Issue #320 – March 2, 2020
Click here to return to the main NACC Now page.
(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)
NACC
1. Executive Director’s Reflection
2. Welcome to our new NACC members who joined us in February 2020!
3. Have you used our 2020 World Day of the Sick Prayers? They are still available for you!
4. Read our 2020 World Day of the Sick Letter sent to our US Bishops.
5. Join us at the 2020 Conference to honor our 2020 Annual Award Recipients.
6. Would you contribute your story to our “Paths to Chaplaincy” short videos?
7. Learn more about NACC leadership opportunities and needs by participating in the FREE NACC and You: Bringing Your Gifts to Leadership. Register now!
8. In Vision: Hospitals honor veterans’ service in life and death
9. NACC Networking Call for March 2020 – All are welcome to participate!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
2020 CONFERENCE, Monday, May 11 – Thursday, May 14 in Cleveland, Ohio!
10. If you have not registered yet for Vision 20/20 The Future of Spiritual Care Conference
11. Important things to know before you register
12. As you register, please consider a donation to the Scholarship Fund.
13. Opportunity for additional Continuing Education Hours.
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
14. Don’t miss our next webinar of our 2020 series! Thursday, March 26, 2020 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time, The Father: The Heart of Jesus’ Ministry and the Key to Living a Contemplative Life ~ by Charles W. Sidoti, BA, BCC
15. You can still register for this special 3-part February NACC webinar series on “Her Smile Is Enough for Me: Critical Care Pediatric Chaplaincy”, presented by Jim Manzardo and Glenda Spearman.
16. You can still register for the entire 2020 NACC webinar series!
17. Learn about our Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition partner Dismas Ministry
18. See the next 6 months of webinar topics from the Catholic Prison Ministry Coalition!
19. Have you seen this most recent multi-faith spiritual care resource from The Canadian Multifaith Federations?
20. Chaplaincy in the news!
21. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
22. Recent job postings
1. Executive Director’s Reflection
Yesterday’s Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent is the familiar story of Jesus in the desert and the three temptations he encountered from Satan. It reminds me, as I enter this Christian journey of Lent, that I will face daily not so much temptations from without but temptations from within. While Satan is portrayed as the tempter from without, it’s the deflective voices within me that I need to heed.
You are probably familiar with Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership in which he interprets the three temptations of Jesus as three temptations of a Christian leader to be relevant, spectacular, and powerful. At first glance those don’t seem to be the temptations of a chaplain, however, they had me thinking. There is much to consider. You can access Nouwen’s own words here.
As to being relevant, Nouwen wrote, “I am telling you all this because I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God’s love. The great message that we have to carry, as ministers of God’s Word and followers of Jesus, is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life.” I think about how often our chaplaincy ministry’s effectiveness is in our vulnerability with people when they are most vulnerable and are questioning their worth and value in the midst of their suffering and loss. That seemed to be the message of Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen in her Foreword to Making Health Care Whole where she wrote, “It is recognizing the power of our own humanity to make a difference in the lives of others, and valuing it as highly as our expertise.” www.amazon.com/Making-Health-Care-Whole-Spirituality/dp/159947350X
For Nouwen, the antidote to this temptation is contemplative prayer. He writes, “The central question is are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate Word and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness?”
As to being spectacular, Nouwen wrote, “When I went to L’Arche, however, this individualism was radically challenged. Living in a community with very wounded people, I came to see that I had lived most of my life as a tightrope artist trying to walk on a high, thin cable from one tower to the other, always waiting for the applause when I had not fallen off and broken my leg.” I think about how our chaplaincy is often a one person experience where we are individually counted on to be there and be someone for a vulnerable person. Yet, we know how vital is the shared sense of ownership of tending to the spiritual and emotional needs of another, and how satisfying it is when a family member or an associate has been able to be instrumental in the soul care of their loved one or patient. How gratifying is it when we sense ourselves to have been instruments of another’s role in caring for that other.
Nouwen invites us into a community of mutual brokenness and confession. He writes, “Just as future leaders must be mystics deeply steeped in contemplative prayer, so also must the person always be willing to confess their own brokenness and ask for forgiveness from those to whom they minister.”
As to being in control, Nouwen wrote, “Without realizing it, the people I came to live with made me aware of the extent to which my leadership was still a desire to control complex situations, confused emotions, and anxious minds. It took me a long time to feel safe in this unpredictable climate, and I still have moments in which I clamp down and tell everyone to shut up, get in line, listen to me, and believe in what I say. But I am also getting in touch with the mystery that leadership, for a large part, means to be led.” How true this is in chaplaincy, yes? What a challenge it is to be in a situation where we allow things to unfold rather than to direct the circumstances. Dr. Remen in that Foreword expressed it this way, “Little in our training encourages us to accept the limitations of our science and trust the power of relationship that are simply human, and to be at peace with things we cannot understand, and to have the patience to wait for a natural unfolding and revelation.”
The antidote to this third temptation is theological reflection. By this Nouwen means, “Theological reflection is reflecting on the painful and joyful realities of every day with the mind of Jesus and thereby raising human consciousness to the knowledge of God’s gentle guidance.” Daily seeking God’s guidance in the situations I feel I need to direct and control is a daily challenge for me. You who do chaplaincy work daily are inspirations and models for me.
Blessings on your Lenten Journey,
David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director
2. Welcome to our new NACC members who joined us in February 2020!
Please join us in welcoming our new NACC members who joined us in February 2020!
Welcome to NACC, and blessings on your healing ministry!
Affiliate
Ms. Harley M. McDevitt
Katherine L. Perry BCC
Rev. Amanda L. Sampey
Linda Showman
Members
Mr. Jeffery J. Christiaansen
Rev. Diego O. Cuevas Rivera BCC-VA
Rev. Lenin Delgado BCC
Rev. Rashid Francis BCC-VA
Sr. Kay Klackner
Rev. John Kolencherry
Rev. Rene A. Mangahas
Sr. Angela Nikwobazeirwe
Rev. Austin C. Ochu
Rev. Theophilus T. Okpara
Rev. Christopher C. Opara BCC-VA
Rev. Marian A. Piekarczyk BCC-VA
Rev. Evan R. Trujillo BCC-VA
Ministry Volunteer
Branda A. Callahan
Rosario Conde-Johanek
Jennifer H. Rogers
Student
Rebecca Ash
Sheila C. Cavanaugh
Patricia A. Decker Holloway
Morris L. Jensby
Ms. Mary Kirsten Kyle
Amber A. Mcleod
Sr. Eileen M. Shea
3. Have you used our 2020 World Day of the Sick Prayers? They are still available for you!
Several members have commented on how beautiful and helpful this year’s 2020 World Day of the Sick prayers. You can still access them and use them as prayers for your various meetings, as well as distribute them. You can down load them and make your own copies. Go to: www.nacc.org/resources/spirituality-and-prayer-resources/world-day-of-the-sick
4. Read our 2020 World Day of the Sick Letter sent to our US Bishops.
On World Day of the Sick we sent our annual World Day of the Sick letter to our US Archbishops and Bishops. To the Ordinaries we include a list of our NACC members who minister in their diocese. To all bishops we include the letter and the accompanying document on what does endorsement mean. Both the letter and this document, as well as all the prior letters and materials we have sent since 2011 when we began can be found at: www.nacc.org/about-nacc/leadership/episcopal-advisory-council.
5. Join us at the 2020 Conference to honor our 2020 Annual Award Recipients.
As part of the NACC membership luncheon on Tuesday, May 12, we will present the NACC Annual Awards. Join us to honor and celebrate the three deserving recipients: Denice Foose, Kate Piderman, Ruth Jandeska. Learn more about this years’ awardees on our website.
6. Would you contribute your story to our “Paths to Chaplaincy” short videos? *
As you know, with the help of Westwords Consulting we have developed an array of inspiring materials (Brochures, Flyers, Posters, Bulletin Ads, Website Graphics, Social Media Graphics) for our Choose Chaplaincy marketing efforts. Visit the Choose Chaplaincy webpage to view and use them all!
We have also begun a series of “Paths to Chaplaincy” brief videos. View this one by Elizabeth Kitamura on the NACC Facebook and LinkedIn sites. Would you consider submitting your 60-90 second “Path” video, and possibly be featured in a future episode of Paths to Chaplaincy? It’s easy to do! Go to upload.nacc.org and follow the instructions. We look forward to viewing your path!
7. Learn more about NACC leadership opportunities and needs by participating in the FREE NACC and You: Bringing Your Gifts to Leadership. Register now!
On Thursday, March 12, 2020 (12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Central Time), Beverly Beltramo DMin, BCC, Mary Lou O’Gorman BCC and David Lichter, DMin will present a free webinar on the topic of leadership of the NACC.
Program Summary
This webinar will provide the participants an overview of the NACC with its governance structure, and the diverse committees, commissions, and panels that require our NACC members’ leadership, as well as the certification opportunities of interviewers and Interview Team Educators (ITE). The intent of this workshop is to provide the participants both an understanding of the diverse opportunities for leadership to support and advance the NACC’s mission and vision. This interactive exchange will allow time for you to reflect upon and discern where and how you might be able to offer your gifts in service of your fellow members and the profession of chaplaincy.
This free webinar will provide 2 CEHs (90 minutes for the webinar plus 30 minutes preparation time).
Registration
Although this webinar is offered at no charge, you are requested to register so that we can send you the access information. You can register online at this LINK. Alternatively, inform the National Office via e-mail: Pamela Jones: pjones@nacc.org.
8. In Vision: Hospitals honor veterans’ service in life and death
How can hospitals recognize the service of their patients who served in the military? In the current issue of Vision, palliative care coordinator Connie Foster describes the flag pin program of her hospital in western Ohio, as well as the walk of honor out of the building when a veteran dies.
www.nacc.org/vision/january-february-2020/hospitals-honor-veterans-service-in-life-and-death
9. NACC Networking Call for March 2020 – All are welcome to participate!
Monday, March 2, 2020 at 2 p.m. CT………………………………….New Member
Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 10 a.m. CT………………………………..Outpatient Settings
Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 2 pm CT………………………………….State Liaison
Monday, March 9, 2020 at 1 p.m. CT………………………………….CPE-E Community of Practice Call
Wed, March 11, 2020 at 12 p.m. CT (New Day & Time)…………….Hospice/Palliative
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 2 p.m. CT………………………………Nurse Chaplain
Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 10 a.m. CT………………………………Deacon/Chaplain
Monday, March 16, 2020 at 2 p.m. CT…………………………………Pediatric
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. CT……………………………….Under 45 Members
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 10 a.m. CT……………………………..Trauma
To sign up or for more information, questions, comments or concerns contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org.
You must reply to participate and receive the ZOOM code for the call. If you reply, we will forward ZOOM passcodes for a video connection via internet or you may still call in using your phone. Registering for the call, even if you cannot participate, will allow you to receive notes of the conversation and resources shared.
Calls with less than 5 participants may be postponed.
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!
10. If you have not registered yet for Vision 20/20 The Future of Spiritual Care Conference. Do so today!
While the Early Bird Registration has ended, you can still register for our 2020 Conference. Registration is an on-line process. Visit the 2020 website to learn all about the conference. www.nacc.org/2020-vision
11. Important things to know before you register
How to receive the Hotel Discount: Conference attendees who book sleeping rooms at one of the conference hotels will receive a discount off their early bird/full conference registration. To receive this discount, you must be registered at one of the conference hotels and have the hotel confirmation number available when you register online. You will be required to enter the confirmation number during the registration process. 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. Visit the NACC website to find out how to register at the hotel.
12. As you register, please consider a donation to the Scholarship Fund.
Please consider a donation to the Conference scholarship fund. All donations received will help members to attend the Conference. Every dollar counts: no amount is too big or small. Thank you for your support.
13. Opportunity for additional Continuing Education Hours.
A selection of 14 Professional Development Intensives (aka Pre-Conference workshops) provide the opportunity for in-depth study of a topic. These unique educational experiences are available prior to the conference on Sunday, May 10 and Monday, May 11; as well as in the afternoon on Thursday, May 14 (following the conclusion of the conference). Visit the website to find out more.
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
14. Don’t miss our next webinar of our 2020 series! Thursday, March 26, 2020 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time, The Father: The Heart of Jesus’ Ministry and the Key to Living a Contemplative Life ~ by Charles W. Sidoti, BA, BCC
This next webinar will also be a wonderful Lenten reflection for you!
Program Summary
The healing power behind Jesus’ words and miracles is in its ability to lead us to the realization of God’s real presence in creation, in our daily lives, and within our very selves. The life of Jesus epitomizes what it means to live a “contemplative life.” This presentation discusses the concept of God as Father as referred to by Jesus, as the key to living such a life. Jesus’ teaching of God as Father is intended to lead us to a trusting, hope-filled relationship with God in our daily lives. It has tremendous implications for our delivery of spiritual care.
Program Objectives
As a result of this webinar, participants will:
- Be able to describe or express the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ words, and healing ministry
- Be able to express a new understanding or appreciation of the image of God the Father and its relationship to what it means to live a “contemplative life.”
- List a minimum of three different ways that one’s personal image of (or way of seeing) God can positively or negatively impact the delivery of the spiritual care we provide.
About the Presenter
Charles W. Sidoti, is the author of, “Living at God’s Speed, Healing in God’s Time,” published in 2011 and, “Simple Contemplative Spirituality,” published in 2016. He is a clinically trained, Board Certified Chaplain and Coordinator of Spiritual Care at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital. Charles completed his training in Clinical Pastoral Education (C.P.E) through the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and his theological studies at Borromeo Seminary in the Diocese of Cleveland. He was granted Board Certification by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in 2000. As a presenter of this webinar Charles brings the following:
- Clinical experience: 23 years bedside ministry – As a full-time chaplain Sidoti offers spiritual counseling, advises with difficult ethical decisions, offers community education, works with Alcoholic Anonymous groups, and helps to work within different hospital committees, including the Bioethics Committee. Since starting in 1996, Sidoti has developed and implemented an exemplary inter-faith Hospital Ministry consisting of 43 trained lay people and professional clergy at South Pointe Hospital.
- A rich contemplative spirituality: influenced by 33 years of association with the Abbey of the Genesee, a Trappist Monastery located in New York’s Genesee Valley. The Trappists are an international Catholic contemplative order of monks also known as Cistercians.
NACC Certification Competencies Covered by the Webinar: PIC2, PIC3.2, PPS8
To register online and pay by credit card for this webinar, or for any other NACC 2020 regular series webinar, please visit the registration page by clicking on this LINK. NACC Student members wishing to register online should use the following special link: STUDENTS. 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 this special 3-part February NACC webinar series on “Her Smile Is Enough for Me: Critical Care Pediatric Chaplaincy”, presented by Jim Manzardo and Glenda Spearman.
While two of the three sessions have been completed and recorded, you can still register for this special case-based three-part webinar series which builds on the presentation “Her Smile Is Enough for Me: Critical Care Pediatric Chaplaincy,” given at the 2019 NACC National Conference, and is a response to both positive feedback and requests for more specific interventions. The presenters will describe the pediatric patients’ world through the developmental spectrum, the parents/caregivers’ world, and the healthcare providers’ world and ways the chaplain assesses and responds to the breadth of situations and needs.
Jim Manzardo, BCC is a chaplain at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago where he has worked for the past two years in the pediatric intensive care unit. Previously, he was the primary chaplain for the Hematology-Oncology-Stem Cell Transplant Service for nineteen years. He also has been part of the Palliative Care and Ethics teams and is a facilitator of a nursing transitions program for new nurses during their first year of nursing. Jim also has been incorporating mindfulness meditation into the hospital environment.
Glenda R. Spearman, MDiv, BCC, is currently a Senior Staff Chaplain at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital) where she has served since 2000. Glenda was board certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in 2008. Glenda coordinates the Minister of Care volunteers who bring Communion to the Catholic patient families at Lurie Children’s. Glenda has been Primary Chaplain for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for the past ten years. Glenda facilitates the hospital’s Schwartz Rounds, and is a member of the hospital-wide Bereavement Committee, and Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Glenda is part of the Spiritual Care Chaplain Team who provides Mindfulness Meditation to staff. Glenda coordinates the annual televised Christmas visit by the Cardinal to the hospital’s patient families. In October 2017, Glenda was awarded the Bishop Quarter Award by Chicago’s Blasé Cardinal Cupich for the many years of ministry as a pediatric hospital Chaplain, especially to the Catholic patient families.
Participant cost for these three sessions is $75 for NACC members, $90 for non-members, which includes all three sessions. A special rate of $30 is available to NACC retired and student members. This series will provide 4.5 CEH’s.
The two of the three sessions have taken place on the following dates:
- Wednesday, February 19 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)
- Wednesday, February 26 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)
The final session is this coming:
- Wednesday, March 4 (12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Central Time)
For further details, including information on how to register for this webinar series, please click on the following link: REGISTER.
16. You can still register for the entire 2020 NACC webinar series!
While the 2020 NACC Webinar series has begun, you can still register for the register for the entire 2020 NACC webinar series! It’s a special rate to register for the series of 11 webinars, plus free webinars on Certification with the NACC, Renewal of Certification, and Certification of Associate Chaplains with the NACC. Details of each of the webinars and information on how to register for them are available on our website: www.nacc.org/education-resources/nacc-webinars-and-audio-conferences.
For NACC members the registration fee for each individual webinar is $40 per connection for the live sessions or $40 to purchase access to the recordings. There is a special rate of $20 per webinar for those who have NACC student membership. For non-members the registration fee is $55 per connection for the live sessions or $55 to purchase access to the recordings. We are offering a special package that includes all of our regular January – December 2020 webinars at a discounted rate of $340 for NACC members ($170 for NACC student members) and $450 for non-members.
To register online and pay by credit card, please visit the registration page by clicking on this LINK. 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.
17. Learn about our Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition partner Dismas Ministry
Located in Milwaukee, Dismas Ministry is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. It has also launched a special blog series that will feature stories of those affected by incarceration: prisoners, victims, their families, ex-offenders, prison ministers, volunteers, and members of the community. Take a moment to learn about the special people featured in their Profiles in Prison Ministry series.
Written by Joshua Stancil
Sad hours seem long, Shakespeare wrote.
And eighteen years in prison make for interminably long hours.
However, I was fortunate in a way that many inmates are not: during my eighteen years I met, providentially, Catholics beyond the razor wire fence who visited me regularly and accompanied me during the final twelve years of my sentence. This is an exceedingly rare gift, and…(READ MORE at their blog)
18. See the next 6 months of webinar topics from the Catholic Prison Ministry Coalition!
The Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition has now published its webinars through July 2020. You can click here to view the topics and dates. Mark your calendar.
19. Have you seen this most recent multi-faith spiritual care resource from The Canadian Multifaith Federations?
On Feb 5th, 2020, the Canadian Multifaith Federation launched their new book: viz., Multifaith Perspectives in Spiritual & Religious Care.
Here is a link to the book’s content. For more details go to: www.cmfsrc.ca.
20. Chaplaincy in the news!
- Chaplains negotiating religious diversity: www.healthcaredive.com/spons/healthcare-professionals-face-challenges-in-negotiating-religious-diversity/572854
- Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner elected President of Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains: www.jewishlinknj.com/community-news/middlesex/36142-rabbi-bryan-kinzbrunner-elected-president-of-national-jewish-chaplains-group
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: Polly and Richard Valeriote (Parents of member Catherine Valeriote); Jennifer Luse, Brother Kenny Gorman, Fr. Paul F. Merry, Eugenia Lai (on the death of her mother Monica Ho), Fr. Art Schute, Linda Bronersky (at the death of her husband, Russ), Marybeth Harmon, Nolan (4-year-old grandson of member Dale Recinella), Fr. Jim Radde SJ, 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.
PASTORAL CARE CHAPLAIN
Adrian, Michigan – The Adrian Dominican Sisters
FULL-TIME STAFF CHAPLAIN
La Crosse, WI – Gundersen Lutheran Health System
PASTORAL CARE STAFF MEMBER
Peoria, IL – OSF HealthCare
PRIEST CHAPLAIN/SACRAMENTAL MINISTER
Nashville, TN – Ascension Saint Thomas Health
CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN
Williamstown, MA – Chaplains Office, Williams College
MANAGER SPIRITUAL CARE
Tampa Bay, FL – BayCare
SPIRITUAL CARE MANAGER
Muskegon, MI – Mercy Health
MANAGER-PASTORAL/SPIRITUAL CARE & ACPE CERTIFIED EDUCATOR
Fond du Lac, WI – St. Agnes Hospital
SPIRITUAL CARE MANAGER
Albany, NY – St. Peter’s Health Partners
PEDIATRIC CHAPLAIN
San Antonio, TX – CHRISTUS Health
SPIRITUAL CARE MINISTER
Eau Claire, WI & Green Bay, WI – Sacred Heart Hospital
FULL-TIME PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Long Beach, CA – Dignity Health St. Mary Medical Center