Issue #364 – November 8, 2021

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

1. Executive Director’s Reflection
My mind was going in many directions with yesterday’s readings, especially the widows giving their all: the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:10-16) who gave all she and her son had to eat to Elijah, and the widow of the Gospel gave her two mites to the treasury (Mk.12:41-44). One of my favorite phases from scripture is the ending of the first reading, “the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry…”

That phase had me reflecting on how many of you and how many of your colleagues and associates have experienced in some way running “on empty” or “dry.” How the pandemic has sucked the life out of so many, emotionally, spiritually, physically, as if there were nothing more to give. Running on empty or dry is not heroism; and I don’t think we can be agents of healing when that is our circumstance. We have been “Stretched by Life” in so many ways. I suspect most of us in some way can relate to these two widows’ conditions. So, what do I do? Give the handful of flour, and trust I will be good for another year like the widow of Zarephath? I am not sure.

However, I found myself reflecting on the widows and thinking of my mom who was a widow for 23 years, nearly a quarter of a century. I was thinking about her tending Dad daily during his six months in hospice at home, bringing meals to him with flowers from the garden on his tray. How she whispered, “Is that the last breath you have been waiting for?” when he breathed his last. How in the days after his funeral I could see a letting go in faith in the midst of the loss of her partner for 43 years. I witnessed almost an apostolic zeal of caring for others anew in the wake of the wake.

Do widows know loss and life continuing in the aftermath in way that aids them to trust again a giving up that can still lead to life and not just loss? Can they trust Life in a way that “the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry…?” Coming out on the other side of that type of loss, perhaps gives one a perspective on what it takes to keep going and giving. Just wondering…

I find myself again being deeply grateful for all the ways you aided those in such a loss, and knew you were grounded in your own Paschal Mystery experience. I have a faint recollection that I mused on these readings in this way sometime in the past 14 plus years. I smile a little as I entertain that thought. My heart is deeply grateful for the times you came to wonderment that for you too “the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry…”

Still, I pray for all of you who right now are “Stretched by Life” to the point that you are experiencing in some way running “on empty” or “dry.” Please sit with the Lord in that experience and do whatever God asks of you – tending to yourself in the ways you are directed.

Blessings on you and your healing ministries,

David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director

2. The National Association of Catholic Chaplains Welcomes New Executive Director!
After a national search, Erica Cohen Moore will join the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) as the new Executive Director. To read more about her please click here.

Moore replaces outgoing Executive Director David Lichter who led the organization for the past fourteen years. She will begin to assimilate her new role beginning mid-November with the intent to be fully engaged January 1, 2022. Please join us in welcoming Erica to NACC.

3. Welcome to our new NACC members who joined us in October 2021!

Chaplaincy Ministry
Gail De Vito (Wyckoff, NJ)
Fr. Damian I. Ekete (Bronx, NY)
Richard Hadley (Crystal City, MO)
Rev. Fr. Simon Obeng-Kyeremeh (Grovetown, GA)
Rev. Paul A. Oye (Hershey, PA)
Dexter J. Phillip (Baytown, TX)
Ms. M. Catherine Phillips (Cincinnati, OH)
Gregory H.A. Welch (Peoria, IL)

Professional Ministry
Deacon Melvin J. Burton Jr. (Philadelphia, PA)
Deacon Daniel R. Cozzi (Mascoutah, IL)

Student
Ms. Marjorie “Marjie” D. Shahani (Arcadia, CA)

Volunteer Ministry
Ms. Wendi B. Ewbank (Katy, TX)
Mr. Dale M. Gilmour (Kingfield, ME)
Ms. Cheryl D. Gittens (Port Jefferson Station, NY)

4. Thank you to those of you who have already given to our 2021 Annual Member Campaign! Please join them!
Our 2021 Annual Campaign has begun! We are deeply grateful to all those who have been able to give so far! To date, we have received 429 gifts totaling $52,325. 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. Death of our Emeritus member: Dr. Dorothy Ann (O’Connor) Smith
Our Emeritus member, Dr. Dorothy Ann (O’Connor) Smith, died on October 31, 2021, at the age of 84. She joined NACC in 1980 and was certified in 1981. We commend her to the Lord. To read more about her, go to www.newcomerdayton.com/Obituary/206155/Dorothy-Smith/Dayton-OH

6. Congratulations to our newly certified!
The NACC Certification Commission met October 27-29 and granted certifications. Congratulations to 23 new Board-Certified Chaplains, 1 Palliative Care and Hospice Advanced Certified Chaplain, and our first ever Certified Associate Chaplain! Please see list on our website: Newly Certified Chaplains.

May their ministries continue to bring God’s peace and grace to the people they work with and may they continue to renew their ministry through this process!

7. In Vision: A world in labor: Present trauma may lead us to something better
Like so many of our members, Kathy Kaskel has seen a lot of trauma in her workplace, and sometimes it is hard to manage. But although the process of change, like giving birth, is painful, it can still lead us to a better place. To read more in our latest Vision article, click below.
A world in labor: Present trauma may lead us to something better

8. Vision seeks articles on relationships
The November-December issue of Vision will cover the theme of “Relationships: Social ties and spiritual well-being.” You probably already ask patients about any friends and family who can be a resource for them, but we want to take a deeper dive. How can we help patients build relationships, and how can we nurture our own relationships? We are looking for contributions on the roles of family, friends, colleagues, therapists; friendship in times of trauma; mentorship; challenges of friendship; limits of friendship; new forms of intimacy via technology; and other thoughts that our members may have. Please send a summary of your idea to Vision editor David Lewellen, dlewellen@nacc.org.

9. NACC Networking Calls for November/December 2021 – All are welcome to participate!

Friday, November 5, 2021; 11 a.m. CT —- NACC Directors of Spiritual Care Networking Call
Tuesday, November 9, 2021; 2 p.m. CT —- NACC Member Listening Call
Wednesday, November 10, 2021; 12 p.m. CT —- NACC Palliative/Hospice Listening Call
Monday, December 6, 2021; 2 p.m. CT —- NACC State Liaison Networking Call
Wednesday, December 8, 2021; 12 p.m. CT —- NACC Palliative/Hospice Listening Call
Thursday, December 9, 2021; 1 p.m. CT —- NACC Nurse Chaplain Listening Call
Monday, December 13, 2021; 1 p.m. CT —- CPE-E Community of Practice Call

To sign up or for more information, questions, comments, or concerns contact Ramune Franitza at rfranitza@nacc.org.

You must sign up to participate and receive the ZOOM code for the call. If you replied, you will receive a ZOOM passcode to connect connection via internet or smartphone. 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 placed in a waiting room. Please be patient until the host joins the call and allows you access. THANK YOU!

10. The Member Listening Call for November will be tomorrow, Tuesday, November 9, 2021!
It’s a strenuous time on health care staff and chaplains. Weariness, fatigue, and uncertainties continue to be with us. We continue to offer our listening sessions and remain grateful for the participation and sharing that is happening during these virtual communities. The NACC strives to support those who have found it helpful and healing to share their thoughts and experiences in these gatherings, as well to be there for one another.

We continue to have good participation for our Member Listening. Thank you. NACC will offer a listening session tomorrow, on November 9. We ask you to bring what is on your heart. Our topics vary to address what is important to you in the moment.

NACC Listening Call
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
3pm ET, 2pm CT, 1pm MT, 12pm 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.

11. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
The NACC holds the Healing Tree as a place for members to seek the supporting prayers of their colleagues. We prayerfully support and publish the names submitted by our membership for themselves or their family members. We also ask that you please include members and their families who have been affected by the COVID pandemic in your prayers

We continue to pray for our members: Bonnie Burnett, Sr. Andre Dembowski RSM, Mary Espitia, Denice Foose, M. Elizabeth Heffernan, Sr. Ellen Moore, Fr. Jim Radde SJ, Martiza Ramos-Pratt, Sr. Paula M. Tinlin SND, and Sr. Louise F. Zaplitny SC.

For the intentions of: Deborah Bradley (for father-in-law Jack Bradley), Robert Legato (for wife Claudia Legato), and Nicholas Perkins (for mother Pearl Marie Perkins).

For loved ones: Autumn Vaughn (great-niece of Linda Bronersky), Larry DuPlain (brother of Sr. Mary A. DuPlain SJSM), Brian Grasmick (husband of Victoria Grasmick), Fred Leas (husband of Charlotte Leas), and Eleanor Morgan (mother of M. Kelly Catone).

For the families of: Rev Marc Angelo (on the death of his mother Felita Malave), Nancy Cook (on the death of her husband Randy Heydenberg), Sr. Emily Demuth CSC (on the death of her sister Bernice Wagner), Sr. Margaret Oettinger (on the death of her godson John Consigli), and Michael Onuoha (on the death of his aunt Kuma Okonkwo).

Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing by emailing Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org). We will leave the person’s name on the Healing Tree list for three months unless you ask us to remove the name earlier. You can always request us to leave the name on longer.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW FOR OUR NACC 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE!

12. Save this date for our Buffalo National Conference! Friday, March 25 through Monday, March 28, 2022!
Some time ago our NACC members received a special notice that we changed the date of our next annual National Conference from end of October 2021 to Friday, March 25, 2022, through Monday, March 28, 2022. While we are disappointed that we needed to change the date again, the NACC Board of Directors appreciated the survey of our members that gave us convincing data that a fall 2021 date would not provide the attendance needed to make a National Conference successful. So, mark your calendars for 2022! We will meet in 2022!

13. 2022 Conference Theme and Objectives
The NACC is pleased to announce the theme and objectives for the 2022 National Conference is “Stretched by Life, Lifted by Faith.”

Our National Conference will be taking place two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent violence born of racism and other biases. Multiple forms of polarization and discord have further divided our country, family, friends and even our Church. Trauma in many manifestations has needed to be identified and addressed. We are being stretched by life. Yet, as NACC members, we are ones who continue the healing ministry of Jesus in the name of the Church. The Paschal Mystery marks our lives and our profession. We know and experience that we are lifted by our faith. This Conference is devoted to gathering with one another to be a safe and sacred space to support one another in courageous and honest dialogue on those areas that challenge and stretch us to own our common humanity and destiny, as well as to identify and celebrate what makes and sustains us as healing ministers.

Chaplains will be able to:

Initiate, renew and deepen relationships with colleagues (OL2, OL2.1).
Attend to their own physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being through personal reflection, professional sharing, and communal ritual (PIC3).
Ascertain and incorporate new pastoral care strategies and creative spiritual care practices developed in a pandemic and post-pandemic environment (PPS2, PPS5, PPS6, PPS9, OL1).
Identify unconscious bias and racism in self, community, and culture, implementing tools to facilitate and foster greater awareness, effective spiritual support, and collaborative professional relationships (PIC1, PIC2, PPS3, OL2.1, OL4.1).
Distinguish and articulate elements from the Catholic tradition which ground their personal spirituality and professional ministry as well as develop responsible strategies to deal with elements of the Catholic tradition causing personal and professional challenges (ITP2.1, ITP2.2, PIC3, PIC3.1, PIC5.1).
Further articulate their identity as Catholic chaplains and ministers of the church (ITP2.1, ITP2.2, PIC5.1).

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

14. Diocesan Directors of Pastoral Care Town Hall, Thursday, November 11, 2021, 2:00 p.m., CT

Are you or does someone you know support Pastoral Care in your diocese or parish community? Share this information with someone you know in this role:
The purpose of this Pastoral Care Town Hall is to briefly introduce what NACC offers. More importantly, NACC wants to listen to Pastoral Care leaders in dioceses in order to learn what are their greatest needs in preparing people to do the work of pastoral care. This Town Hall looks to the participants to share their situations and what would be most helpful to them in the leadership roles.
Diocesan Pastoral Care Competencies for the Sick, the Homebound, and Older Adults (available in English and Spanish). www.nacc.org/about-nacc/partners-in-pastoral-care The NACC, with the Partners in Pastoral Care, has developed other pastoral care resources, along with partnering with the Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition.

To register: web.nacc.org/events/Diocesan-Directors-of-Pastoral-Care-Town-Hall-1276/details

15. This Thursday, November 11, 12pm – 1:30pm Central Time, is our NACC November Webinar! Cowboys to Pit Crews: Spiritual Care in the Pandemic. If you have not registered for webinars for entire year, you can still register today for this webinar!

November’s NACC webinar, Thursday, November 11, 2021, 12:00-1:30 pm central time, will be on “Cowboys to Pit Crews: Spiritual Care in the Pandemic,” presented by Denise Hess, Sedona Montelongo, Gary Weisbrich. To learn more about the speakers and program, and to register, click here.

Overview and Objectives
The pandemic has brought to the fore the essentiality of interdisciplinary health care teams. While the hospice and palliative care movements have done much to advance the integration of spiritual care in interdisciplinary team care, the pandemic has opened new frontiers for team collaboration and team resilience with great opportunities for expanded chaplain leadership roles. This webinar, presented by three palliative care chaplain leaders, will explore the challenges and leadership possibilities for chaplains on interdisciplinary health care teams.
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Describe how the hospice and palliative care movement has influenced the evolution of health care.
Explore the current challenges to interprofessional health care teams navigating the pandemic.
Share best practices for chaplain-led health care team well-being practices.

16. Another educational resource:

In recognition of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month in November, CHA is pleased to share this new resource for advance directives entitled, “Sharing Your Health Care Wishes.” The guide helps you consider your preferences and values for medical treatments prior to a serious illness or injury and to express your wishes for your health care treatment in the event that you become unable to communicate on your own. www.chausa.org/store/products/product?id=4818

17. 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
Indianapolis, IN – Franciscan Health-Indianapolis

CHAPLAIN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, Pastoral Care, Full-Time
Miami, FL – Baptist Health South Florida

PASTORAL CARE MINISTER
Greenfield, WI – Our Lady of the Angels, Inc.

CHAPLAIN RESIDENT
Tarzana, CA – Providence Southern California Center for CPE

SYSTEM DIRECTOR of CHAPLAINS
Murphysboro, IL – Southern Illinois Health Care

CHAPLAIN
Oakland, CA – Mercy Retirement and Care Center and Elder Care Alliance

CERTIFIED PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Longview, TX – CHRISTUS Good Shepherd

STAFF CHAPLAINS
Central Iowa – MercyOne Central Iowa

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MISSION INTEGRATION
Rockville Centre, NY – Catholic Health

CERTIFIED BILINGUAL RC PRIEST
Orange, CA – Providence St. Joseph Hospital

CHAPLAIN
Rochester, MN – Mayo Clinic

CHAPLAIN – PASTORAL CARE
Everett, Washington – Providence Regional Medical Center

Issue #364 – November 8, 2021

NACC

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW FOR OUR NACC 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE!

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW FOR OUR NACC 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE!

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

Job Listings

Free Publications

Donate Now

Issue #364 – November 8, 2021

NACC

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW FOR OUR NACC 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE!

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW FOR OUR NACC 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE!

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

Job Listings

Free Publications

Donate Now

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