Changes to Call To Action Executive Leadership

Eighteen years ago, I walked into Call To Action’s national conference and experienced what thousands of Catholics encounter when connecting with Call To Action. I finally felt home in my church!

For almost two decades, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a chapter leader in upstate NY, a young adult leader in Boston, a member of the national board of directors, and since 2009 serving on the national staff as Executive Director.

In every leadership role, I’ve tried my best to be a servant leader by making every decision out of love for Call To Action’s mission and community..

Given that my contract as Call To Action’s Executive Director expires as of April 1st, the holidays were a time of deep discernment for my family and me.

40 years ago this year, Call To Action emerged as a prophetic voice in the Catholic Church.  Four decades later, we find an ever-changing Catholic landscape that requires a new organizational model and new strategies for engaging in justice work. The Holy Spirit is calling Call To Action to reinvent itself in order to continue to be a prophetic presence in our church and world. There can be no part of the organization exempt from examination and transformation so that Call To Action’s vision and mission move forward.

As a servant leader, I know in my heart that new executive leadership is a critical element to the reinvention of Call To Action.  Therefore, I will step out of the Executive Director role in April so that Call To Action can prepare for new executive leadership.

An effective transition plan is already being developed so that Call To Action continues to receive executive leadership and support between the time I vacate the Executive Director position and when permanent executive leadership is put in place.

While there is never a convenient time for such a transition, Call To Action is well underway with its strategic envisioning process that will inform the next steps of choosing the right model of executive leadership and the right person or persons to fulfill that role.

This is an exciting time for Call To Action as it boldly looks to the horizon. Even though I’m stepping out of the Executive Director role, I will remain a devoted member of the Call To Action community.

Call To Action’s national staff and vision council will gather together later this month to finalize a transition plan and move Call To Action’s reinvention process forward. I look forward to sharing more details about this process in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, please hold the Call To Action family in your thoughts and prayers during this time of transition and transformation.

Gratefully,

Jim FitzGerald, Executive Director