NACC Now The National Association of Catholic Chaplains Monday, February 16, 2009

Read this issue online: www.nacc.org/resources/e-news/nn_issue_38.asp.

1. Executive Director’s Reflection 2. The 2010 NACC National Conference dates are set. So what should we do? 3. NACC Chaplain assists disaster victims of Continental Flight 3407 4. How are chaplains being used in the midst of organizational changes? 5. Lenten resources 6. Call for Abstracts 7. PlainViews Subscriptions 8. Practical Bearings Bibliographic Resource 9. Continuing Education Hours – Summit ‘09 10. Who belongs to NACC? 11. Sign up soon for March 7th Chicago NACC Event 12. Plans are final for April 24th Atlanta NACC Event 13. Other local/regional event dates! 14. Resources to help plan local/regional events! 15. CHA November Statement on Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) 16. Being Present - Spiritual Directors International 17. Healing Tree: a request for prayers 18. Recent job postings 19. Positions wanted

1. Executive Director’s Reflection In the Church of Our Lady of the Desert at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson, Arizona, the front wall has a large saying inviting those present to reflect on the promise of the surroundings, “The desert will lead you to your heart where God will speak.” The austere landscape pulls one’s eyes to look for life in the strangest, and often rarest, of species. It leads you to think about sustenance and growth in new ways. The Saguaro Cactus of the Sonoran Desert, for instance, might grow an inch a year. Many that populate the landscape are 200 years old, and take 50-100 years to add an arm!

As I have heard the past couple weeks from more members whose jobs have been lost and who are moving into a time of uncertainty, I have been touched by… (continue reading online)

2. The 2010 NACC National Conference dates are set. So what should we do? As you know, the 2010 NACC National Conference will be held March 20-23, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza – Riverfront, St. Paul, Minnesota. What would you like to see happen? Visit the 2010 conference page on our website and contact us with your ideas.

3. NACC Chaplain assists disaster victims of Continental Flight 3407 Earl Johnson of American Red Cross (ARC) National Headquarters alerted us that the American Red Cross is supporting the family and loved ones of those fifty fatalities in the Continental 3407 crash in the Clarence Center, NY neighborhood, just outside Buffalo, last Thursday, February 12th. The ARC Spiritual Care Response Team was led by NACC member Chaplain Beth Lenegan, Director of Pastoral Care at the Hospice of Roswell Park in Buffalo, NY. Thanks to Beth and all those who ministered there. For a link to Earl’s email see the latest issue of the SRT newsletter: www.nacc.org/resources/fm/E- SRT_Feb2009.doc (NACC member-only content: please sign in)

4. How are chaplains being used in the midst of organizational changes? Every institution where our members are employed is affected by these tough financial times. Spiritual care members are also losing jobs. However, many are also asked to play diverse roles in ministering to fellow employees losing positions. The Care Services Task Force seeks to learn from you what roles (whether seemingly appropriate or inappropriate) you or other spiritual care providers are being called upon to provide. We want to put together resources for all of us, so that we may have more advice from one another on how to be a healing ministry in the midst of these difficult times. Please contact [email protected] with your experiences. Send them this week, so we can publish in the next NACC Now the ways we have learned from you.

5. Lenten Resources We have put together some resources for both personal and group reflection on the NACC website. Please consider gathering a group of chaplains/colleagues for a Lenten prayer or reflection group. If we can be assistance to you in any way by including the information about your gathering on the NACC website, please contact Susanne at [email protected].

6. Call for Abstracts Please see the link below for the call for abstracts for an upcoming Hofstra University conference titled "New Directions in American Health Care: Innovations from Home and Abroad." The deadline for abstract submissions has been extended to April 27, 2009. Please consider submitting an abstract and/or sharing the attached with interested colleagues and associates. This conference will be hosted by Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY on March 11 and 12, 2010. Call for abstracts

7. PlainViews Subscriptions PlainViews is an e-newsletter created to promote dialogue among chaplains and other spiritual care providers on issues of Professional Practice, Advocacy, Education & Research, and Spiritual Development. PlainViews is published on the first and third Wednesday of every month by the HealthCare Chaplaincy. Please go to www.plainviews.org/subscribe.php to subscribe.

8. Practical Bearings Bibliographic Resource The HealthCare Chaplaincy, with the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation, introduces Practical Bearings at www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/practicalbearings/, a series of bibliographies and critical reviews of the important books, articles and other publications on the theory and practice of pastoral care. Practical Bearings will publish a new issue at the beginning of each month. Among the issue topics will be:  By Its Fruits: The Science of Health Care Chaplaincy  Ministry Amidst Chance, Necessity, Love: Cancer and Health Care Chaplaincy  The Management of Care: Literature on Leadership and Organizational Development  The Comfort of Strangers: Trends in the History and Current Practice of Health Care  To Want to Learn: Educational Theory for Supervision and Training

9. Continuing Education Hours – Summit ’09 You can find two forms for Continuing Education Hours from the Summit ’09 at the NACC website at www.nacc.org/conference/2009materials.asp. One form is for general sessions and one form is for workshops/optional sessions. You can print these out, fill them out, calculate your continuing education hours, and keep them in your files for your next renewal of certification.

10. Who belongs to NACC? Did you know that 73 percent of members are certified, 34.7 percent religious women, 33 percent lay women, 16.4 percent priests, 10.9 percent lay men, 3.4 percent deacons, 1 percent brothers? Do you know the average age of each of these groups? Brothers Deacons Laymen Laywomen Priests Sisters Other Mean Average Age 64 67 56 61 60 69 56 63

11. Sign up soon for March 7th Chicago NACC Event Over 20 participants already! Join us at the Mulcahy Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood IL! For details go to our Calendar of Events and Opportunities.

12. Plans are final for April 24th Atlanta NACC Event Members of states in regions 4 & 14, and anyone else are welcome to an NACC sponsored gathering in Atlanta, GA, on Friday April 24th at St. Joseph Hospital. For details go to our Calendar of Events and Opportunities.

13. Other local/regional event dates! Several state liaison groups are working to finalize details for other gatherings. Please review the list below, and mark your calendars. More details of events will be in future NACC Now's.  Friday, April 17, 2009, Centennial, CO. Joint APC/NACC.  Monday, May 18, 2009, Assumption College, Worcester, MA.  Tuesday, June 9, 2009, New Orleans, LA. Details to follow.  Thursday, July 23, 2009, Omaha, NE. Joint APC/NACC. Details to follow.

14. Resources to help plan local/regional events! Please follow the link here to resources the NACC office staff can offer you to plan for local/regional events. Please contact [email protected] if you want assistance with local events or want to set a planning call with other liaisons. We can’t always anticipate your need, so let us know! We are here to help! So please visit the state liaison area on the NACC website at www.nacc.org/volunteers/state_reps.asp for these resources.

15. CHA November Statement on Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) NACC has received inquiries about the status and potential impact of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) on Catholic Healthcare. On the public site of the Catholic Health Association (CHA) website you can access SR. Carol Keehan’s statement issued in November 2008 that remains CHA’s public stand on how to monitor and respond to any efforts to move the law forward: www.chausa.org/foca

16. Being Present - Spiritual Directors International Houston, Texas - April 17-21, 2009 Join Keynote Presenter Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, and an international faculty in exploring what it means to be truly present to the hope and challenges of the here and now. These events focus on issues of health care and ministry with the marginalized. A special pre- conference Institute on Spirituality and Health Care will be followed by Practices of Presence, a free evening experience open to everyone interested in learning more about the ministry of spiritual companioning. Spiritual Directors International is a global learning community that serves and supports spiritual companioning and emerges from the contemplative traditions of many faiths. For information, please go to: www.sdiworld.org/2009-international-event-houston-tx.html.

17. Healing Tree: a request for prayers Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing. We continue to pray for Judy Novak (radiation treatment for colorectal cancer), Bro. Brian Boyle, CPPS (broken foot), Rev. Jim Radde, SJ (recovering from surgery), Teddi Tomsic (major surgery), Sr. Hilda Mallet, MHS (cancer treatment), Sr. Rita Rzeppa, IBVM (recovering/rehab from knee surgery), and Dennis Eldridge (Kathy's husband, for cancer treatment).

18. Recent job postings The following positions have been posted in the last two weeks. Please go to www.nacc.org/positions/available.asp for more information about them.

DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE New York, NY – The Healthcare Chaplaincy

STAFF CHAPLAIN Baltimore, MD - Saint Agnes Hospital

CHAPLAIN Ann Arbor, MI - Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

19. Positions wanted In this time of change and uncertainty it is more important than ever to use every resource available. If you have lost your job recently, if you’re just seeking a new or better position, or if you are an employer seeking a chaplain for your organization, be sure to visit our Positions Wanted webpage. NACC members can take advantage of this free service by placing a job-seeking ad, for free, which will run for 60 days. To see the ads, visit www.nacc.org/positions/wanted.asp

To place your own ad, send an email to Phil Paradowski: [email protected].

* * * * * * *

You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a member or friend of the NACC. You are currently subscribed with the email address . To unsubscribe, or to subscribe with a different email address, visit our website at www.nacc.org/newsletter.asp.

Questions, comments, praise, and criticism of NACC Now may be sent via reply to this email. Please note that correspondence about unrelated matters may not be answered in a timely manner if sent via a reply to this newsletter. Please do not reply to this message about matters other than the NACC Now newsletter.

For all other business, including membership questions, certification, renewal of certification, general business, etc. – please visit www.nacc.org/aboutnacc/staff.asp for information about the office staff’s responsibilities and contact information. You may also telephone our office (number below).

This e-newsletter is a publication of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and is ©2009.

National Association of Catholic Chaplains 5007 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 120 Milwaukee, WI 53207-6159

Phone: 414.483.4898 Fax: 414.483.6712 Email: [email protected] Web: www.nacc.org