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Diocesan Educational Leadership and
Administration:
Pastoral, Ecclesial and Effective
Bishop Blase Cupich
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Introduction
Looking at the Whole:
A Task Necessary for One Who Has
Responsibility for the Details
The Present Context
1. New Evangelization
- Faith as Transformative Encounter
2. The Francis Effect
– Recovery of a Christian
Epistemology
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Four Points of Direction for Pastoral, Ecclesial
and Effective Leadership and Administration
Taps Tradition as a Resource
Appreciates the Unique Opportunities of the
Present Moment
3. Is Realistic about Breakdowns
4. Pursues the Goal of Communion
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Concluding Remarks and Questions
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1. New Evangelization
– Faith as Transformative Encounter
“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical
choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter
with an event, a person, which gives life a
new horizon and a decisive direction.”
~Benedict XVI
Deus Caritas Est
“Evangelization… should not be seen primarily as
a communication of doctrine or even of a
‘message’. It means introducing people to a
blessed and liberating union with the Lord Jesus,
who lives in the community that cherishes His
memory and invokes His spirit. To evangelize… is
never a matter of mere words. It is an invitation
to others to enter the community of the disciples
and to participate in the new consciousness that
disciples alone can bring.” Cardinal Avery Dulles
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1. New Evangelization
– Faith as Transformative Encounter
A Fresh Understanding of the Resurrection of
Christ as It Relates to the Eucharist
Christ is always exercising his priestly
ministry, but in the Eucharist He makes
present his victory and triumph over death.
Sacrosanctum Concilium 6 and 7.
2. The Francis Effect
– Recovery of a Christian
Epistemology
A distinction between conceptualization
and appropriation.
Life as a journey.
SUMMARY STATEMENT
Catechesis, preaching and passing on the faith must
not only be about educating the members of our
communities in the content of our tradition. This is
important, but it must equally be about developing
their spiritual sensitivity to the ways God manifests his
presence and action in the world.
Schooling people in the ways of ongoing discernment
produces a greater receptivity to the tradition of the
church and at the same time creates the freedom that
will make them more responsive to the will of God
throughout their lives. This balance is in keeping with
the Lord’s great commission: “Go teach AND make
disciples.”
What does this present context suggest are
the key elements for an approach to
administration and leadership in the Church
today that is ecclesial, pastoral and effective?
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Taps Tradition as a Resource
“Tradition means giving votes to the most
obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is
the democracy of the dead. Tradition
refuses to submit to the small and
arrogant dictatorship of those who merely
happen to be alive at this time.
Democracy objects to people being
disqualified by the accident of birth;
Tradition objects to their being
disqualified by the accident of their
death. Democracy tells us not to neglect a
good man’s opinion, even if he cleans our
stable; Tradition asks us not to neglect a
good man’s opinion, even if he is our
father.” G.K. Chesterton
Example of the formation of the Gospels
Tradition is a Handing On which implies a
connectedness with the past, the present
among ourselves and the future
Leadership and Administration has a chance
of being ecclesial, pastoral and effective if
the starting point is an awareness that we
minister in a continuum, within a tradition.
The Blessing of Each Day
Self Confidence
Making a Difference
God’s Work
The World Is NOT Flat
(pace Thomas Friedman)
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Breaks Offer Breaks
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Slow Down
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Fresh Perspective
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New Opportunities
What does leadership look like that aims not
just at unity but communion, which involves
mutual self sharing, sacrifice and sharing?
2. What does administration look like that aims at
keeping in balance the needs of all, especially
those at the margins?
3. Are people growing? Are they moving away from
the natural tendency of isolation and
developing the internal freedom to love?
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 Each Element is Important – not just in
isolation but as they relate to each other
 The Eucharist As Paradigm of the Whole
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Jesus Took Break
Blessed It
Broke It
Gave It To His Disciples
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Understand:
Everywhere is the Chapel
and those we serve make it sacred.
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“What we have loved,
others will love
and we will teach them how.”
~ William Wordsworth
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QUESTIONS???
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