Revitalizing Our Church: Ideas from Lay Business Leaders
Good. Evening my. Name is Karen Keefer and I'm the director of the church in the 21st century Center, and thank, you so much. For coming this evening again I see a lot of familiar faces this is our fourth. Installment, in our Easter, series for revitalizing, our church our first, one was. Ideas. From the Catholic press our. Second, one was ideas, from university, presidents, our third, one which was just last Monday was ideas, from professors, in the pews and this, evening as ideas from lay business, leaders, if. In fact you have, a question, that you'd like to ask, feel. Free to just fill out the form there's. Like a card, when you came in and just, write a question and then at about 750. We're, gonna collect the questions and we're going to collect them in this aisle so just pass them down to that aisle and then, we'll read you know some some questions of the second half of the, program. The. Program will and for those, of you that are running, out to watch the rest of the Bruins game or, the Celtics game they. Will end by 8:15 that, said we are gonna update you on the, scores throughout the night Jack. Made me promise, to do that so, we'll do, so. Tonight we. Have three, distinguished. Alums. Jack. Connors, class of 63. Denise. Morrison, class of 75, Chuck. Clow class, of 64, you, can read their BIOS, in the one sheeter when. You walked in but. I can tell you, they've. All led companies, they've. All led Boston College by serving, on the board of trustees here. And. They've, all led our Catholic Church being, very invested, in its future and its past. Before. We start and I want to just kind of hand the program over to Jack. It's. The month of Mary and for. Each session. During. This Easter series, we've, begun with a prayer so. I ask you to stand and recite, the Hail Mary to, pray for our church and, to. Also pray, for the fruits of this conversation, tonight. And pray for each and every one of us that is in this room that, loves our church name. Of the Father Son Holy Spirit amen. He'll. Mary full. Of grace. Holy. Mary Mother of God pray, first, now, with the our death. Amen thank you. Jack. The, floor is yours. Karen. Thank you very much, can you hear me in the back. Karen. Thanks very much it's. It's. Great to be back to be see when when. Chuck and I were walking the hallways here, we. Never had an arm, like this I mean carpets, imagine. Campus. Interesting. Concept, so. Denise. Tell. Us from, your perspective, perhaps from Marco Island Florida or, wherever New. Jersey before that's, 89. Degrees. The. State of the churches, you see it today, so. I, will say. That, my comments, tonight are gonna be out of love for the Catholic faith and. They're. Just opinions. I. I. Am. Humbled, to be here and, share. These comments, so thank. You very much for including me Karen, I appreciate, that so. The, state of the of Catholicism. I look, at first. Of all the external, forces that are out there which I call seismic, shifts, where. You have. You. Have a demographic, shift from, 80, million baby boomers to, 80 million Millennials so, two. Generations. A. Much, more diverse population. For, the the, church to serve. The. Economic. Bifurcation. That's going on with, a shrinking, middle class in, the US and. A. Division. Between haves. And have-nots, which is becoming a lot more pronounced. Presenting. Its challenges, and then. I also, believe. That the technology. Revolution, has fundamentally changed the way people are communicating they're, certainly changing, the way people are, shopping. And the way the people, are interacting with each other so. Those are pretty, big seismic. Shifts but the one fundamental, one that just startled. Me was, that. The, American, family, of mom. Dad and two kids are, only twenty, four percent of, the, population now so. You've got six different types of families out there whether it's. Multi-generational. Multicultural. Same-sex. Single. Mothers you, know it, is, a hodgepodge, and. The. Reason why that's so significant, is because our Catholic faith has, been built on the nuclear, family and it's, just something that we have to deal with when as. The, church brings. Jesus. To people which. Is the noble purpose, so. I, think you. Know some, of this the things that are going on with. Reduction. In vocation. Is very concerning. Do. We are we going to have enough priests. In. The future the, for. Everyone. Catholic, that's converted, six, are leaving the church so. That there's been a decline in the numbers. The. Scandals. That have happened, have. Really disheartened, people, and and. So. The. In the way actually. The way they've been handled, in terms of. Transparency. Or lack thereof, is, eroding. Some trust in the church and that's. An issue that's got to be dealt with so. That this whole area, of, trust. And relevance. To. A changing. Landscape, it. Is a daunting, challenge and, and.
And One not only faced by the church, as an, institution but, also by companies, and governments. And everything. Else but. I-i've. Always been an advocate of look, if you confront, the brutal facts, then. You'll find solutions. And really. It all comes back to. Purpose, and the purpose of bringing Jesus, to people so. That's. Really my assessment, of it I don't, have all the answers folks, but. I do, think, that that. The. Catholic Church has. A lot, to work with there there, are many people of strong faith there are wonderful, priests, there, is a, wonderful. Business model, with, the parish system, it is, local, its community. Some, do it better than others but it's strong, and it, can be strengthened, so III and, we also have a, population. Of young people coming up that. Literally. I have, a lot of hope in that can take our church forward, so it's not all gloom and doom but, it is a call to action to get organized. So. Let's see who's next here. Why. Don't we call on Chuck plow. Well. Jack it's been quite a while since I could string four sentences, together through, memory so. I'll rely. On some, some. Some notes I. That's. The recipe for brownies, you can't it is I mean whatever. It takes you. Know. I don't, know many people realize this but the two longest, living institutions. In the. Western world of the US Constitution, of the Roman Catholic Church. Institutions. And. You. Know a fair question to ask is. Which. One will live, the other since both are under stress right now I told. Dr. Tom groom I'd quote. Him and this. Is on the c21. Website, but he, points out that Jesus mandate, to us as the hand on the faith to the next generation, and I, guess by extension he means the generation, after that and the generation, after that, and. I guess the question the, answer to the question of the first one which. Will be the longest living institution, if we look down the futures how, good we are doing that how good will we be at, passing. Down our fair faith in the next generation, now. Any grew up in Boston they're probably in New York or any of the way he's turned cities in, the 1940s. And 1950s, I grew, up on the streets of Boston in fact I grew up just down the hill from from, Jack and. Our. Lives away from school were dominated, by parish, life, you, didn't live in Jamaica, Plain or, or West Roxbury, you-you-you. Lived in st. Thomas's, parish or Holy Family pet or Holy, Name parish, and. See, everything from the CIO to the Saturday night dance your your, entire social life out of school that was public school so even. With that you you you you you you dominated sure I didn't have any Protestant, a Jewish friend so I got to high school so. Tight those communities, were and of course they were very proof is pervasive. You. Know we all know that the number today we, know the church numbers, that are declining you know I I. Watched, this in the Archdiocese, of Boston, pretty carefully, but well. Both of you any of you probably have. Experienced. The to evangelist. Evangelization. Programs, that have, been undertaken in the in the Archdiocese, of Boston what was several years ago is called, Catholics. Coming home or Catholics, come home and and that, consisted, of chancery. Sending out audio-visual. Material, to the. 290. Parishes, in the Archdiocese and they did they show this really well done video. Which, would show how vibrant and beautiful Catholic, life is but. Nothing really changed. I mean people came, back but since, they found parish. Life the same that was when they left the first time they they they. They left, and then, more recently you've, heard of disciples, and mission that's. The effort to really really. Sort of reorganize the parish, we. Can't close parishes, that no parish will be closed but we moved them into collaborators and some are working some have, better resources and, and can be livelier place, but. When you look at the numbers in the Archdiocese. Of Boston and I won't spend too much on this but well, every 10 years we count. The sacraments, and the number of people at church and you go back over the last 10 years the. Number of Catholics. In the pews on Sunday or Saturday, are. Down 19% over, the last 10 years there's been sort of a steady erosion the. Number of baptisms, are down 19%. The. Number of confirmations are, down 19%, and, the. Number of marriages are down 57%. So. Think about that for a minute what does that say about the next generation, and I think you, know to go back to dr. Grumman's idea Pat is passing on the faith, part. Of the questions gonna be to whom but. More importantly. We. Obviously. People, aren't being fed you know people in the fuse aren't, being paid either by spirituality, or, by liturgy or or. Whatever. And I think, those. Are the areas we sort of really have to think about what what, is the experience, of the person in the pew more. Importantly, what, is the experience of the person in the pew going to be twenty years from now well.
Forty Years from now or, sixty years from now now. The council of trent went. On between 1543. And 1568. And. Almost. 500 years ago and that. Council created the model of church really that we have today everything from the tried endtime mass which kind. Of morphed after vatican ii into the. The. Liturgy. We experienced, today and. Target. Was supposed to be business people talking, about, both. The church how, many business model how many five years five hundred year old business models, would survive, in, the, world today and the answer is there's. Going to be change and that's why I think and I'm mirroring Denise's. Comment I think it's a terribly, exciting time to be Catholic I think, it's a terribly exciting thing because, we're probably, going to see in the change in the next generation or two as dynamic. As the Council of Trent it will be that profound and the question is will we take it will we take our church and I, say our church because, I think of all great Pope's we. Experienced in the 20th century I think john xxiii was, really the greatest and, during, the during the council during the vatican council he. He. Came up with a brilliant brilliant, insight, into, our spirituality, and who we are his church he. Said we are the people of God and you. Know we talked about it and I think after that everybody forgot about it but he, said we are the people of God and I think he meant it and I, think it's. More profound statement, than than, he, thinks because I, don't. Going over. The next few generations I, think we're gonna be dealing we'll be dealing with a less clerical, church the Roman Catholic Church will become less clerical, you could any, any, any simple life and I'm not talking my book as a. Deacon I'm oh gain so they're, gonna kick. Me out every word right Tom well we'll go together we'll go we'll go quietly but, but. We, will become a less clerical, Church and and I think one of the most powerful things that, will. Affect change, in the church is. Happening, you know just just a quarter. Of a mile from us at, the school of theology and ministry now. Back in 2001, father, Leahy started, a. Trustee, sub trustee, Committee on. Michigan. Character, he called it and the way he expressed it to me at the time was. I have to make sure that. The Jesuit, Catholic presence. Stays, on the Boston College campus, when, there aren't any more Jesuits. He. Had that foresight well he, put that off maybe by a generation, or two by acquiring Western Jesuit school of theology and, we got plenty of Jesuits, so, we have to worry about that right now but sometimes we will and sometime all Catholic universities, will have to worry what happens, when you, don't have the clerical presence is dominant is today we, have to you, know we have to live out our baptism, in our baptism we become part. Of the priesthood of Christ and I think, all of these things that sounded like cliches, today. As we, go through the next generation, or two are going to become reality we will be the church and, I think all of those young people and not so young people may be coming. Out of STM they're all called they're all called like the, rest of us if they're willing to put together put, put aside you, know you, don't make a lot of money doing ministry but so. Obviously they're, called and they've got real, capability. You know I think perhaps, one. Of the most important things that might change and I'm just guessing here is, what's. With the power of the homily will always have the Eucharist the Eucharist obviously, is the center of the but, the homily is pretty important part of it and I, think the most powerful homily, is is, a person. A layperson. Expelling. Us about their faith life telling about their conversion, to faith what happened how did it work and that would be a powerful something and I'm. Thinking of a model where both, of those aspects are taken together that we, can be called by our baptism but, really live out the priesthood of God or. The priesthood of Christ and. How, all of these things will change are. Going to be fascinating, but I think, the bottom line is it is going to be a very exciting time to be a Catholic.
Thanks. Chuck. So. Some of you may recall the. TV program, Sesame Street, and they'd show. Two. Beans and a carrot, and the, song was one of these things is not like the other I think I'm the carrot tonight. I. Have. A I, love. These perspectives and, I really appreciate, the both of you saying what you said I have, a slightly different perspective. Tomatoes. More. You. Had journalist she had clergy. He had professors. Etc, this, is a, kind. Of a gathering of a, small, gathering of business types and. When. You ran the Campbell Soup Company, it. Can. You hear me, okay. I, have. One of these things you know I make I'll, tell, you what. Can. You hear me now. So. The. Campbell Soup Company is 150. Years old. You. You spend a fair amount of time at Merrill Lynch Merrill, Lynch is 105, years old I was. In the advertising business, at Hill holiday, started. At 51, years ago. Catholic. Church is two thousand years old two thousand plus and. I, think it's showing its age, as. A business, model I think, it's broken and. I think, I only, say that because I care about it hopefully. As much as as the, two of you do I. Think. We. Over, two thousand, years you can just imagine how many sort, of secret, societies. There were and, how many organizations. And clubs and, so on and so can, also appreciate that for the most part wars. That were fought in this world were fought as a result of one, person's, religious, opinion, versus another so one community, Senate versus another I, think. That. After. 2,000. Years it's time for a reboot. And. My. Little office people are rebooting maybe two or three times a day. I think, after 2000 years we we deserve, a reboot and, I. Think. 2000, years ago things. Were a lot different and. I. Asked. Myself this question once, in a while what, would Jesus think if he were to take a look at what. Goes on, in. The world today and. The name of the, faith that he found. It I. Don't. Think you'd be impressed by, any of the abuse, charges. I don't think he'd be impressed by. A. Vatican. Museum that has amazing resources, but there's an awful lot of poor people just outside, the vatican is in that that can't, afford a meal. I. Don't. Think i think, it's time that this. 2,000. Year old company, kind of opened, the windows and let in some fresh air. I think. It needs to be a lot more honest. With itself and transparent. I think they've been way too much secrecy I think. The. The great news of their people like the two of you who, serve, and represent the, church and. Then. He says only known, you for a little while but I've watched. Chuck for for, maybe. Two generations, and, I've never met anybody who was a more. Appropriate poster, child for our faith, if. If, you're, an example of the future of our faith then we're in great shape. But. I. Spent. At the at. The encouragement. Of, the. Cardinal then Archbishop, I've I spent the last dozen. Years raising. 100 million dollars to rebuild Catholic, schools. When. When, Archbishop. Shawn, then before. He was made a cardinal became, Archbishop, of, Boston in, his installation speech, or, homily, at the. Cathedral, said that the Catholic school system is the second largest school system in. The country after, the public school system I was, impressed by that in. 1965. There were 250. Parish, Catholic schools. Today. There are 85. We've. Closed three year on average, every, year for, 51, years. 54. Years. Most. Of the Catholic parish schools that exist today are. On the bubble oh they. Can just barely make, ends meet many. Of them have been converted to condominiums, so. He sent us to Brockton he sent us to Dorchester. To. Work with the, poor parishes, and in both of those areas and, we. We. Went into the basement and found out that the Catholic Church was the largest purchase, or a duct tape because the boilers were wrapped and, doctor. We, we, went in to the classrooms, have found that the asbestos tile floors, were, chipped and, the chips were only, in the atmosphere. We. Tried to open the windows but they wouldn't open and if they open they wouldn't close so. For 10-12, million bucks a copy we rebuilt, every one of those old brick red brick bones buildings, red brick buildings. And today. This 1,500 kids in those schools but. That took a lot of money a lot of focus a lot of dedication, and.
A. Lot. Of people don't feel invited. They. Don't feel welcomed, that welcome to Mass there. Welcome to the sacraments, they're, welcome to help with the various missions the corporal works of mercy whatever, you want to call them but. They're not necessarily welcome. When it comes to figure and how we're going to run this thing for the next 2,000, years and. Men. Are more welcome than women, and. Women. Are. More welcome than gays and, we. Happen to be in a in a, world today where. We're. All supposed. To be welcoming, each other I don't care. Who. Was married to whom I have. A son wait Eileen, I have a son is married to a Jewish girl I don't. Care that she's Jewish she's a wonderful, wife to our son. We. Some. Of my best friends on Irish you, know. But. We we really do need to kind of. To. Be honest, with each other, a classic, example and, then we'll go on to some questions but. Boston. College. Is. 156. Years old. Chuck was in the first. Class back then I came. In two or three years later. Plus. In college for the first hundred, and nine years was. Run by the Jesuits, the, board was. A Jesuit board, father. J Donnell Mullin decided, what. I could do that anymore there's. Gonna be 40 members of the board plus or minus and, 34. Of them are going to be laymen, and women, one. Who runs a bank one who runs an insurance company one who runs a whatever. And. They're. Gonna help us figure out the future and is. There, anyone who walks around this campus, today. Forty, some. Ideas after that half 47, years after that change. Of governance, whether. The Jesuits really no longer own Boston. College the board does. And the, the. Endowment when father morning made that decision was 15 million dollars, mostly. Restricted what's the endowment today chai. 2.6. Billion so, is this. University. Any. Less. Great. Because, it's not 100%, controlled, by the church, I don't, think so this, is a classic, example of, a partnership that's. Been an enormous, ly successful, and it's not the only one Holy, Cross Notre. Dame on and, on and on that, when you when, you bring, in the folks who. Are not Jesuit. Or not, clerical. And you, work in partnership, with them just imagine, what happens, one. Idea one, idea could, be could. The US Conference of Bishops have, a board, that. Of a Board of Advisors, that, come from different walks of life because, one you've, got two things going on you've got the, work of God and then you've got the business of the, church and. You. Know to think. That clergy. Has to do all of that, might. Be, short-sighted. Or. There. Might be a shortage so, you can't do it that way to. Your point and so. There, could be a model that the universities. Have figured out out of necessity that. Might. Work for. You. Know there is a spirit he works in strange, ways but, you know Jeff huazi a former trustee, of this university now runs an organization is a nationwide now call the Leadership Council and specifically, designed. It has been accepted I think it just about every major diocese. As an. Important, source. Of, bringing. Business principles, to the the management of the church so that's that's, that's pretty much underway but then I I just think that'll become ever more critical but, yeah I think, I. Never, heard about that you. Know so, so, there's also a communication.
Opportunity. You. Know, for. The church to explain, some of the things to people in terms of what are we doing, differently, what how, are we pursue, some of these different. Ways of improving. The. Experience for. Parishioners. For. People. Of the flock so to speak so I think that's an opportunity. It. Strikes me that the two of you are. Kind, of poster, children again, for. The future of our faith. The. Church's. History has. Really, had a lot more to do with the past because. That is history then. The. Business plan for the future has anybody here seen the business plan for the future of the Catholic Church all. Right. I don't. Think one exists, I think. They've. Spread. Out so, for example pastor. Of. A parish is the is the lord of the manor he, he. Is the, captain of his ship, so. For example when we were digging, into these schools and Brockton at Dorchester, the. Pastor, wasn't. 45. With four curates, we have four children I don't, know if they know what it cure it is. But. The pastor, is. Is, in, charge of that school the. Past is not 45 anymore is 68, and. When. You look at pedagogy, when, you look at technology, how, is one. Man was probably running three parishes. So, as to keep up with what technology, so. That whole notion that the pastor, is king so when we went. To Brockton we went to Dorchester, the. We took the pastor out he's, on the board but, he no longer runs that school and the people in the community, the business people like. Success. For the future of our faith is a team sport. You. Know I think you're some extent um you. Know I think even even, here we've, got great youth ministry, at Boston, College and in so many different dimensions and I. Know a lot of the youngsters and, done retreats with them and. It's. Funny when they graduate, of course they're. Certainly committed to their faith and they've. Lived it and it's, certainly been transformation. But, sometimes they get back into the parish where the rectory is dead and you, you you. You lose it and. Fortunately. In the in this - many other archdiocese. There are other ways, of, building. Faith, is there's Casilla well they've. Done youth ministry, for a long long time we started with teen encounter, which was a high school program and that's still going then. There was to encounter Christ Tech we call that that's for college, age and younger that's still going and, there's. Lots of Curcio so there are there, are ways of, of. Really, you know being. Being open to the spirit in a, way like that but. You eventually you got to go back to the parish and and and the life has to be lived in the parish and and. I think that's the that's, the model that really has to be has, to be thought about and, changed, and I know. You know we were, very fortunate we've got good leadership and it's a strong parish we had a First Communion service Saturday, night I wasn't on for that one I'll be on for this one but. One, one, mother I know very well she says oh I love my parish I mean it was an uplifting, liturgy, and when when, it works well, it's. A fantastic, experience, but, you know for all the reasons we know it's, working less, and less well as we go through time one. Idea could be those. Parishes, that are working well, you. Know in businesses, if a division, is working better than another one you start to look at well what are the best practices and, the key drivers, of that success, and then how do you scale that up and get get, that around you. Know you want the parishes, to keep, their local, touch. You, know especially in a high-tech world that local, touch is so critical, but, there may be some a template, or certain, principles. That are, working in, in certain, parishes, that could benefit. Some. Of the other ones and make that a better experience. So. A story. One. Of our own if I may use that phrase, as a fellow. Who, was a very very dear friend of mine of. Eileen's of mine and I. Think of Chuck, and glorious his. Name is Nixon. Ella and Nick. Had a a lot. Of challenges, figuring out what he wanted to be when he grew up so. He. Became a lawyer and, he. Wasn't crazy about the laws so he became a vascular surgeon which, is what most lawyers do when they don't want to be boy. And. Then, he wasn't, nuts about that either so he, he, decided, that what he wanted to do was, become a priest so. He went to the delayed vocation, seminary in. Weston, four. Years later he was a parish, priest. They. Sent him to Wakefield, that two years in Cardinal, Sean. O'Malley saw. The. Enormous. Intellectual. Capacity. And the talent, and the enthusiasm, etcetera so, we handed. Over the parish in Lowell called the Church of the Immaculate Conception and, Lowell. It, was it. Was. Dirty. It was empty it, was lonely the. Rectory, at, 26, bedrooms, this. Is this, is kind of a story of our faith. He, was the only person on the rectory. Now, the doubt, the down side is obvious, that was lonely but the upside was he had a different view every night.
So. So, he invited me to come. Up to Lowell and see his parish. We. Weren't in the sacristy she, took me through the rectory, one of the sacristy is one of these panels, of, light switches he, switched on what must have been 30 lights you know light up the whole church and he, walked in, and. He stood just below the altar and he he's a big guy and he he. Put his arms out and he said this is my church and I've. Never, seen anyone more proud or grateful, for his mission and it. Occurred to me at that time that a hundred years earlier this big church, which has now been fully restored it's absolutely beautiful extraordinary. Occurred. To me at that time that let's, say a hundred years ago when it was built 120. Years ago just, imagine, that the local bishop probably had a celebratory, Mass to, thank the. Stonecutters. And the Cap'n tears and the stained glass window, makers on the all, the artisans, that were involved in building this beautiful church. Here's. What occurred to me what. Will we build. A. Lot, of us have become users. And. I. Think. We need to be builders, I think. The only way this faith gets. Restored, and becomes. Something very very special, as it, is really in many parts, of the world in many parts of the city but as, it becomes ubiquitously. Successful. There is such a adverb. As you pick your vigourously. The. The only way that's gonna happen is if we if we go kind, of make it happen we don't have to come together and sing Kumbaya but we have to go into. Each, street, thank, you very much father just. A thirty dollar plug here. We, have to go to st.. Ignatius, we have to go to st. this st. that Holy Name sacred, wherever, and we, have to say put, me to work I want. To I want to help rebuild. I want to be a builder, I don't want to be you is there I want to be a builder and so. If, if, if, I'm critical of the Church of the faith it's because I'm critical of us um, I. Throw myself into that sometimes as well really but something. You. Know there's a lot of. There's. A lot of studies. Of health and all and and it, has been proven that people have faith live, longer, they. Recover from heart attacks somebody must have done this research somewhere, in the New.
England Journal of Medicine or, something but people. Who are faithful women we have a living faith they live longer they. Recover from heart attacks quicker. There's. It. Does affect your physical life. Your, health and just, just being having, the living, Jesus is part of your. Life so we, got something awfully good to sell and, I. Don't understand why the pews are emptying, out and I don't think they'll continue will. Bar on this Oh somewhere but. I think to take Jack's step one step further, I do. Think maybe, the thought I'm repeating myself and I'm doing it purposely because I think we have to think of ourselves as more. Than just lay, people. Who, do things because. Father tells us to or in, my case sister, tells us to, and. And, and realize that we are also. Part. Of the priesthood of Christ and, we can be teachers, of the faith but, what we say and do you. Know sort of like the little, line at the end of a baptism ceremony. Show. This child the, life of Christ by what you say in do we say that to the parents and, and, I think that's that's really what we're called upon to do is to be, builders by, what, we say and do I, just. Can't imagine how. You navigate. All, of life's events, without. Faith, I I, don't. Even I can't even comprehend. That and yet, there's so many people that. Have. They've, just lost touch with it. Where, are we teaching the. Next generation, the faith if, in fact Catholic. Schools are closing they're, not getting, it at home they're. Learning from peer groups that don't, have it I mean, you, you see them turning to other things, to. Fill, that void. Unfortunately. Some of those things are opioids, or you. See very high rates of depression and, despair I, know, look, life's tough sometimes and if you have that sense, of faith that, you, can call on and you could get you through those things, and, you. Know I. Believe. That we've, just we've really overcomplicated, it Jesus. Was about love. God and love your neighbor as yourself, he, was about. Look. The the 12, apostles. Didn't, sit home they went out and they went to the people and they, talked to, the people about Jesus. They. Didn't really build these huge churches, and wait for people to come now. We've, got the luxury of these, beautiful, churches but. I'd still think we've got to go out and get more people to. Appreciate the faith because, that's. What this is really this is that's what it should be all about when. We're losing, Catholics. Every day because. They feel disenfranchised. Maybe, we should reflect, on what is it going to take to be relevant, to. People, in order, to bring Jesus to their lives and make. Their lives better to, your point I mean this is a big calling, and. And. I think just to stick our heads in the sand and say oh well if we just pray. It'll get better. It's. Not just about prayer prayer. Is important, but it's also about action, too and and. Having the Holy Spirit. Affect. Be, open to that what, is the plan of action I. Have. One quick story but, first. You can tell you joy no one believes you have one, quick story but go ahead. There's. A the. Biography, of Albert Einstein Walter Isaacson, wrote it and in it there's this little story of the. Great physicist, he took a train out of Princeton use of the Institute, for Advanced Study and. They're. Sitting in the in the in, the coach seat and conductor, came down and asked the doctor, doctor, I said for your ticket he says. No. Ticket and felton, the other felt in his pants no ticket, even felt in the back no, ticket and then, the conductor, felt sorry for my question you he, said well don't worry dr. Einstein I know who you are everybody, knows who you are and we all know you bought a ticket so don't worry about it and then, left walk down the court or a walk down the aisle and then look back and notice that dr. Einstein was, on his hands and knees fishing, under the seat and he. Felt. Again he felt rather concerned. About it came back doctor, I said please. You don't have to worry about it we know you bought a ticket and. Everybody. Knows who you are and then he stood up and he says. Don't. Worry I Know Who I am what, I don't know is where I'm going and. I. Have no idea if the story is true or not but I, think. You know the advantage. We have is we know where we're going know this the Jesus, told us where we're going and, and, how we fix this 500, year old business model or 2,000, year old business model, you want to look at it how. We fix it, we'll. Figure it out but, I think the real message of this evening is we have to fix it. There's. This. All comes down to one at. Least as business, people one, observation.
It's. All about leadership. Why. Does one company, work out better, than another company, well, sometimes. It has to do with luck but. A lot of it has the common denominator, seems to be leadership and. You. Talk about the. Josh Diocese of Boston's 360. Parishes, or whatever. We. We did a study under the Eisner whatever. Commission ten or twelve years ago and, we found out that. Of the, 360. 120. Had amazing. Pastors. 120. Had terrible, pastors, and 120. Had average pastors, well. There. Wasn't a problem for the 120, they had great pastors, I thought, it was a real problem for the under 20 they had terrible pastors, terrible. By whatever series, of measurements and so. We. Have a we, got a shortage your leadership but what, you've demonstrated is. That there. Are other ways you, know leadership. Does. Not require ordination. And. That's. Not my line is too brilliant to come from me. But. And. You. Of course have been ordained, but we. Don't have to be ordained, to take up. The. Gauntlet. So, to speak and say that's. School we're, gonna fix that school that. That, that. Church, we're, gonna rebuild that church that. We've. Got, the. System st. Joseph who probably taught, 1. Out of every 4 people in this room what. If they got going today they've got a bank account that eventually. Will be wiped out taking. Care of the the nuns in their senior, year we. We. Have business. Opportunities, as a place called. The. Poor Clares on the Jamaica way not, far from where you and I grew, up. The. Building, is a breathtakingly. Beautiful building. I used. To think when I was five that it was they did magic shows there on Sunday because you'd. Go in, with. An under, your mother father's, hand and you'd, ask for a prayer. Mask, odd for someone who passed and there. Was a rotating. Thing, and you'd hear a woman's. Voice on the other end and you'd. Put a dollar in and the. Will, would go around next. Time you saw it was empty will it go wrong what time the dollar had been converted to a mascot. So. They. Were there were 50 or 60, wonderful. Nuns living. A cloistered. Life at this, prayerful. Place. We're, one of two states that has two orders, of Poor Clares I think the other might be an Andover, I'm not sure where, today. There's a teen in Jamaica. Plain West, Roxbury Jamaica Plain and there's, probably 18 in Andale, do, you think they'd ever come together and so. On and use the proceeds to protect, it but they, don't even, talk to each other and by, the way let's. Go over the st. Paul's that, owns 22, acres, and Jamaica, Plain and there's. There's, 12 months maybe there's 30 nuns but. That's. One, nun per acre you. Know. And. They've got that and Jamaica, Plain right next door the Poor Clares a half a mile away so the.
The Notion if this were the. Campbell Soup Company if, this were Swanson. TV dinners if, this were Merrill Lynch if this, were cloud capital, if this were Hill holiday, you. Wouldn't, allow that. Lack of consolidation. That lack of coming, together because. Together, they could rebuild and, and, go forth in. A stronger way the, church doesn't think like that and and. It needs to because. Even. Though it's. Really not the business of. 2,000. Years as the faith that's carried it through it's, a business and. Everything's. A business now so. The. Business, of building our faith is a very big business. You. You mentioned leadership. And. What. When. You think about leadership in a company. It starts, with purpose. What's the higher order reason, why. You're doing this work or why this company is in business to, begin with I mean, it Campbell's it was real food that matters, for life's moments and then. There's a set of values that, go. With that so it's not just the what you're trying to do as a business but it's the how. And. The behaviors, you desire in your culture, that actually brings that to life. And, and, and. I actually think. If you asked 10 people you know, what, is the higher order purpose of the Catholic Church you probably would get some different answers if you, asked, what are the values. Depending. Upon what order, you. Ask you'll. Get some different answers and so, this, there's an opportunity here, for some real clarity, because. I think in our hearts we really do know what those are and. And. If, you can you, know if you want to capture the hearts and minds particularly, of the next generation, which, you. You talked about as our real. Obligation is, to teach the faith and pass it down generation, to generation it's. Got to be done with the head the heart and the hands it's. Getting the heart that's the tough, part but. If you can really clearly articulate, a purpose, and values that people can connect to that's. Leadership and, then, you can mobilize, people and galvanize, them to, do some pretty extraordinary, things, because, they believe in it and we. Just have an opportunity. The. The good part is is I think all of the content, is there it's. A matter of you, know of people stepping, up and stepping out, but, it's also a matter of how. Will the bishops react to that how, will the priests, react to that are, they welcoming. Of, you. Know the laity or whatever you want to call. To. Come in and really, help or, is it one of these and. I can tell you as a. Woman, I don't. Feel come on, you. Know come on in you know preach, do do, something, I, I, think there's certain, things that. At. The parish level that. Priests. Are comfortable, with but then there's other things it's. Not so much and I, do, think, that there are other groups that feel the same way and that disenfranchises. And so you. Know if you think about women. In the church, Mary. Was. The first power woman. Mary. Was. An amazing, woman think, about the decision she had to make at 15, years old, now, it's unbelievable. I don't think I could have done it I mean, but the the example. Time after time imagine. Being, tasked with being the mother of God. Really. I mean, that is daunting right there and she did it and she did it with grace and, poise, she. She, had respect, um. She. Talked to children she. Inspired, she, motivated, she was awesome, I think. Of her as a role model and, yet. I don't know how many, people. Are talking about Mary, to. The women in the Catholic Church as a as a role model so, there's. So many opportunities if. We, could just invite, people in to, make a difference. As opposed. To going like this to them. Wow. That. Was awesome yeah. Can. I have an amen. So. I'll double down on that before we go to questions if you read the Acts of the Apostles carefully. There's a narrative. About what appears to be the first Christian, liturgy and, it sure sounds, like it was a presided. Over by somebody named Phoebe you. Can go anywhere you want with that. Wait. Whose side are you on check. So. Why. Don't we. Do. Two things let's take 20 minutes for applause and then three minutes for question. All. Right we'll do two seconds, of applause and unless jump right into some Q&A. Can. We just want the easy questions.
Yeah. Give. Me a few minutes yeah helps alone. First. Of all do we have a score of the game. Zero. Zero okay run. Sorry, so. Okay. Celtic. Celtics. Up. 731. Okay. Thank. You. Okay. First. Question, you're. In the board room with, Pope Francis. What's. The. First thing you want to say to him I. Was. Gonna say second. The. Quote with, which I most associate. You is one, of the early quotes Who, am I to judge I. Mean. We. Got a lot of judges and. He. Chose not to be one so I. You. Know having, trained here the, notion of having a Jesuit, Pope I'm given, this fellow the benefi, that out. I. Think. He's awesome I think he represents, real hope and I. Think his concept. Of the framework, for human dignity is, a huge. Idea if, if. You combine. That with you. Know the Jesuit, philosophy of, formation. Of mind body and soul if we. Got up every morning and had, real, respect for human dignity we. Wouldn't have, three-quarters, if not all of some of the social, issues that we're dealing with today I think. He's got a huge opportunity to. Bring that one forward and get people really emotional, about it I. Think. The the the quickest, way is certainly. A change, in the nature of leadership under, under Francis you. Know from, a leadership of being, so concerned about the. Faith we tend to be kind, of inward to, to moving towards compassion, that's the biggest change I see. Okay. This next question very creative. If, you, were designing a course for seminarians. About, church management. How, would you structure it and what, would you teach. If. You. Were designing a course for seminarians, about, church management. How. Would you structure it and what, would you teach. Thank. You for this opportunity. So. I. Talked. Earlier about opening. The windows letting in some fresh air. When, when. We had the problems, of. Clergy. Abuse in. 2001. 2002, and many, years before but exposed. In Boston. And. That time, frame. It. It. Was interesting, to see that father. Moment, was the president BC at the time and he said, something. Is terribly, wrong, at st. John's Seminary. And I. Think. One, of the interesting things as a there's a local example is now there's a group from North, Attleboro La, Salette, they. Happen to be uh not that over Attleboro, but, they also on the Cape where Eileen and I worshipped, and Brewster. And. They. Have a seminarian. Michigan. That they just closed because they couldn't afford it him one they took the eighteen. Men by the way I'm like, Chuck I never, let facts get in the way of a good story so, don't hold me these numbers. But. They. Took their eighteen men, they. Bought a house, on. Foster. Street Oh Benna Street and in. Brighton and they. Using Boston College to be their seminary. Now. I think. That was a very end first of all was a good business move because, they couldn't afford the old model but I think was in a light move because, I think, these young men. Who make this commitment to the priesthood need, to be spending. More time in the community, eventually. Where, the people are going to serve. So. It's. Good to have four Democrats, in the house I'd thank you. So. I think it's just a matter of. When. I talked early about the the, secrecy, etc, I think we, folks. Need to be exposed, to the the world the way it is today and I. Think here. There is that opportunity, but. It's just one example of how you open, this thing up and there. There is no to. My. Understanding. There's no. In. Any seminary, that I've ever heard there's no program on marketing, there's no program on fundraising, there's, no program, and. Capex. Management. I don't, think it works that way I think it's all logic. Epistemology. Theology, philosophy whatever. And we. Have, some brilliant people but. I'm not sure they know how to run the business of, their parish, or the, business of their community. Yeah, I I think I think it the course of study could. Could be broader but also teaching, them skills like, collaboration. Networking. Making. Sure that they they, realize. That no. Leader no matter how good you are can do it all yourself you got to surround yourself with the best talent, set. Goals measure. Outcomes, and go and I, do think having. Seminarians. Go, out and actually do, work, in the parishes, during. The course of their education and come back and deliberate, on that could, be a very positive thing, I. Know I don't know about you jack. But when I was, a sales rep they, they put me out in the field with many different sales, reps to learn how to be a better sales rep and why. Wouldn't, you learn, from some of the others that have gone before you, so a, combination. Of, classroom. But also, actual. Experience. Check. This this questions directed to you. Do. You think that, the church can. Use more, deacons, I. Think. The church do I think the church can use more deacons yeah it's interesting there aren't that, there. Are a plethora of applications. For the diaconate either and that's because people don't know no one else about it I think they know because there's, enough of us around today that I think most people know, what a deacon is they, may not quite sure what he does but they know, he's there yeah the Boy Scouts.
He's A Boy Scout sash that's, you. Can, tell that I. Think. I was only dating 33, years ago and. Obviously. I. It. Was very welcome back hit at my parish, because the pastor, was elderly and he knew I'd do the hospital visits for him and he so, he knew how to use me right off the bat we are very useful we can be we, can be useful in a parish I think. That's so I think most. Pastors today, are very happy to, to. Get to get a deacon and there's. No I, don't. Think people, have any really, think of distinction, between the, priest and today they're both if you reach out think about it the aconite you can hang out and do nothing if you want or. You can be as involved as you want to be obviously. You don't have the responsibility, for the parish the priest has but I think, we're certainly accepted, as part of the ordained, the. Ordained ministry and. If. You reach out they'll. They'll they'll certainly but. I think yeah sure this problem I'm, sure there's fifty or sixty passes out there would be more than happy to have, another deacon. To. The brand builders, how. Can the church rebuild. Trust in, the, institution. And, restore. Credibility and, the. Brand. My. Experience, in brand, building is that. Transparency. Builds, trust and. That. Means. That you need to be a bit vulnerable but. You. Know in the food business people. Want to know what's in their food they, want to know where it's grown how, it's made what ingredients, are in it that it's made with integrity that it's safe its high quality it's. No different, with, you. Know with this with. Building the brand of the Catholic Church, people, want to know they're interested and they, want. Transparency. About what's. Working what's not working it's, what and what's needed and how can they, help, and. I do think that by. By. Being. More, inclusive there. And. Being much more transparent. That. Will help build the brand because there, is a trust, and relevance, crisis, in the church today. I think, it's really quite. Simple. I. Think. We have to get back to being. Transparent. As you say but. I think it's it, goes back to. My. Favorite quote from Saint Francis of Assisi who oddly. Said in the 1500s. I wasn't. There at the time. Well. A couple of people in this audience I think we're action. Reportedly. Said preach, the gospel at, all times. Even. If you have to use words and. I, think it's it's, example. I. Remember. As a kid growing, up in Roslindale and going to the Holy Name Church I thought.
That. The, the priests, at the Holy Name church I thought, they, were. Directed. By God to come to rosin Dillon and take care of the sheep, I thought, they were the Shepherds I thought, it was all on the level and, I'm. Not so sure it's all in the level anymore but. I will say this what what keeps me going to, Mass about three or four days a week and, praying, the rosary about, three or four days a week is. That I know. Of no other. Organization. In. The. History of this country other. Than maybe the federal government at its best, which. Is not right now by the way but that's another seminar. I know, of no, organization. That. Does is much good as the Catholic Church and, and. You. See it a. George. Herbert, Walker Bush talked, about a thousand, points of light there, are million points of light in the Catholic faith and. We. Could we could go for. Miles in any, direction any, point. On the compass you've picked, the point of the compass and we'll go in that direction for, miles and we'll probably bump, into three missions. Just. Within. Four miles of here. And. Those, missions, are, not there. To, serve the 1%. Sometimes. They're funded by the 1%, which. Is why the balance. Is important, but. They're, not there to serve the one person that served, the. The, the, folks that need it the most and it. Goes back to the fundamentals, of the corporal works of mercy that's. What's going on every day every. Afternoon every. Night across. This country and. More. Often than not it's done by a religious, group and more often than not done. By a Catholic religious, group because we happen to be probably, the biggest faith in the country so, that notion. That. We have a great sense as you to have spoken of the fundamentals. Is what. Keeps me here I I. Was. There. With. Cardinal, law the Friday before the. The. Spotlight. Drop of the newspapers, on that Sunday I, I. Saw. Evil, firsthand and. That's. Not what, that's not the faith I signed up for the. Faith I signed up for is the one that goes on at, this College this university, every day, they. Teach, men. Here, you know the notion as we teach men and women for others well. The. Church need to -, needs to embrace those men and women and put, them to work as as. Best as possible we. Don't really know how to recruit the, Chuck Klaus of of. This time, we're, not in the recruitment business we don't understand, the, power of bringing. People like Denise, and Chuck, into leadership's. For the positions of our faith, they. They understood it with the Nissen and the sand or what Chuck but. There. Are Denise's, and chucks throughout, this room and. The. Recruitment, of them is not. Strong. You. Know in your in your work, - Jack you're all about marketing. And storytelling, and the, the church needs to do a better job at, telling its story and the things that it's doing well. You. Know there's, an interesting metaphor, and, you. Know as I saw, the picture.
Of Notre-dame. Cathedral. Burning. It. Occurred to me that you. Know on one side there. Was a tower still, standing. And. And. On the other side. The. Tower burnt but, it didn't, destroy, the whole Cathedral, and, I, think you, know as I reflected, on that I was like wow you know in. The Catholic Church you have, you. Know people of great, faith, great. Fundamentals. A. Religion. That we all love and, then. You've got this tower that. You. Know has. To be rebuilt and it will be rebuilt a different way but it was it wasn't, completely, destroyed, and you. Know I thought you. Know Jesus said you, know thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and, the gates of Hell will not prevail against. It, you. Sit, there and you say you, faced evil. In. The face in that, in that time, we've. All felt the, ramifications. Of it but it won't destroy the church because, there are there's. Still a tower standing. Of people, that, don't want it to destroy the church and so that's. The call here is how do you rebuild. The second, tower again. A different, way so, that you. Know Notre Dame stands, tall. Again and. It, just was, a sign to me. Like. To read you a quote that I came across, maybe. For. A talk I gave here, it's, the launch of C 21 I think in 2002. Or something like that and, it, it reminds, me of the goodness of our clergy. The best of our clergy, and. I, think it's a quote from an English Jesuit, typically. I leave out attribution. Because I want people to think I wrote it but. Some. May think of a priest work in terms of what can be measured by attendance, at Mass and the, number of people knocking on his door in, fact. The real value, of the priest is something. Hidden and as, much more to do with the kind of person is rather. Than anything that can, be quantified. Nothing. Much happens, most of the time he, around, available. Trying, to listen for. A priest there is no such thing as success, successful. Longs to the world of sport to banks, and business, it, has no place in the precincts, of the sacred, the priest, is sowing never, reaping, so, there can be no trophies, his, work is to plow the furrow, open. Up the earth to the seed trusting. That in God's good time the, harvest will come in this, is the poetry, and privilege. Of priesthood, I. Can. Get to one final, question thank you for that Jack. How. Might the church be changed, if the hierarchy. Were as accountable, to, those, meeting, us in the pews as public. Companies, are to, shareholders. As. Long as it's a long term view and not quarter-to-quarter. I. Think. They are I. Think. The result, of the you. Know obviously. The. Catholic Church is not the only church dealing with a loss. Of adherence it's. A very secular society. With and, and, everything outside the. Life of the church is is, is. Really sort of an immature the, willingness to live a life of faith it's it's it's. Not a society. Is not not very supportive of that that, kind of thing, but. It is educated, and of course we have a much, more vibrant media, and I think all of these things played, a role I always. So joke now the closures on the other foot, in. The sense that yeah. Yeah there. Isn't as much power there there just isn't and I, think, this is a good thing I think, the more we become the people of God and less hierarchical, and and, even, even, Pope, Francis Pope. Francis has said this we will, become less even, less clerical, will, become the people of God, we. Close out each. Program, with, a final question and we ask, 30 seconds, maybe 20 seconds. What's. Your hope to share. For. The church what's your hope to share for, the church I. Mentioned. This before but I. See. These young people. Coming out of STM, out of school, of theology and ministry and, I've, worked with a lot of them several, have come through my parish, and other parishes, and.
They're. I mean they're the. Future of the church I mean they're the future we're, all the future of leadership of the church but they're really the future of the church and more and more they're coming out each year and we. Have to take care of them we have to make sure they, can have a. Remunerative. Experience. They. Make enough money to live and, and to build families, but, if we if. We're capable of doing that I think the hope of the church is a place. Like STM and places like it. My. Hope is that if. We. Focus on education. Communication. Prayer. And service. And, we. All do that together and, make that commitment. Whether. You're a baby boomer whether. You're a millennial. Whether. You're an Asian or. Black or. A woman, we. All can do that together and. That's. What the meaning, of community in church is and, I think that's very hopeful. And. And, I. Really, do believe that, was the original model that, Jesus wanted. So. My. Hope has, actually, already been realized, I, came, here as a freshman in, 1959. No. One ran. Around the reservoir, in, 1959. Or. Walked around the reservoir. No. One there. Was no wreck, flex in, 1959. To 63. We. Weren't really taking care of ourselves particularly. Went to the tam-o-shanter and, had a couple of beers after, class. The. Only thing that happened around the reservoir was on the backside that was occasional, necking that went on. And. The late evening you, you weren't. When. When, I was here from 1959. To 1963. There. Were no, service. Groups that were leaving, for Appalachia, or for Peru or for wherever and by. The hundreds. So. I I, think. The. Young folks are. Already. Making the right moves they, they have demonstrated they care about themselves, their. Health they've. Already demonstrated. That they care about other people there their, service, missions, etc, and and. I think eventually they're. Gonna make, things right and. I think they're gonna show us a brand-new model just as they have in those other areas so, my. Hope is already being realized, that's. Great, so. Chuck. Denise Jack thank. You so much for your time you're so busy all of you are like up and out at 6:00 this morning. What. What, you've done. What. You've done for the, world of business for Boston. College for. Our church for. Our communities, he's, really unprecedented. Denisha hopped on a plane from Florida at 6:00 this morning to, be here because she knew that the first plane out would get her here. And. In. Jack and Chuck you're in your offices so early and in May always making time for. Invitations. And for, meeting people and you. Are you know doing, God's work and we thank you for that and thank you, for for, all you give to us and thank, you to every single person here tonight that, had the choice to sit back home and watch, the bruins or the celtics, and you, were like this is more important. Still. Zero zero oh. Okay. Oh. Well. Can Celtics are closed Celtics, are closed, again. Thank you we wrap up this Easter series but we're going to continue with. With. More speaker series know. That you can find the video of tonight's program on. Our website BC. Edu, backslash c21, as well as the other three programs. In the series thank. You and God. Bless Happy Easter.
2019-05-31 03:39
