Leadership for the mission of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is often reflected upon by Catholics. People will have different perspectives about what “good leadership” looks like, which can make choosing and forming leaders and teams a complex matter. However, the decrees of the Plenary Council give a sense of what leadership relies upon:
- fidelity to the Gospel and continual growth and renewal of closeness to Jesus Christ;
- lived witness to the theological virtues of faith, hope and love, proclamation of the Word, and encouragement of the ecclesial community in the way of ongoing conversion which, in turn, supports and furthers missionary discipleship;
- formation that is grounded in Scripture and tradition, and incorporates liturgy, proclamation of the kerygma of the Risen Christ, and the teaching of the Church about the God-given dignity of life and Catholic Social Teaching;
- formation in practices of synodality, interculturality, ecumenical dialogue, and interfaith relations;
- formation that will enable leaders to address the needs of the People of God, promote the mission of evangelisation and strengthen the witness of all the baptised through personal and communal conversion.
If we look at leadership more broadly, then we would do well to reflect on the realisation that most of us are called to lead in some way. This could be as a leader of a parish pastoral council, a Catholic school, a secular business or a health or welfare agency. Or as grandparents, parents, carers and friends who are called to be leaders in our families. Well-formed leaders are essential, regardless of the size of the organisation or community.
As baptised Catholics, our leadership should include a focus on providing encounters with the person of Jesus (through the witness of our lives) and offering accompaniment in the ways of faith for all those in our care. This can be exciting and challenging, and it is why all leaders need continual nurturing and formation to assist them in this important role. To this end, please find below a short list of relevant resources. Please also check with your arch/diocesan offices as they may also have leadership formation staff, programs or offerings, best suited to your local context.
Further resources
Fifth Plenary Council of Australia, Carrying Forward the Plenary Council of Australia, 2023 (PDF, download).
Pope Francis (in relation to servant leadership), Address of Pope Francis to Rectors and Students of the Pontifical Colleges and Residences of Rome, 12 May 2014 (Vatican document).
Pope Francis (in relation to leadership of our Common Home), Encyclical Letter, On Care for our Common Home, Laudato Si’, 24 May 2015 (Vatican document, see n. 53).
People Francis (in relation to leadership and young people), Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit, 25 March 2019 (Vatican document, see n. 230 and 245).
Catechism of the Catholic Church (in relation to parents as leaders and having responsibility for the education of their children), n. 2223.
Pastoral leadership resources
Trudy Dantis, National Centre for Pastoral Research, A Handbook for Building Stronger Parishes, 2016 (Website for more information).
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Faithful Stewards of God’s Grace, 2018 (Online version available here, or purchase a hard copy here).
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Anointed and Sent, 2014 (Online version available here, or purchase a hard copy here).
Divine Renovation, tools and training for parish renewal and those in leadership roles (clergy and laypeople) (website).