Issue #324 – April 27, 2020
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(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)
NACC
1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
2. NACC continues to hold COVID-19 listening/resource sharing ZOOM sessions this week *
3. Do you need a Listening Heart? *
4. NACC 2019 Annual Report available on the NACC website *
5. Thank you to our many members who are contributing to the Spring Virtual Certification Interviews! *
6. NACC Members in the news *
7. In Vision: Priest’s gift of kidney to parishioner gives everyone new outlook on life *
8. Vision seeks coronavirus contributors *
9. NACC Networking Call for May 2020 – All are welcome to participate! *
10. Would you contribute your story to our “Paths to Chaplaincy” short videos?
11. Four NACC Chaplains share their experiences
12. World Day of the Sick Prayer Cards *
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
13. This Thursday, April 30, 2020 is our next webinar of our 2020 series! Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services; Implications for Spiritual Care Decision-Making Presented by Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, PhD.
14. Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition May Webinar: Understanding the Challenges of Detention Ministry *
15. Listening/Resource Sharing Sessions for those in involved in correctional chaplaincy ministry *
16. Partners in Pastoral Care Resources in both English and Spanish *
17. Healing Tree: a request for prayers *
18. Recent job postings *
1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
I don’t know about you, but I find myself daily not just seeking the most recent trustworthy and reliable news on the COVID-19 pandemic that will help navigate short-term and long-term plans (and that news changes day by day, does it not?) but also reflections and stories of love and hope that can calm for a moment the anxieties, disappointments, and fears. Those reflections and stories lift my spirit, ground my faith, and provide a broader perspective on our humanity, our common destiny, and our underlying common spirituality that seeks meaning and purpose with a loving connectedness to all.
The other day I read a column by Jay Parini recalling his conversation with W.H. Auden and its relevance for Easter.
I listened, a bit puzzled, then asked: “So what’s the second thing?” “Ah, that,” he said. “The second thing is simply advice. Rest in God, dear boy. Rest in God.”
Auden’s two points of wisdom have taken decades to absorb. He was telling me, I think, that our frantic search for meaning in the calendar and clock — the race against time — is foolish in the context of a larger universe or God’s eternity (one can define “God” in so many different ways). “Ridiculous the waste sad time,” wrote T. S. Eliot, urging us toward “the still point of the turning world.”
The advice to rest in God seems more and more relevant to me. It invites us to relax into the power of the universe that sustains us, that holds us up, embraces us — even to the point of death. This is, I think, the Easter message in a nutshell: trusting in God’s power to transform our lives into something better.
www.cnn.com/2020/04/09/opinions/easter-coronavirus-wh-auden-parini/index.html
I was struck where he was reflecting back on the relevance of that conversation, and where he wrote, “Auden’s two points of wisdom have taken decades to absorb.” And it’s relevance for this Easter. It’s an example of reflections that “lift my spirit, ground my faith, and provide a broader perspective on our humanity..”
So, I could not help but smile at yesterday’s Emmaus story where Jesus provides His perspective on the Hebrew scriptures, read so often by the disciples, but now given new light and relevance as they experienced their own anxieties, disappointments, and fears. They mused, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)
Perhaps, this entire pandemic season that encompasses our Lenten and Easter journeys situates us with those disciples, most likely not practicing social distance but certainly uncertain and confused by the events experienced with their own anxieties, disappointments, and fears. Daily we seek the stories and reflections that lift our spirits, ground our faith, and provide a broader perspective on our humanity, our common destiny, and our underlying common spirituality that seeks meaning, purpose, and a loving connectedness to all. In those moments as we listen and read that “burning within us” is the presence of our Risen Jesus reminding us of His saving and compassionate Presence, and that He is with us giving us His Easter peace.
Blessings on your Easter Season,
David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director
2. NACC continues to hold COVID-19 listening/resource sharing ZOOM sessions this week *
This message from our Executive Director went out to our members this past Friday, regarding ZOOM sessions this week to discuss spiritual care in the context of COVID-19.
Dear NACC members,
We are entering our final week of April. It’s challenging to remember six-to-eight weeks ago or six-to-eight weeks ahead as so many of you are in the peak weeks of the pandemic. Our member listening/resource sharing sessions continue as the topics have moved from initial exchanges on how to provide care virtually and what is proper protocol for the sacraments to extended discussions on how to care for the frontline staff who are fatigued and fearful, having seen so many deaths and linger in their concerns for the health and welfare of their families and themselves. We are sharing on how to hold virtually with families and loved ones’ life reviews, commendations for the dying, and funeral services.
In the midst of these times, you, our members, are faced with your own fatigue, grief, fears, and uncertainties. Some of you have been furloughed or your job has been eliminated. Others of you have had to pick up extra work due to the reduction in the workforce. The staff of the NACC continues to hold you in prayer, and seek to find ways to best support you and provide you resources in these days…(read more)
3. Do you need a Listening Heart? *
We recognize that these are unusual and uncertain times. You are being stretched in new ways and faced with challenging choices. We have a resource called, “Listening Hearts,” to provide you one on one support.
Listening Hearts is available for NACC members seeking a listening presence from an NACC retired chaplain colleague. You may be experiencing and feeling the cumulative impact of the present global Pandemic. For those providing support for others and navigating the new normal without the opportunity to gather with extended family/friends, visit a favorite restaurant or workout at the gym, we invite you to share the load by reaching out for a listening heart of an experienced and compassionate retired chaplain. Please contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) if you would like to speak with a Listening Heart.
4. NACC 2019 Annual Report available on the NACC website *
The NACC Board of Directors, volunteer leaders, Executive Director, and staff provide our members the NACC 2019 Annual Report for our review. It is one way our leaders provide to our members transparency and accountability. The report includes summaries of Board, committee, commission, panel, certification interview activities, the 2019 financial review, and the recognition and gratitude for the many volunteer contribution and donations. We are grateful to all who help us advance and fulfill our NACC mission and strategic priorities. Here is a link to the report.
5. Thank you to our many members who are contributing to the Spring Virtual Certification Interviews! *
The National Office and many volunteers completed the first set of Virtual Interviews, which replaced the face to face interviews in the wake of the pandemic, this past weekend. There were 11 applicants who were interviewed by 15 interviewers, assisted by 4 ITE’s. The next session will take place on May 2 and 3 with 15 applicants, 15 interviewers and 4 ITE’s. The final session will occur on May 16 with 4 applicants, 6 interviewers and 3 ITE’s. Please keep our applicants and interview teams in prayer for this new form of interview initiative. We are so thankful for all our volunteers’ hard work and dedication to the NACC Certification process! Please continue to keep our certification applicants, and all those involved in making these weekends a success, in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare for interviews.
6. NACC Members in the news *
During this COVID-19 Pandemic, several news agencies have sought to provide articles on the profession of chaplaincy. On our Coronavirus resource page, we have posted articles as we learn of them. Here is a sampling of articles that included one or more of our NACC members. Blessings on all of your ministries.
Chaplains Minister Amidst Changes Brought by Pandemic – Health Progress
LA chaplains look to create ‘bridges’ with isolated coronavirus patients – Angelus News, Apr 22, 2020
Amid distancing, Maryland priests find ways to comfort the sick and dying – Baltimore Sun, April 12, 2020
How a Hospital Chaplain Brings Comfort to Patients, Without Hugs or Holding Hands – KQED, April 11, 2020
Holy oil, masks and FaceTime: The coronavirus forces Catholics to adapt last rites – Los Angeles Times, April 11, 2020
What it’s like to be a hospital chaplain during Covid-19 – America magazine, March 27, 2020
Undeterred during COVID-19, hospital chaplains transform delivery of spiritual care – Internal Medicine News, April 27, 2020
7. In Vision: Priest’s gift of kidney to parishioner gives everyone new outlook on life *
Fifteen years ago, Fr. Mickey Bancroft gave one of his kidneys to a parishioner. In the current issue of Vision, he reflects on how the experience changed his life for the better. 
www.nacc.org/vision/march-april-2020/priests-gift-of-kidney-to-parishioner-gives-everyone-new-outlook-on-life
8. Vision seeks coronavirus contributors *
To deal with the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the next issue of Vision is appearing in blog form on the NACC website, with articles posted as we receive them. We are looking for experiences, resources, and best practices for spiritual care in this moment. Possible topics include telechaplaincy; moral distress; ministry to families; ministry to staff; personal protective equipment; ministry without touch; and more. Today, NACC member Rick Nash describes his phone ministry to the residents of his nursing home – and scroll down the blog page for articles about a member’s recovery from COVID-19 and the new reality of distance funerals. Check back Thursday for another post at www.nacc.org/nacc-blog. And please email David Lewellen at dlewellen@nacc.org with your own contributions.
9. NACC Networking Call for May 2020 – All are welcome to participate! *
In addition to the COVID-19 Listening Calls, NACC is offering these Networking calls in May
Monday May 4 at 10 a.m. CT……………………Long Term Care
Wednesday, May 13 at 12 p.m. CT………………Palliative Care/Hospice
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 replied, we will forward the 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!
10. 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 our 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 www.nacc.org/about-nacc/choose-chaplaincy/paths-to-chaplaincy-submission and follow the instructions. We look forward to viewing your path!
11. Four NACC Chaplains share their experiences
Four NACC members share experiences from early in their careers, and what excites them about chaplaincy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6LvvB-RrU8
#choosechaplaincy
12. World Day of the Sick Prayer Cards *
World Day of the Sick Prayer Cards are available for your use and distribution to patients and caregivers. You may also wish to review the archive which is also found through the link below.
www.nacc.org/resources/spirituality-and-prayer-resources/world-day-of-the-sick
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
13. This Thursday, April 30, 2020 is our next webinar of our 2020 series! Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services; Implications for Spiritual Care Decision-Making Presented by Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, PhD.
This coming Thursday, April 30, 2020 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time, NACC will be offering an important webinar on Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services; Implications for Spiritual Care Decision-Making. Click here to register!
The webinar will examine the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) and offer guidance as to how they can be applied for spiritual care.
Program Objectives
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able:
- To explain the purpose of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) and relate the directives to the Catholic moral tradition;
- To offer examples for applying the ERDs to situations that occur in the health care setting;
- To suggest ways how the spiritual care provider might use the ERD’s in ethical discernment.
About the Presenter
Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, Ph.D., is director of ethics for the Catholic Health Association of the United States. In this role, he provides research and suggested implementation of the church’s moral tradition for CHA member organizations in areas of clinical and organizations ethics. Together with CHA’s senior director of theology and ethics, Nathaniel creates educational and formational programming on moral theology and its relationship to current topics for the Catholic health ministry. Prior to joining CHA in 2017, Nathaniel earned his Ph.D. from the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University, where he researched organizational ethics, bioethics and Catholic health care ethics. He also taught an undergraduate course on Foundations in Health Care Ethics. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and theology and a master’s degree in theological studies from Boston College. He also has a master’s degree in health care ethics from Saint Louis University.
NACC Certification Competencies Covered by the Webinar: ITP2.1, ITP4.1
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.
14. Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition May Webinar: Understanding the Challenges of Detention Ministry *
Of the populations affected by incarceration none may be as hidden as those impacted by detention. Detention Ministry poses unique challenges that can be difficult to navigate for the minister, the families, and the detention center staff. In this session Fr. Richard Sotelo, SJ, the chaplain for the Department of Homeland Security’s El Paso Processing Center, and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami, lead a discussion around the challenges and the opportunities of ministering to those affected by Detention. Click here for details and to register!
15. Listening/Resource Sharing Sessions for those in involved in correctional chaplaincy ministry *
On Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, at 3:00 pm central time the NACC in partnership with the Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition will offer two Listening/Resource Sharing ZOOM Sessions for those involved in jail and prison chaplaincy ministry. The purpose of these sessions is to provide those in this ministry to share with and learn from one another how offering ministry in our COVID-19 environment, reflecting on questions of both “What are you doing?” and “How are you doing?” To register for these sessions click here.
16. Partners in Pastoral Care Resources in both English and Spanish *
We now have both the Pastoral Care Competencies and the Pastoral Care Project Booklet in English and Spanish. We are deeply grateful and indebted to Deacon Adrian Zapatero of the Archdiocese of Miami for providing us these translations. www.nacc.org/about-nacc/partners-in-pastoral-care
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: 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.
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.
DIRECTOR OF CHAPLAINCY SERVICES
West Reading, PA – Tower Health
SPIRITUAL CARE SERVICES REGIONAL MANAGER
Chicago, Illinois – AMITA Health
CPE RESIDENCY September 2020- September 2021
Corpus Christi, TX – CHRISTUS Spohn Health System
CHAPLAIN DIRECTOR
West Point, NY – U.S. Military Academy
DIRECTOR of MISSION and PASTORAL CARE
Washington, DC – MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
