Issue #378 – May 31, 2022
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(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)
2022 NACC NATIONAL CONFERENCE
BUFFALO NY – August 19-22, 2022
Registration is OPEN!
In memory of those who have fallen so that we may be free

NACC
1. From our Executive Director: “And Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
2. Welcome to our new NACC members who joined us in May 2022!
3. In Vision: What do nurses need to know about chaplaincy?
4. The Member Listening Call for May will be Tuesday, June 14, 2022!
5. NACC June Networking Calls – All are welcome to participate!
6. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
7. Follow us on social media!
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
8. 2022 Conference ~ Registration Now Open!
9. 2022 Webinar Series ~ Registration Now Open!
10. Save the Date for 2022 North Central Prairie Chaplains’ Conference
11. Initial Certification Webinar
12. George Washington University Institute for Spirituality & Health (GWish)
13. Fr. Leonard Tumaini Chuwa, PhD’s newly released “Bioethical False Truths”
14. Muslim chaplains forge a new way of thinking about Islam in secular places.
15. Transforming Chaplaincy study: Religious Exemptions for COVID-19 Vaccine
16. Recent job postings
From our Executive Director: “And Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
The NACC community is once again heartbroken by a senseless act of violence. It has been less than two weeks since the mass shooting in Buffalo and now we have to grieve yet again, the loss of so many lives to violence, especially children.
We hold the communities of Uvalde TX, Buffalo NY, and others in our prayers as we continue to hope for a day when these devastating acts of violence come to an end.
May God’s comfort be with you.
Erica Cohen Moore
Executive Director
2. Welcome to our new NACC members who joined us in May 2022!
Chaplaincy Ministry
Jose Diaz (Carlisle, PA)
Rev. Dr. Jonathan K. Morse (Belcamp, MD)
Germanus Oyememaketaro Omunagbe (Chicago, IL)
Reverend Father Vitalii M. Stashkevych (Munhall, PA)
Professional Ministry
Reverend Fr. Ernesto Jandonero (Redwood City, CA)
3. In Vision: What do nurses need to know about chaplaincy?
After decades in pastoral care, Michele Le Doux Sakurai has some stories to tell about chaplains and nurses, but she is still thinking about how the two fields can work together better. In our latest Vision article, she offers some thoughts — and asks for your feedback. Click below to learn more.
What do nurses need to know about chaplaincy?
Vision seeks contributions on moral injury
Amidst pandemic, war, mass shootings, and social division, many of you have probably suffered moral distress or moral injury – to say nothing of the people you minister to. In the coming weeks, Vision plans to take a closer look. We are interested in articles from you about definitions; social and theological context; coping strategies for yourselves and your institutions; and much more. Please send a summary of your idea to Vision editor David Lewellen, dlewellen@nacc.org
4. The Member Listening Call for May will be Tuesday, June 14, 2022!
NACC will offer one listening session on Tuesday, June 14, 2022; 4pm ET, 3pm CT, 2pm MT, 1pm PT, 11am HI. Register here to participate and receive the ZOOM link for the call.
5. NACC June Networking Calls – All are welcome to participate!
If you have trouble registering, please let us know at info@nacc.org.
Thursday, June 9, 2022; 12 p.m. CT; NACC Palliative Hospice Networking Call
https://web.nacc.org/events/NACC-Palliative-Hospice-Networking-Call-6-9-1317/details
Thursday, June 9, 2022; 12 p.m. CT; NACC Nurse Chaplain Networking Call
https://web.nacc.org/events/NACC-Nurse-Chaplain-Networking-Call-6-9-1313/details
Friday, June 10, 2022, 11 a.m. CT; NACC State Liaison Networking Call
https://web.nacc.org/events/NACC-State-Liaison-Networking-Call-6-10-1321/details
Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 3 p.m. CT; NACC Member Listening Session
https://web.nacc.org/events/NACC-Member-Listening-Session-6-14–1306/details
6. 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: Susan DeLongis, Sr. Andre Dembowski RSM, Denice Foose, Marybeth Harmon, Fr. George Henninger, Rev. Donald L. Khawng Lum, Sr. Jane McConnell OSF, Sr. Ellen Moore, Fr. Jim Radde SJ, Martiza Ramos-Pratt, Sr. Paula M. Tinlin SND, Wanda Walker, and Sr. Louise F. Zaplitny SC.
For loved ones: Caroline Bucci (close friend of Teresa Sullivan), Larry DuPlain (brother of Sr. Mary DuPlain SJSM), Mila Rose (granddaughter of James Engelbert), James Tanner (brother of Maggie Finley), Fred Leas (husband of Charlotte Leas), Richard Leas (son of Charlotte Leas), Claudia Legato (wife of Robert Legato), Ed Drake (husband of Hilda Lethe-Drake), Pearl Marie Perkins (mother of Nicholas Perkins), Patricia Kobrenski (sister of Daniel Retelle), Bill Ruiz (husband of Cathi Ruiz), Natalie (cousin of Sue Walker), and the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Marc.
There are members whose needs are personal; please remember those whose journey needs the support of your prayer.
May we hold in prayer those impacted by the war in Ukraine as we pray for peace in our world.
If you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing, email 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.
7. Follow us on social media!
Facebook @choosechaplaincy
LinkedIn @National Association of Catholic Chaplains
If you would like to be a part of NACC’s Instagram story, please contact Ramune Franitza (rfranitza@nacc.org) to speak with someone from the NACC Marketing Panel.
CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS
8. 2022 Conference ~ Registration Now Open!
Conference registration is now open! Visit the conference website pages to view registration rates, hotel information, conference schedule, speakers and much more. Check out all the city has to offer.
Important dates:
- Early bird registration deadline is June 13, 2022
- Conference registration will close on July 1, 2022
- The hotel is taking reservations now!
9. 2022 Webinar Series ~ Registration Now Open!
The NACC will host two (2) webinars in June: First on June 16 (Welcoming Interfaith Dialogue in our Ministry as Chaplains) and then on June 30 (Advanced Care and Ethics). Final details are in process and will be posted on the website soon. Visit the website to view the webinar dates and registration cost/information.
10. Save the Date for 2022 North Central Prairie Chaplains’ Conference
Making Space Amidst Suffering and Uncertainty: Mindful Self-Compassion and Tending Our Stories will be held September 15-16. Attend in-person or participate online through Zoom. More details on the program and presenters can be found on the NACC website.
11. Initial Certification Webinar
This free webinar will present important information on the requirements to apply for initial board certification. It will be presented on Thursday, June 2 by Commissioners Susan Liguori, BCC and Gary Weisbrich, BCC-PCHAC. Your questions on this process will be answered. Register here: Initial Certification Webinar
12. George Washington University Institute for Spirituality & Health (GWish) *
As part of their new initiative, A GWish Collaborative: Advancing Spiritual Care in Everyday Clinical Practice, they are conducting demonstration projects, exploring new models for clinicians and chaplains to work together to integrate spiritual assessments into their home organizations.
They are going to select 5 teams of clinician/chaplain pairs from the same health setting to participate in these projects, five separate healthcare organizations, each with one clinician/chaplain team.
To apply for consideration to be one of the teams, click here.
13. Fr. Leonard Tumaini Chuwa, PhD’s newly released “Bioethical False Truths”
This is a scholarly discussion of the concept of autonomy. “Bioethical False Truths: Egoistic and Relativistic Autonomy vs. Christian and Ubuntu Relational Autonomy”: a potent and informative discussion. “Bioethical False Truths: Egoistic and Relativistic Autonomy vs. Christian and Ubuntu Relational Autonomy” is the creation of published author Fr. Leonard Tumaini Chuwa, PhD, a Catholic priest scholar working for Ascension Health. He has worked as the director of formation, director of spiritual care, and director of ethics. Chuwa is National Association of Catholic Chaplains Ethics Commission member, as well as a member of the Florida Catholic Conference’s Committee for End-of-Life Care. Currently, he is the Ascension’s director of ethics integration for the States of Tennessee, Maryland and New York. (Read more: https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_pennsylvania/fr-leonard-tumaini-chuwa-phds-newly-released-bioethical-false-truths-is-a-scholarly-discussion-of/article_4c4bfeb7-2023-5fa5-8bcd-dba925f1f1b3.html)
14. Muslim chaplains forge a new way of thinking about Islam in secular places.
Years before he became Yale’s first full-time Muslim chaplain, Imam Omer Bajwa was a graduate student and aspiring journalist who had little idea of what a chaplain does. Then came September 2001. “Our phones started ringing off the hook,” said Bajwa, who was involved with Cornell’s Muslim Student Association at the time. “We’re in Ithaca. There’s no mosque, no local Muslim leadership. All these high schools and public libraries and radio stations and college campuses are calling for panels on Islam and understanding 9/11… that was a pivotal moment.” Energized by the teaching opportunities and interfaith engagement, he abandoned journalism to enroll in an Islamic studies doctoral program. But the academy soon began to feel too isolating. A few twists and turns later, he stumbled upon a perfect fit: Islamic chaplaincy. (Read more:
wisconsinmuslimjournal.org/https-religionnews-com-2022-04-04-muslim-chaplains-formed-byislam-equipped-to-serve-all
15. Transforming Chaplaincy study: Religious Exemptions for COVID-19 Vaccine
Survey of Healthcare Chaplain: The Experiences of Chaplains Assisting and Evaluating Employee Requests
The study aims to learn more about the experience of chaplains who played this role – what kind of preparation they received, their unique contributions as “religious experts”, whether this work caused them moral or emotional distress, and how it may have impacted their relationships with co-workers and organizational leaders.
The study has two parts: an online survey and an optional follow-up interview. If you are interested in participating, please click on this survey link by July 31, 2022.
If you have any questions about this research please contact the Principal Investigator for the study, M. Jeanne Wirpsa at jwirpsa@nm.org or 312.694.2577.
16. 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 NOPD
New Orleans, LA – Baptist Community Ministries
DIRECTOR of MISSION INTEGRATION and SPIRITUAL CARE
Perrysburg, Ohio – St. Clare Commons
NACC-CERTIFIED CHAPLAIN
Santa Maria, CA – Marian Regional Medical Center
DIRECTOR-SPIRITUAL CARE – CHAPLAINCY SERVICES
Rancho Mirage, CA – Eisenhower Health
FINANCE and ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Milwaukee, WI – The National Association of Catholic Chaplains
MANAGER of SPIRITUAL CARE
Trinity Health/Mercy Medical Center, Springfield, MA
CATHOLIC PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
CHAPLAIN II
Santa Fe, NM – CHRISTUS St. Vincent
CHAPLAIN – Multiple Positions
Milwaukee, WI – Ascension
CHAPLAIN PRIEST
Grand Rapids, MI – Trinity Health
ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST CHAPLAIN
Chesterfield, MO – St. Luke’s Hospital
Full-time STAFF CHAPLAIN
San Antonio, Texas – CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health