UNITED STATES
Catholics4Change
From Martin J. Leahy, Ph.D.
Years ago I concluded that my dysfunctional church family would never change. But, along came Catholics 4 Change, people here gave me new hope. The courage of many (I could name names) inspired and challenged me to act.
I have been active for the last year in the American Catholic Council. Just like C4C focuses exclusively on protecting children, ACC has a single focus: changing church governance – how we are led, who holds power, and how decisions are made. Unless we have a new leadership model and new ways of decision making none of the other issues that matter will change. We are also different in that our energies are directed toward the grassroots – the baptized not the bishops. Reform and renewal groups have tried tirelessly to effect change through appeals to the bishops for 35 years with few results. We leave it to Francis to challenge the bishops; some are already unhappy (see Archbishop Chaput’s Right-Wing Funk). We do not see ourselves replacing any reform group rather we want to support them by, as Father Michael Doyle would say, “doing our bit,” in our case — changing who holds power.
Two initiatives are being rolled out this Fall.
The Leadership Development Weekend will strengthen the leadership competencies of anyone who identifies as a leader or feels called to leadership in Church reform/renewal. A leader is someone who influences; he or she might or might not fold a formal leadership position. This is also an opportunity to bring people together with diverse causes in a movement whose power is weakened because it is fragmented. The first weekend is taking place in Chicago on October 25-27. Given my day jobs as leadership development professor and consultant, ACC leaders have asked me to facilitate this weekend. Future weekends are planned for NY, FL, and CA. If interested in attending, see ACC Launches Leadership Seminars Across US.
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