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Yesterday, I spent a wonderful day with some dear friends...Hilary, Nancy, Jo, and Elinor at Father Rolheiser's workshop on leadership at St. Edward's. He was addressing some important questions.
"How do we lead when we ourselves are burdened and tired? How do we lead others and not be unduly influenced by our own egos, wounds, ideologies, tiredness, and temperaments? How do we tap into a sincerity inside us, an authenticity, that is beyond all these other influences? And how do we sustain ourselves in leadership in a way that radiates light and hope to others without giving into anger, bitterness, factionalism, and practical despair?"
Fr. Rolheiser talked about the problems we face, and presented some guidelines for sustaining ourselves for the "long haul".
It was a wonderful, and thought-provoking day....filled with authentic openness, and genuine wisdom.....punctuated by funny stories, and lively conversation. What can be better than hearing a wise man, a priest in our exquisite Church, open his mind, his heart, and his wisdom....lovingly, and thoughfully making bridges over to those who don't stand where we do, as Catholics? How grateful I was to listen to him welcome these ones who are so sincere to a new way to see....one that may bring a desire to enter more deeply into the Truth he was illuminating. Truth that is authentic, and welcoming is always deeply "attractive". Maybe they'll even begin to think "Where can I find more of this Truth?" We'll be happy to have them visit us at SJN!
Then, as the piece de la resistance, we were able to let what we had heard take root and have life....five enthusiastic, spry women discussing deep things over a somewhat dry turkey sandwich, and feeble looking apple. What a gift!
I wish you all could have been there! But we will have a fantastic dinner together in November....only, I promise it will be better than dry turkey and feeble apples!
Blessings to you all!
warmly,
sally
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I can't believe you censored my comments about Rolheiser talk.
ReplyDeleteDear Phil,
ReplyDeleteYes, we did censor the comments. It was a very difficult decision; one we undertook with deliberation and prayer. In the end, we felt that your comments did not accurately represent Father Rolheier's address on Thursday night. Of course, we are free to interpret what is said in this forum as we choose, but we felt that your interpretation was in error in its content, and was combative in its tone. For those reasons, we felt that it was not a constructve addition to the dialogue.
You are free to continue to be a part of our dscussion, but we would ask you, with respect and sincerity, to share the gift of your wisdom and faith with a more constructive tone.
with many prayers that this will be received in the charity with which it is meant,
sally
Sally, I'm a scientists. I try to speak clearly and directly to the facts. I'm sorry if I'm perceived differently. I would like to know how my "interpretation was in error in its content", privately if you so chose.
ReplyDeleteSally, would it be possible at some point to have a faith formation session or series that is more "reason" based? I know that faith and truth are more compatible with "reason" than is widely understood or appreciated these days. I think there is as much of an opportunity for "recovering the ancient instinct for astonishment" in this approach to faith as any other. And, it's key to clearing the "agnostic, even atheistic air we breathe". Atheists are predominantly of very high intelligence and strongly committed to the intellectual and scholarly life. These are the people I have to deal with on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to have sessions on "reason", though the adult faith formation series we already have is quite full of reason. If you mean a more specific address, for instance a session of John Paul II's 1998 encyclical, "Fides et Ratio"....then I am happy to try to put that together. Let me know what you think might be most valuable.
ReplyDeletewarmly,
sally
Sally, I'd like to suggest something a little more concrete. I saw this a while back - "Pope Benedict: St. Anselm and the Quest For Truth" ( http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=34486&page=1 ). Of course this has a very strong overlap with "Fides et Ratio". Maybe we could tie this in with this current book reading because Rolheiser has his doctoral thesis on "the classical proofs for the existence of God" and yet he seems to take the side that "all proofs for the existence of God can be reduced to a single premise: If reality is intelligible, then God exists! … if the world makes sense then some ultimate principle - God - must exist to explain it.". This is completely at odds with my reading of Anselm's proof for the existence of God. And, I know of no convincing, contemporary argument against Anselm's proof if one accepts on faith that God is "that then which nothing greater can be thought". How about a session along these lines just to get started?
ReplyDeleteSure! I think if we structured it the right way, we might get a group to come. It wouldn't probably "pack the house", but that's not necessary because it could be very meaningful to the ones who came.
ReplyDeleteI probably couldn't get it done before the new year.....though I can think of one Jesuit who might be able to manage the presentation/discussion with real intelligence and eloquence. I'll call him and see what his schedule looks like.
Thanks for sending the website. I'll check it out this evening after Ive put all the "little muffins" to bed.
Many blessings on you, and your family.
warmly,
sally
Wonderful!
ReplyDelete