Issue #333 – August 31, 2020

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

NACC

1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
2. Today is the last day to send us your “What gives you hope?” photograph *
3. Friday, September 25, 2020, 12:00-1:30 pm Central is our NACC Annual Meeting: Honoring the Mission of Chaplains! *
4. Thank you to those of you who have already given to our 2020 Annual Member Campaign! Please join them! *
5. Nominate NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups! – September 18 deadline
6. Reminder that Certification Applications deadline is September 15, 2020! *
7. Congratulations to all chaplains who were certified in 2019 and welcome to our new NCVACC certified members! *
8. NACC continues to hold a COVID-19 listening/resource sharing ZOOM session this week. *
9. NACC Networking Call for September 2020 – All are welcome to participate! *
10. Do you need a Listening Heart?
11. Would you like to meet with other chaplains to process your experience during these times?
12. Vision seeks articles on chaplaincy, healthcare, and race *
13. In Vision: Unpacking a knapsack full of privileges *
14. Healing Tree: a request for prayers *

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

15. Don’t forget to check the NACC Coronavirus page for resources!
16. Register today for Chaplaincy as a Ministry of the Church Presented by David A. Lichter, DMin *
17. Seeking NACC chaplains to review this new Resource for those experiencing cancer *
18. Recent job postings *

1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
Kenosha, Wisconsin, is my home town. Home towns always remain so. In this past week the senseless shooting seven times of Jacob Blake was horrific to view. It wrenched my soul.

The ensuring demonstrations, looting and destruction took place. They overshadowed the critical peaceful outrage. Too many times I read and listened to comments about destroyed buildings and businesses, that again made the seven shots of the human being, Jacob Blake a footnote or afterthought. A human being was shot seven times in the back rather than being restrained in some other way. A human being! Then more deaths happened by a seventeen-year-old with an assault rifle who was being socially exonerated in a media outlet for wanting to “protect property.”

How do we talk about this? How do we keep a national outrage against lost lives and racism alive? How do we speak about this among ourselves? How do we not let inhumane treatment become a footnote to material destruction? It’s all horrific, yet how do we keep inalienable human life right before one another and our society?

I appreciated reflecting on one of my favorite passages from Jeremiah (20:7-9) where Jeremiah struggles with his prophetic call, and wanted to call it quits. He felt he was seduced by God to take on this role, then he shares his self-talk, “I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more.”

I am certainly tempted not to speak or write, in part because I so often find my articulation can still reveal my own subconscious biases which are readily pointed out to me. In our social discourse we do reveal our rational and emotional state that is always in need of greater purification and redemption. Even Jeremiah in his self-talk realized his frustration and tiredness. Yet in his self-conversation he also experienced, “But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.”

Maybe being part of a national conscience and consciousness transformation on racial matters will be something we cannot not be a part of because we will grow more weary not trying to express ourselves rather trying to do so. Am I open to “derision and reproach” (in the words of Jeremiah) by those who don’t see any racism? Or better yet am I open to corrective comments from colleagues and loved ones who hear in my words my own need for greater conversion in my own deeply ingrained racist dispositions? Am I open to be challenged?

Perhaps, that is where yesterday’s gospel (Mark 16:21-27) reminds me: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” This takes me back to the lines from the modern rewriting of Ignatius’ Anima Christi by David Fleming

So what does “May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross” look like? Is it knowing that this time in history, these tragic circumstances, these contentious, anxious, fearful, frustrating, and agonizing times and the responses they call from me are the very “shadow of the cross” which I seek? Is the meaning of “shelter” just knowing this is where I need to be right now, in these times? The prayer does not use the adjective “safe” in front of it; only uses the noun shelter. Maybe that tells me something.

How do you experience today this verse from Jeremiah? “But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.”

Blessings,

David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director

2. Today is the last day to send us your “What gives you hope?” photograph *
As a way to Honor the Ministry of Chaplains, NACC would like to include our members reflecting on the question: “What has given me hope (or strength, or meaning, or purpose) this past year?” As answer(s) come to mind, please summarize your response in one to three words, but no more than three words, please! Then, print the word(s) with a marker on a whiteboard or large piece of paper/cardboard. Please mark your word(s) clearly and large enough for people to read. Then, ask someone to take your picture (electronically) holding your word(s) in front of you. Finally, send your photo to me attached to an email (jimlet0523@hotmail.com) by August 31st. Photos that are sent to me will be included in a presentation during our annual meeting in September. It is understood that by sending me your photo you are giving me permission to post your photo as part of our annual meeting. If you do not want your photo posted, please don’t send it to me. Also, please recall that the meeting will be recorded, so by sending your photo to me, you also understand your photo will be posted on the NACC website for a period of time for our members who were not able to attend the annual meeting. Thank you for your participation in this exciting project!

3. Friday, September 25, 2020, 12:00-1:30 pm Central is our NACC Annual Meeting: Honoring the Mission of Chaplains! *
Friday, September 25, 2020, 12:00-1:30 pm Central is our NACC Annual Meeting: Honoring the Mission of Chaplains!
Please hold this date, Friday, September 25, 2020, 12:00-1:30 pm central for our NACC Annual Meeting: Honoring the Mission of Chaplains! Read more in this letter from NACC Board Chair Jim Letourneau: Honoring the Mission of Chaplains

4. Thank you to those of you who have already given to our 2020 Annual Member Campaign! Please join them! *
Our 2020 Annual Campaign was delayed due to the pandemic but is now underway. We are deeply grateful to all those who have been able to give so far! To date, we have received 310 gifts totaling $31,322. 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 (www.nacc.org/donate) or just click here to donate. Please give as you can! Blessings!

5. Nominate NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups! – September 18 deadline
Send us your nominations for the NACC Distinguished Service Award, Emergent Leader Award, and Outstanding Colleague Award to be awarded in 2021. The deadline is Friday, September 18, 2020. You can learn more and access the nomination forms at 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 2021.

Distinguished Service Award Nomination Form
Emergent Leader Award Nomination Form
Outstanding Colleague Award Nomination Form

6. Reminder that Certification Applications deadline is September 15, 2020! *

Coming Soon! DEADLINE September 15, 2020 – Initial Certification, Certified Associate Chaplain. Palliative Care and Hospice Advanced Certification (Track 1-Interview) Application is accepting applications.

We are currently accepting application portfolios for initial certification, certified associate chaplain for the September 15, 2020 deadline. The application portfolios must be postmarked by September 15. We also have an online upload option for the Initial Board Certification (BCC) Application on our website: https://www.nacc.org/certification/certification-submission-form/.
Advanced Certification applications are taken on an ongoing basis and can be submitted at any time.
If you have any questions or would like informational materials on initial, associate or advanced certification, please contact Lisa Sarenac at lisasarenac@nacc.org or call (414) 483-4898 Ext. 304. Please keep our applicants and those considering Board Certification in your prayers.

7. Congratulations to all chaplains who were certified in 2019 and welcome to our new NCVACC certified members! *
Due to the cancellation of the conference, Bishop Hying hosted a Virtual Missioning Ceremony to congratulate and celebrate the ministry of these individuals. This is the link to view the ceremony: https://youtu.be/keA0xsIuZcc
Congratulations to all newly certified.

8. NACC continues to hold a COVID-19 listening/resource sharing ZOOM session this week. *
For the week of August 31st, the NACC will offer one general listening session. This is a general listening session asking for you to bring what is on your heart. NOTE NEW TIME!

This coming week’s general session will be
Wednesday, September 2, 2020, 3pm – 4pm Central Time (4pm ET, 2pm MT, 1pm PT)

ATTENTION: You will need to register HERE for this call. You will be sent automatically the ZOOM information to access this session. If you have trouble registering please let us know at info@nacc.org.

Due to increased security from ZOOM, you may be placed in a Waiting Room. Please be patient until the host joins the call.

9. NACC Networking Call for September 2020 – All are welcome to participate! *
In addition to Listening Session with Emphasis on Self-care and Grief scheduled for Wednesday’s at 3 p.m. CT (NOTE NEW TIME), NACC is offering these Networking calls in September:

Wednesday, September 9 at 12 p.m. CT   |   NACC Palliative Care/Hospice Networking Call
Monday, September 14 at 2 p.m. CT   |   CPE-E Community of Practice Call
Friday, September 25 at 12 p.m. CT   |   ANNUAL NACC MEMBER MEETING

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 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.

Due to ZOOM Security requirements, you may be place in a waiting room. Do not disconnect. Please be patient until the host joins the call and allows you access. If you have difficulty in joining calls using ZOOM please let Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) know so that we can address the difficulty. THANK YOU!

10. 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. For more info, click here.

Listening Hearts is available for NACC members seeking a listening presence from a 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.

11. Would you like to meet with other chaplains to process your experience during these times?
“Sharing of Feelings for Chaplains in the Field” will be a 50-minute bi-weekly group ZOOM session offering an opportunity for our members to express personal feelings and stresses related to ministry in this era of dramatic health care crisis.

Guidelines:

1. Minimum number of 3 and maximum of 6 persons in each group.
2. Open group – must register through NACC and can participate in one or many sessions.
3. Group members are expected to stay with the 50-minute session once it has started.
4. Commitment to strictest confidentiality,
5. Free expression of feelings, with acceptance, support and understanding from each group member to be facilitated by an experienced retired chaplain.
6. There will be no notes or recordings.
7. More groups available, if more than 6 people apply.

We invite you to be a part of this intimate sharing group. Please contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) to express your interest and to set up a mutually convenient time for these sessions.

12. Vision seeks articles on chaplaincy, healthcare, and race *
Our Vision blog is shifting its emphasis to examine how racism affects healthcare and spiritual care. If you have ideas for articles about disparity in treatment, structural inequalities, and barriers to access, representation within our profession, or other topics — or if you have had spiritual care encounters that clarified the issues for you — we would like to hear from you. Please send a summary of your idea to Vision editor David Lewellen, dlewellen@nacc.org.

13. In Vision: Unpacking a knapsack full of privileges *
What privileges does a white chaplain enjoy simply by being white? In our first Vision post on racism, Sheri Bartlett Browne lists five of them — and offers some suggestions for the hard work of how they can be discarded or shared. To read more, click on nacc.org/nacc-blog/.

14. Healing Tree: a request for prayers *
We continue to pray for: Mary Lou O’Gorman’s recovery from surgery, Christy Medina’s recovery from surgery, her mother Flor Veneracion’s recovery from COVID 19, and for the soul of her father Jose Veneracion who died of COVID-19, for the special intentions of Sr. Mary A. DuPlain SJSM, Susan Balling, Isabelita Boquiren, Fr. Jim Radde SJ, Kathy Ponce, Denice Foose, Sr. Mary I. Powers DC, Rev. George J. Henninger, Fr. Jose Hernandez, Marybeth Harmon, Barbara McKee, Autumn Vaughn (great-niece of member Linda Bronersky), Cosmas Ahiarakwem (deceased brother of member Fr. Gabriel Ahiarakwem), Joe Keegan (brother of Sr. Betty Keegan), Sr. Emily Demuth CSC (on the death of her sister Patricia), Liam O’Neill (brother of Mary T. O’Neill), and Pamela Jones, her daughter Erin and husband Eric on the loss of their unborn child Liam.

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.

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

15. Don’t forget to check the NACC Coronavirus page for resources!
Please continue to check our NACC Coronavirus page for resources.

16. Register today for Chaplaincy as a Ministry of the Church Presented by David A. Lichter, DMin *
On Thursday, September 24, 2020 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time, David A. Lichter, DMin will present on Chaplaincy as a Ministry of the Church.

Program Summary
Our NACC mission states: The National Association of Catholic Chaplains advocates for the profession of spiritual care and educates, certifies, and supports chaplains, clinical pastoral educators, and all members who continue the healing ministry of Jesus in the name of the Church. Chaplaincy is a profession, but also a ministry of the Church. This webinar will explore how chaplaincy is understood as an “ecclesial ministry,” NACC relates Church leadership, and how, as members, we might reflect on our chaplaincy profession as a ministry of the Church.

Program Objectives
As a result of this webinar, participants will:
1. Understand the meaning of professional chaplaincy as an “ecclesial ministry”
2. Learn of NACC’s diverse ecclesial relationships and how our members might foster relationships within the Church community
3. Explore way to reflect on one’s own professional chaplaincy as a ministry of the Church

About the Presenter
David Lichter, DMin is the Executive Director of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.

NACC Certification Competencies Covered by the Webinar: ITP2.1, PIC2.2, PIC3.1, PIC3.2

To register for this webinar go to: https://nationalcatholicwiassoc.wliinc32.com/events/NACC-2020-Webinars-Audio-Conferences-134/details

17. New Resource for those experiencing cancer
NACC has recently been in conversation with Lisa Lefebvre, Founder/CEO of Mend Together: (https://www.mendtogether.com/), a new social platform that helps friends, family, and congregations support patients going through medical hardships like cancer. They facilitate emotional, social, physical, financial, and spiritual support with three free tools:

1. Community Journal that keeps everyone updated and able to offer timely words of encouragement and scripture
2. Volunteer Calendar that makes organizing support easy
3. Gift + Cash Registry that enables loved ones to send healing gifts or provide financial support

Here is a brief video demonstration of the site: https://youtu.be/ttQB17vFfZA

They would like help with early feedback and will be very glad to host a brief session to further process this resource with any of our NACC members who would be interested. Please contact Ramune (rfranitza@nacc.org) directly if you would like to join this session.

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

CHAPLAIN
Waterloo, Iowa – Waterloo Medical Center

DIRECTOR of PASTORAL/SPIRITUAL CARE
Notre Dame, IN – The Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc

CHAPLAIN
Marian Regional Medical Center, Santa Maria, CA