign up, contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org for more information, questions, comments or concerns. As the time of the call gets closer and you have replied that you will participate, we will forward ZOOM passcodes for a visual connection via internet or, if you prefer, you can still call in via a phone line. Registering for the call, even if you cannot participate, will allow you to receive notes of the conversation and resources shared.
If you’ve had difficulty in joining calls using ZOOM please let Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) know so that we can address the difficulty. THANK YOU!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
2020 CONFERENCE, Monday, May 11 – Thursday, May 14 in Cleveland, Ohio!
12. Monday May 11 – Thursday, May 14, 2020, for 2020 Conference!
Mark your calendars for the Vision 20/20 The Future of Spiritual Care Conference in 2020! This conference will be held Monday, May 11, through Thursday, May 14, 2020, in Cleveland, Ohio. It will be preceded by pre-conference workshops (PDI) and a Conference retreat. Plan to join us!
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
13. News on Palliative Care *
- JAMA features the NCP Guidelines! JAMA NETWORK Medical News published an online article and podcast featuring the National Consensus Project’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition (NCP Guidelines) and Dr. Martha Twaddle, NCP Guidelines Co-Chair, who provided valuable information about the guidelines and practical suggestions for their implementation. The Q&A is also available in the July 2019 print issue of JAMA.
- Palliative Care Chat™ features the NCP Guidelines! Drs. Betty Ferrell and Martha Twaddle discuss the National Consensus Project’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition (NCP Guidelines) in the recent Palliative Care Chat™, a podcast series hosted by Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, BCPS, CPE. The podcast is designed for all health care professionals who are interested in hospice and palliative care. Download the full transcript.
- Register NOW for a Free Webinar re: New Medicare Alternative Payment Models! The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care is sponsoring a FREE webinar, New Medicare Alternative Payment Models: Options and Opportunities for Hospices and Palliative Care Programs, Wednesday, July 25, 2019, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm EASTERN TIME. This webinar is designed for hospice and palliative program managers and leaders in all disciplines and others interested in the new Medicare payment options. Learn more and register.
14. Register today for free webinar on the CHA/NACC Spiritual Care Survey *
Register today for the CHA Chaplaincy Webinar Series. Learn the results of the 2019 NACC/CHA chaplaincy survey on the August 13, 2019 Webinar and gain access to a new chaplaincy staffing metrics tool on the August 27, 2019 Webinar. For more information about these webinars go to: https://www.chausa.org/events/calendar-of-events/pastoral-webinar—aug-13-2019/overview
NACC members can register free. Contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitiza@nacc.org) at the NACC office for the passcode to enter.
15. Sign up today for NACC’s next Webinar on August 15, 2019!! Engaging the Religious Aspects of End of Life Decision Making presented by Rev. Rebekah Wagner, MA, BCC. *
On Thursday, August 15, 2019 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time, NACC is offering the webinar, Engaging the Religious Aspects of End of Life Decision Making, presented by Rev. Rebekah Wagner, MA, BCC. This presentation will explore and engage various religious belief systems, their views on death and dying, and how those beliefs influence medical decision making at end of life. It will also discuss strategies to sensitively engage in conversation about these issues when conflict between medical providers and patients/families occur.
Program Objectives
- The participant will be able to identify the concepts of shared decision making and how religious preferences may enter into that conversation.
- The participant will be able to identify common themes in basic religious groups that may emerge in discussions of end of life care.
- The participant will be able to verbalize strategies to use when conflict about religious beliefs and end of life interventions occurs between the medical team and patients/families.
The presenter, Chaplain Rebekah Wagner, MA, BCC, APBCC, is the Manager of Spiritual Services at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. She previously worked as the Palliative Care Chaplain at Froedtert and has many years working in Hospice and Palliative Care. Prior to becoming a chaplain, she was a physical therapist specializing in Home Health and Hospice for 26 years. She has a special interest in physician communication related to religious beliefs and values especially at end of life.
More info: NACC Webinars – registration and information
16. NACC Local Events *
• Buffalo, MN
The 2019 Fall Chaplains’ Conference will take place on September 12-13 at the Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, Minnesota. Rev. Michele Guest Lowery will be the guest speaker, presenting on the subject of “Coming Down from the Ledge: Insights and Applications from Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Changing Self-Destructive Behaviors.” We are expecting a high turnout for this event, so room-sharing opportunities are offered. For full details of the program, please visit the following page on our website: https://www.nacc.org/event/2019-fall-chaplains-conference/. To register online and pay by credit card, please click on this LINK.
Rev. Michele Guest Lowery is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and a board certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC). She has almost 20 years of experience in behavioral health chaplaincy as both a direct care provider and program manager. Rev. Lowery currently serves as Spiritual Care Manager at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine. She has presented several workshops and webinars on various behavioral health topics and has published numerous articles on ministry to those living with a mental illness, most recently “Behavioral Health Basics for Chaplains” in Health Progress. Rev. Lowery has the distinction of being the first (perhaps the only) chaplain to complete Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training with Behavioral Tech, a Marsha Linehan Institute Training Company (Linehan is the founder of DBT).
17. 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: Becky Evans (on the death of her sister, Betty Murray), Art Schute, Sr. Louise Zaplitny, Susan Crowley (for her husband Brian), Linda F. Piotrowski, BCC (on the death of her husband, Richard), Sr. Mary Ann DuPlain and her family (for her brother Larry), Debra (Debbie) Shea and her family (for healing after the death of her husband Danny), Nolan (3-year-old grandson of member Dale Recinella), Sr. Mary Clare Boland, SP, Fr. Jim Radde, SJ, Isabelita Boquiren, Susan Balling, Jim and Frances Castello.
18. 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.
ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST CHAPLAIN
San Francisco, CA – California Pacific Medical Center
SPIRITUAL CARE MANAGERS
Muskegon, Grand Rapids, and Southeast Michigan – Trinity Health
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
North Olmsted, Ohio – Chaplain Partnership
CATHOLIC STAFF CHAPLAIN
Dallas, TX – Parkland Health & Hospital System
MANAGER, SPIRITUAL CARE
Fullerton, CA and Orange, CA – Providence St. Joseph Health
CHAPLAIN RESIDENCY PROGRAM
New York, NY – The VA New York Harbor Healthcare System Chaplain Service
CERTIFIED CHAPLAIN
Toledo, Ohio – Mercy Health
