Information Night
This is a turning point for our Church. Will it be a turning point for you?
We are so thankful that the National Eucharistic Congress brought you to the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. We hope to see you at our upcoming Information Night on Monday, August 5, 2024 at 5:00pm CT.
Learn if professional chaplaincy is for you
Learn about NACC and how we support pastoral care in the US
What's chaplaincy?
Chaplains are professionals who provide spiritual and emotional support to people in many different settings. Chaplains listen to people who are in a very vulnerable place. Chaplains celebrate with families who received great news and grieve with those who received difficult news. Chaplains mark the beginning of lives, the end of lives and the many transforming moments in between.
What is NACC?
The National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) has a 60 year history of supporting the pastoral care needs of the church. Since our founding by the Conference of Catholic Bishops following Vatican II, we have supported pastoral ministry by educating, supporting, and certifying Catholic chaplains nationwide.
Our members are called to serve in various places like hospitals, senior care facilities, prisons, parishes, schools, military, and hospice. As varied as their ministry sites, our members comprise a diverse body, ranging in vocation (lay, religious, deacon and priest), geography, ethnicities, and cultural experiences. Despite these differences, they have one unifying mission - to provide spiritual and emotional support to those in need by being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. The NACC provides chaplains and pastoral care ministers ongoing formation, continuing education, and networking opportunities to continuously enhance and enrich their ministry.
How can I learn more?
We hope that you will be able to join us for our Information Night on Monday, August 5th at 5:00pm Central Time. If you are not able to make it, we invite you to explore our website to learn about chaplaincy and NACC membership. You are also welcome to email [email protected].
Meet Pat: The Chaplain Who Didn’t Know She Was Becoming A Chaplain
After 30 years of life-changing ministry, Chaplain Pat retired in 2024. Reflecting on her professional chaplaincy journey, she could clearly see that it was spirit-led.
Pat did not seek out being a chaplain. In fact, she wasn't aware that she was applying for a chaplaincy program when she first started her journey in the late 80s. As a lay woman, she didn't know this professional ministry was an option. Thankfully, with the Holy Spirit's guidance, a counselor's recommendation, and great educators, Pat became a certified chaplain on the Feast Day of St. Joseph in the early 90s. She was elated and thankful and felt affirmed in her desire to serve.
Pat sees her ministry as a chaplain as an opportunity to speak for Jesus and bring His love to the world today. She reflects on several moments when she was in the right place at the right time, led by the Spirit, to be a compassionate, empathic listening presence with family members of hospital patients who sought her out (sometimes in line for a cup of coffee) and shared their deepest hopes, fears, and grief in the sacred space she created for them. "I just make myself available", she reflects. In her own words,
Chaplaincy is a ministry to which a great variety of people are called from all religions, races, cultures, countries, classes, etc. Chaplains are a calming presence in a chaotic and suffering world. A chaplain offers support and a caring presence by listening to and affirming the many emotions experienced by individuals in a variety of stressful circumstances. Chaplains remind each person that God (however God is understood or named) is present in all settings and wanting to bring comfort and love to each of us.
As a member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, she is grateful for the opportunities NACC provides for meeting and networking with other professional chaplains, a certification process that affirmed her gifts for ministry and enhanced her confidence and self-assurance in her work, and the many continuing education opportunities NACC offers through national conferences, webinars, and regional gatherings.
What people are saying
NACC is one of the best kept secrets of the Catholic Church... when the work of its members is so vital as spiritual companions to those who are sick or suffering. Now is the time for it to come out from under the bushel basket to let its light shine brightly.
Donna O'Brien
My transition to Chaplaincy was enhanced immeasurably by my association with NACC and its many resources...I am hopeful that we will find new lay people to prepare and serve as Catholic Chaplains. Answering God's call is a blessing that I share with all who are interested.
Timothy Crowley