Learn from the revolutionary ministry of Sisters next week
The LCWR and the religious orders that make up its membership have inspired many of us with their living example of alternative models of leadership and decision making. A panel discussion on June 7th will focus on these revolutionary models and what we can learn from the experiments in leadership that these courageous women have lived. The event, titled "Spiritual Leadership for Challenging Times: Leading From the Emerging Future", will be held at the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies at Catholic University in Washington, DC.
"Women religious in the US are the ones who are most clearly living out the Gospel, and this is an opportunity to learn from them. Particularly as they have developed a new way of leadership since Vatican II - in a hierarchical church, they have flattened their structures, sought to move away from a top-down model," says Rhonda, a 20/30 member who is planning to attend the event. "Because of their commitment to ministry to those on the margins, they are so tuned into the signs of the times. I'm making the trip to DC to learn from these wise Gospel women about their leadership and their way of being in the world."
The day long event features a panel with Sr Pat Farrell, OSF, Sr Helen Garvey, BVM and Sr. Mary Hughes, OP and includes lots of time for small group and facilitated discussion as well. It also coincides with the launch of the book Spiritual Leadership in Challenging Times: Presidential Addresses from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious which was recently reviewed on the CTA 20/30 blog.
As you might expect, the event is focused on how other leaders can use these practices and how we can all incorporate "spiritual leadership" into our work. "The goal of this full-day event is to expose participants to the spiritual leadership practices used by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and its member congregations, as a way of planting seeds or expanding awareness about a different way of leading, a way that is inclusive, community-centered, more democratic, and wholly spiritual/contemplative,'“ say the organizers. "The hope is that by planting seeds, participants can begin to imagine how Spiritual Leadership practices could be used for informative work in their own organizations and communities. The conference will also invite people to identify specific next steps for beginning this work." Sounds like a truly inspiring event!
