Chaplaincy is a profession ‘where creative solutions apply’

Name: Timothy John Doody

Work: Chaplain II, Presence Life Connections, Casa San Carlo (Northlake, IL) and Bethlehem Woods (La Grange Park, IL) Retirement Communities

NACC member since: 2004

Volunteer service to NACC: I volunteered to be a state liaison at the first national conference I attended. Presently, Deedee Van Dyke and I serve as Illinois state liaisons. Two years ago, I discovered the joys of being a certification interviewer. I look forward to the spring and fall interviews.

Book on your nightstand: “The Art of Travel,” by Alain De Botton, suggests how imagination contributes to the qualities and perceptions of traveling.

Resource you recommend most often: The Irish Jesuit web site Sacred Space [www.sacredspace.ei] is a resource for guided daily prayer.

Favorite spiritual resource: Give Us This Day, Liturgical Press, a monthly publication that offers comprehensive liturgical resource for prayer and celebration.

Favorite fun self-care activity: I rowed 11.6 million meters on my Concept2 indoor rowing machine.

Favorite movie: “The Wild Bunch” for the theme of the authentic life that is other-centered and where self-sacrifice outweighs self-centeredness.

Favorite retreat spot: University of St. Mary of the Lake-Mundelein Seminary for its tranquil beauty, expansive lake, practical accommodations, and library.

Personal mentors or role models: John “Jack” Hacker, CSsR, BCC, former chaplain priest at St Mary’s Hospital, St. Louis, who was my next door neighbor at Saint John Neumann House, and encouraged me to pursue hospital ministry.

Famous/historic mentor or role model: Dag Hammarskjöld was a person spoken of at the family table. When he was killed, it was as if a close family member died.

Why did you become a chaplain? For three reasons: Chaplaincy is an activity where creative solutions apply. I rely on the humble tools God gave to me. Finally, it is a professional ministry that I can follow my whole life.

What do you get from the NACC? I get three things from the NACC: the support of a national organization, inspiration from diversity of the activities of the members, and the continuing resource of the national office team.

Why do you stay in the NACC? I believe that the NACC promotes lay chaplaincy as a skilled mission call. The NACC provides the tools to empower its members to legitimate their partnership role in the healthcare profession. The NACC is reliant on member support to further the future of professional Catholic chaplaincy.

Why do you volunteer? As a volunteer, I am able to give back and to support the organization; to witness the beneficial power of membership; and to receive tremendous satisfaction from volunteering.

What volunteer activity has been most rewarding? Certification interviewer is the most rewarding activity. I appreciate the schedule of reading, reflecting and consulting with the other interview team members. The team spirit is evident throughout the interview processes. The constructive input of writing the final evaluations is exhilarating.

What have you learned from volunteering? What have you learned from volunteering? Serving as a certification interviewer helps to mentor others who are interested in the ministry of chaplaincy. It provides an opportunity to review the various professional skills. It is a time of witnessing the vast resources present in each member of the interview team.