What is the most challenging issue that you are addressing currently? You could probably answer this question very quickly. Leaders of religious communities are always dealing with various challenging issues. These difficulties often leave little time for deeper discussion and discernment. Such practices, along with prayer, are important to incorporate into council meetings.
Discussion, discernment, and prayer do not make the challenging issues go away. Addressing them is critically important. Avoidance might seem desirable but is often unhelpful and can make the problem much worse. Quickly addressing something can be problematic as well. Greater fruitfulness comes from being clear about what the issue is and then after consultation, discussion, and prayer dealing with it in an appropriate and decisive way.
A greatly appreciated session at our National Assembly was on “Co-Responsibility and Management” with Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB, Superior General of the Basilian Fathers, and Matt Manion from Villanova School of Business. Using real-life case studies that many religious communities of men face, they offered important insights and practical ways to address such issues. The video of this session, along with all the plenary sessions from our Assembly can be found here. On that page as well is a summary of our Post-Assembly which offers further reflections on consultation, discussion, discernment, and prayer.
In prayerful solidarity,
Frank Donio, SAC
Executive Director
This is an excerpt from the September Items of Note. Items of Note is a monthly email for CMSM members and partners. If you are not receiving Items of Note once a month via email, please email [email protected].
