Diverse leadership seen at summit as key to future of healthy church

Published: 2008-04-29

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- On the last day of an unprecedented summit, Catholic ministry leaders detailed lifelong learning, collaborative ministry, solid formation and a greater need to encourage diverse leadership as crucial to the further growth of a healthy church. "Emerging models require an emerging vision of leadership," said Robert McCarty of the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry April 23, near the close of the National Ministry Summit, which attracted about 1,200 lay ministers, religious and clergy. McCarty served as a panelist on the morning's plenary session, which examined responses to recommendations for the future of pastoral leadership made earlier in the April 20-23 summit. Present were members of a coalition of six Catholic national organizations that received a $2 million grant in 2002 from the Lilly Endowment for a four-year study in response to changes in the church. Many of the recommendations made at the summit proposed changes to the training, formation and development of parish ministers at every stage in their careers.

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