Issue #336 – October 12, 2020

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(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 September! *
3. Please join other NACC members in providing input into NACC’s future! *
4. Thank you to those of you who have already given to our 2020 Annual Member Campaign! Please join them! *
5. CHAPLAINS WHO HAVE CONTRACTED COVID, how can we support you?
6. Marketing Communication Advisory Panel seeking members with marketing experience!
7. Death of a NACC member
8. Thank you to our many members who are contributing to the October Virtual Certification Interviews!
9. In Vision: Micro-aggressions represent the subtle side of racism
10. Vision seeks articles on chaplaincy, healthcare, and race
11. Member COVID Listening Call next week, Wednesday, October 21st at 3:00 pm central time.
12. NACC Networking Calls for October/November 2020 – All are welcome to participate!
13. Healing Tree: a request for prayers

2021 NATIONAL CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 1, 2021

14. Friday, October 29, to Monday, November 1, 2021, for NACC National Conference!

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

15. Don’t forget to check the NACC Anti-Racism page for resources! *
16. Don’t forget to check the NACC Coronavirus page for resources! *
17. You can still register for NACC’s next much-needed webinar on mindfulness! *
18. Did you see the recent document from the Congregation of Faith on caring for persons who are critically ill?
19. Pope Francis published his recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti *
20. Still seeking potential webinar presenters for the following topics
21. How’s your prep for October 25-31 Pastoral Care Week / Spiritual Care Week 2020?
22. Other continuing education opportunities *
23. Recent job postings *

 

1. Executive Director’s Reflection *
I suspect these days you also have so many thoughts and feelings, wonderments and worries, that can occupy you. The continued rise of COVID-19 cases, irruption of cries and demonstrations for racial justice in the wake of decisions about police shootings, direr statistics of economic instability, and one’s own familial, financial, workplace, and social context uncertainties. It’s such a challenge to stay in and live the day. It’s a challenge for us people of faith to read, reflect on, and hold to the messages and images of yesterday’s readings.

The line from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians (4:12-14, 19-20) really struck me, “My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” While he appreciated the Philippians’ concern for him, he emphasizes how he has learned the art of “living in abundance and of being in need.” I know I am not there yet but strive to get there.

Certainly, the images of invitation to recognize and live in the abundance about us are given us in the evocative first reading of Isaiah 25:6-10. I remember choosing that reading with my dad in preparation for his funeral while he was in home hospice. While being a young 69 years old dying of complications of lung and lymph cancer, he was ready. In looking back on his life, he felt blessed, almost full, like Isaiah’s image of “rich, juicy food.” (Certainly, Mom’s cooking gave him a wonderful foretaste of that!) His message seemed to be, “I am good with what has been, and where God has brought me to this moment.” He enjoyed the abundance of family love in the diminishment and ending of this life. I was and remain inspired by him and challenged to learn to embrace the invitation to recognize the abundance about me.

Isaiah emphasizes that the veil will be lifted, the web in which we are caught will be destroyed, and tears will be gone! Somehow, I am called to believe this is true right now too! I am invited to recognize and embrace this vision, these images as they describe not just a future but how they describe the “already” and not just the “not yet.” Where is it true for me right now?

In the challenges these days to stay in and live today, these are helpful readings for me. There is abundance of life about us and within us. Do you see it too?

Blessings,

David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director

 

2. Welcome to our new NACC Members who joined us in September! *

Please join us in welcoming our new NACC members who joined us in September! Welcome!

Diocesan Partner
Diocese of Austin

Full Member
Mrs. Mary C. Gardner
Mrs. Utufa’asili J. McDermott
Rev. Elias A. Ojomah
Rev. Sylvester O. Okoh
Mrs. Susan L. Puchalla

Ministry Volunteer
Deacon Joseph A. LeBlanc

Student
Mrs. Madelyn M. LaFave
Ms. Janice E. Schutten
Ms. Donna S. Willis

Affiliate
Mr. Jacob V. Mullins

 

3. Please join other NACC members in providing input into NACC’s future! *
Last week the NACC Board of Directors held two member engagement listening sessions for providing input to the Board for NACC’s next Strategic Plan. The Board will hold two more sessions this week on Tuesday, October 13, at 4:00 p.m. Central, and on Thursday, October 15, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time. To register, please contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org)

 

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 379 gifts totaling $42,652. 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. CHAPLAINS WHO HAVE CONTRACTED COVID, how can we support you?
At recent COVID Listening/Resource Sharing Sessions, NACC members who have tested positive for COVID or are experiencing the illness have shared feelings of isolation, bewilderment at how they became infected, and fear of infecting others. The NACC invites members who have contracted COVID to contact the national office so that we can 1) ask how to support you and 2) begin to know how many members have been infected. Any information you provide will be kept confidential at your request. Please contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org. Thank you.

 

6. Marketing Communication Advisory Panel seeking members with marketing experience!
Are you passionate about your career as a chaplain and want to share this passion in a productive way? NACC needs members with marketing experience to join the Marketing Communications Advisory Panel to provide ongoing feedback, guidance, and strategic thinking to NACC Staff and Executive Director by reviewing our current plans and initiatives in marketing and communication, and assisting in developing, implementing, and monitoring progress on a comprehensive marketing/communication strategy. (https://www.nacc.org/about-nacc/leadership/panels-education-editorial-research/marketing-advisory-panel)
Please express your interest to Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org).

 

7. Death of a NACC member *
We only recently learned of the death of our NACC member, Anita Lorbiecki, who died December 19, 2019. Anita joined NACC in 2005 and was certified that same year. She served many years at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. God enfolds her in Love and Fullness of Life! Read more about her at: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?n=anita-marie-lorbiecki&pid=194784829&fhid=14802

As you learn of the death of one of our members, please alert us. Blessings.

 

8. Thank you to our many members who are contributing to the October Virtual Certification Interviews! *
The National Office and many volunteers have been busy conducting Virtual Interviews for Certification over the past two weekends. We are so thankful for all our volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the NACC Certification process during these difficult times. NACC values the service of 48 interviewers, 8 ITE’s, 2 Commissioners and 1 chaplain serving as Spiritual Support! We congratulate 38 applicants who will be recommended to our Certification Commission at the November meeting.

 

9. In Vision: Micro-aggressions represent the subtle side of racism *
After 20 years of living in the United States, Charles Kibirige most commonly experiences racism in the form of micro-aggressions. To read our latest Vision post about what makes these everyday slights hurtful and how responding to them in the moment can create positive change, visit www.nacc.org/nacc-blog.

 

10. 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.

 

11. Member COVID Listening Call next week, Wednesday, October 21st at 3:00 pm central time. *
We continue to have good participation for our October COVID Listening Calls. It is much appreciated. So, for the week of October 19th, the NACC will offer one general listening session This is a general listening session asking for you to bring what is on your heart.

Wednesday, October 21, 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.

For more resources and blog updates be sure to read the latest update on our Coronavirus resources page.

 

12. NACC Networking Calls for October/November 2020 – All are welcome to participate! *
In addition to a Listening Session with Emphasis on Self-care and Grief scheduled for Wednesday, October 21 at 3 p.m. CT (NOTE NEW TIME), NACC is offering these Networking calls in October and November:

Wednesday, October 14; 12 p.m. CT —– NACC Palliative Care/Hospice Networking Call
Thursday, October 15; 10 a.m. CT —– NACC Corrections Networking Call
Monday, October 19; 11 a.m. CT —– NACC Trauma Networking Call
Tuesday, October 20; 1 p.m. CT —– NACC State Liaison Networking Call
Monday, October 22; 2 p.m. CT —– NACC Under 45 Member Networking Call
Tuesday, November 10, 2020; 10 a.m. CT —– NACC Purposeful Retirement Networking Call
Wednesday, November 11; 12 p.m. CT —– NACC Palliative Care/Hospice Networking Call

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!

 

13. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
We continue to pray for: the special intentions of Maritza Ramos-Pratt BCC, Sr. Mary A. DuPlain SJSM, Susan Balling, Isabelita Boquiren, Fr. Jim Radde SJ, Denice Foose, Fr. Jose Hernandez, Barbara McKee, Mary Lou O’Gorman, Joe Keegan (brother of Sr. Betty Keegan), Liam O’Neill (brother of Mary T O’Neill), Sr. Emily Demuth CSC (on the death of her sister Patricia), Autumn Vaughn (great-niece of member Linda Bronersky), Nolan (grandson of Br. Dale Recinella, in gratitude for healing), 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.

 

2021 NATIONAL CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 1, 2021

14. Friday, October 29, to Monday, November 1, 2021, for NACC National Conference! *
Mark your calendars for the NACC Conference in 2021! This conference will be held Friday, October 29 through Monday, November 1, 2021, at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo Hotel in Buffalo, NY. It will be preceded by preconference workshops and our NACC retreat. Plan to join us!

 

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

15. Don’t forget to check the NACC Anti-Racism page for resources! *
Please continue to check our NACC Anti-Racism page for resources.
www.nacc.org/resources/antiracism-resources

 

16. Don’t forget to check the NACC Coronavirus page for resources! *
Please continue to check our NACC Coronavirus page for resources.
www.nacc.org/resources/coronavirus-resources.

 

17. You can still register for NACC’s next much-needed webinar on mindfulness! *
Little did we know at the end of 2019 how valuable our coming October NACC Webinar will be! Please join us for Christian Mindfulness: Space and Grace in Spiritual Care, presented by Kristie J. Zahn BCC, Thursday, October 22, 2020 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time!

Program Summary
The concept of “being present” has been an essential competency of chaplaincy long before Mindfulness became the latest thing in pop culture. Today’s webinar is less about what Mindfulness is, and more about how Mindfulness can enable greater God awareness, and in doing so, bring our “inner peace” into our “outer work” in Spiritual Care. Though Mindfulness is often times referred to as being Buddhist in its philosophy, in truth, we as Christians have long understood and been inspired by the lives of many contemplative Christian saints and mystics, including Jesus himself, who modeled how to be fully present, fully aware, through the eyes of compassion and non-judgment. So, with a Christian Spiritual Lens on Mindfulness, we will explore how chaplains can integrate Mindfulness practices into patient care, especially with the SBNR (Spiritual but not Religious) and into personal self-care/stress management.

The intention of this webinar will be to stimulate the mind, open the heart, and inspire the soul by sharing stories, practical tools and best practices that enable us as Chaplains to create Space and Grace in Spiritual Care.

Program Objectives
As a result of this webinar, participants will:
1. By understanding how your mind works, cultivate a Mindfulness practice that strengthens your Christian faith tradition, deepens your relationship with God, and empowers your work in Spiritual Care.
2. Explore best practices in chaplaincy using Mindfulness principles that address issues of spiritual distress in the “Spiritual but not Religious”, inpatient and outpatient.
3. Use Christian Mindfulness to lovingly self-nurture the effects of stress and compassion fatigue.

About the Presenter
Kristie Zahn spent 20+ years of her career as an HR Executive in non-profit, academic, and profit-based companies. Her call to ministry and passion for Mindfulness arose from her own “sacred initiation/care accident” where she experienced “death and rebirth” as she moved through a coma, and extensive time in rehab/recovery. Her healing journey has given her personal experience, as well as insight, wisdom, and compassion with regards to many traditional and complementary paths to healing. She left her corporate career to pursue service in spiritual care and has studied/been credentialed to teach Mindfulness with many esteemed teachers such as Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, and Sharon Salzburg. Kristie holds Masters’ degrees in Management and Religious Studies and is also a certified Life Coach. Kristie is currently a Board-Certified staff Chaplain at Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine, WI.

NACC Certification Competencies Covered by the Webinar: PIC1, PIC2, PIC3, PIC6, PPS1, PPS2, PPS3, PPS5, OL1, PL2, OL4, OL5

More information about webinars and registration
Online Registration
NACC Student Member Online registration

 

18. Did you see the recent document from the Congregation of Faith on caring for persons who are critically ill? *
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith recently publish a letter, Samaritanus Bonus, that addresses the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life. You can access that letter here.

 

19. Pope Francis published his recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti *
On October 3, 2020, Pope Francis published his encyclical Fratelli Tutti on the importance of sisterly and brotherly love and social friendship. A brief, excellent summary of it can be found at TheJesuitPost.org at https://thejesuitpost.org/2020/10/an-overview-of-fratelli-tutti/. You can access the encyclical at: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html.

 

20. Still seeking potential webinar presenters for the following topics
I was recently asked to suggest webinar presenters on the following topics. I am reaching out to you, our NACC membership, for recommendations for presenters in these areas, whether yourself or someone else. Please let me know as soon as you can. Blessings, David Lichter (dlichter@nacc.org).

• The longer-term effects of living in this para-COVID environment.
• Post traumatic growth.
• Spiritual care assessment during COVID. Any changes in degrees of spiritual distress?
• Spiritual care screening.
• Tele-chaplaincy.

 

21. How’s your prep for October 25-31 Pastoral Care Week / Spiritual Care Week 2020?
Pastoral Care Week gives opportunities for organizations and institutions of all kinds and types to recognize the spiritual caregivers in their midst and the ministry which the caregivers provide.

This year’s dates are October 25-31, 2020. This year’s theme is Collaborative Healthcare: Chaplains Complete the Picture. Learn more at www.nacc.org/resources/awareness-resources/events-and-observances-pastoral-care-week

 

22. Other free continuing education opportunities *

• SAVE THE DATE: Virtual 16th Annual Divine Mercy Medicine, Bioethics, and Spirituality Conference, November 6-7, 2020
  Healthcare professionals and those desiring to learn how to integrate their faith in their practice: Please join us virtually for the 16th Annual Divine Mercy Medicine, Bioethics, and Spirituality Conference, sponsored by Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy, an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception.

  Please join us for two days, virtually, and attend the same high-quality conference you have attended in the past.

  https://www.nacc.org/event/16th-annual-divine-mercy-virtual-medicine-bioethics-and-spirituality-conference/

• McDonald Agape Virtual Conference – “I Was Sick and You Came to Visit Me: Reflections on the State of Pastoral Care” November 6 @ 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
  The Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics and the McDonald Agape Foundation would like to welcome you to participate in the upcoming webinar, “I Was Sick and You Came to Visit Me: Reflections on the State of Pastoral Care,” scheduled for Friday, November 6th, 2020. This conference is the fifth and final in a series of annual conferences on controversies in Christian thought about care at the end of life, called, “Dying a Christian Death.” The webinar will be moderated by Farr Curlin, MD, Duke University, and Daniel Sulmasy, Acting Director and André Hellegers Professor of Biomedical Ethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University.

  Info and registration information at https://kennedyinstitute.georgetown.edu/events/mcdonald-agape-virtual-conference-i-was-sick-and-you-came-to-visit-me-reflections-on-the-state-of-pastoral-care/

 

23. 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
Santa Maria, CA – Marian Regional Medical Center

DIRECTOR MISSION INTEGRATION
Henderson, NV – Dignity Health Nevada

SPIRITUAL CARE MANAGER
Billings, Montana – St. Vincent Healthcare / SCL Health

DIRECTOR OF SPIRITUAL CARE
Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital

MARKET DIRECTOR PASTORAL CARE
Des Moines, IA – MercyOne Central Iowa