Kneading Faith
By Fran Lavelle
It does not require much observation to recognize that in our culture chronic fatigue is worn as a badge of honor and being dizzied daily by over scheduling is a way of life. We have lost the perspective that less is more. Face it folks, we need more down time and we need to make it a priority. If we are to stay healthy (and, yes, Father, this means you too) we must take time to nurture our spiritual life. There are many obvious and not so obvious ways we find the rest we need. For me the week-long Pastoral Ministries Workshop and Retreat has been a place where I find renewed energy.
“Life is Better at the Lake,” so goes the familiar saying. I guess after spending the first week of June at Lake Tiak O’Khata in Louisville, for the past five years I must concur. One of the greatest benefits of attending the Workshop and Retreat is waking up to beautiful sunrises and a flock of gregarious geese. One of our retreatants this year shared how vital it is for her to make time for the time away. She said it was like hitting the reset button on her ministry. That notion settled in as I reflected on the retreat. And, like a computer, once the refresh button is pushed it takes us time to run the defrag program. The first day and even the first night of retreat is a settling in process. But by the next morning, the new environment, quieted spirit and reflection envelop us and allows for the good work of spiritual deepening to happen. Sounds inviting, right? We not only need to be invited but also encouraged to retreat to a space that allows for these important movements.
This year the theme of the retreat was, “Formed to Lead.” It was loosely developed using a book by Chris Lowney, “Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads.” The premise of the book looks at the relationship between the Pope’s Jesuit formation and his leadership style. The book is more than another biography. Lowney looks at leadership through the lens of the Ignatian-Jesuit principles and creates a blue print that has implications for all leaders-not necessarily just Pope Francis. During our retreat we looked at six principles that give rise to good leadership but also to discipleship and stewardship.
Commit to know yourself deeply: This is an important principle. Shakespeare said it best, “To thine own self be true.” If we do not do the hard work of knowing one’s self little else that we do can be truly authentic. There are a lot of people in this world that spend a lifetime avoiding the work of honest self-reflection. Without it we can scarcely say that we know our faults let alone our giftedness. There can be a pitfall in this principle in that too much of a good thing can be destructive. We are not called to be self-centered. That is where the second principle comes in to play.
Transcend self to serve others: Pope Francis is quoted in a Holy Thursday homily as saying, “authentic power is service.” When we transcend ourselves all service naturally becomes about the one being served. It is in recognizing the dignity of the other we not longer strive to gain power over them but to use our power to see them as God’s beloved.
Immerse self in the complex world: This principle requires that we keep our eyes and hearts open to the joy, suffering, and everyday struggles of the people in my family, community and world. That connectedness keeps us from becoming too removed from the realities of others and only focusing on our own joy, suffering and daily struggles.
Step back for daily reflection: Our immersion in the world is good but it serves nothing if we are not taking adequate time to reflect. Reflection of this nature leads us to action.
Live fully in the present and revere tradition: This principle is hard to do at times because we can find it difficult to live in the present and become blurry eyed in our nostalgia. When we learn to live in the present and revere the tradition we recognize where we are but also where we have been.
Help create the future: This principle reminds me of the Mahatma Gandhi quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It is just that. No coaching from the sidelines. We must be willing to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Lowney’s book along with the pastoral setting of Lake Tiak O’Khata set the stage for another great retreat. While the 2018 Pastoral Ministries Workshop and Retreat is in the books, but the date for next year’s workshop and retreat is set: June 2-6, 2019. Consider yourself invited!

(Fran Lavelle is the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Jackson.)