The human and spiritual qualities of those engaged in the charitable activity of the Church

Fr. Larry Snyder (Catholic Charities USA)

“…in addition to their necessary professional training, these charity workers need a ‘formation of the heart’: they need to be led to that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others.” (Deus Caritas Est, 31)

There is an emergent trend in Catholic Charities agencies in the United States: Many diocesan agencies have hired an executive director or senior leader, who is a layperson, frequently with background in business, active in the Church, committed to the social mission of the Church, sometimes has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from an accredited Business School at a Catholic university, with some experience managing and leading a nonprofit agency, but who does not have much if any formal theology education or background, ….how do we welcome and form this new director? What direction does Deus caritas est give us in responding to this situation?
While the case presents some sense of urgency because of the leadership role of an executive director, the same questions can and should be asked when speaking of Board members, staff and volunteers at a Catholic charitable organization—for they are all representatives of a Church-sponsored organization and they are all implementing the social and charitable mission of the Church. The Gospel is intent in mandating not only that this ministry to the poor and disenfranchised be done, but also mandates how it should be done. How can such an organizational culture become concrete and identifiable? In these remarks, I would like to suggest some ways that it might become a reality.
When our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, promulgated his first encyclical Deus caritas est (DCE), he gave the Church an incredible gift while at the same time issuing a significant challenge to those who labor in charitable works sponsored by the Church. The gift is a theological and philosophical, yet at times even poetic, reflection on the virtue of caritas that places acts of charity squarely in the essence of the mission of the Church. The challenge given to the practitioners of organized charity is to be faithful to the sacred trust given them by honoring the Catholic identity that should be the foundation of their work and should define the unique contribution they make.
This encyclical appears to have touched the hearts of many. In the United States, I can attest that it has been widely read and well received, especially by those who labor in the work of charity. It has been the subject of organizational discussions as well as a vehicle for prayer. I believe that one of the reasons this has occurred is that the encyclical is a new formulation of ancient truths. Pope Benedict has made these truths accessible to people of the current day.
My purpose today is to reflect on the practical implications of this encyclical for charitable organizations that function under the sponsorship of the Church. Ultimately they must be able to answer the question as to what differentiates them from their humanistic counterparts in both theological and practical terms. Today I will focus on the praxis of Catholic charitable organizations.
It seems appropriate and necessary to begin by stating a presupposition enunciated by Pope Benedict XVI, which is the necessity of providing services in a professional manner. Individuals who care for those in need must first be professionally competent: they should be properly trained in what to do and how to do it, and committed to continuing care. (DCE, 31) In this day and age that means a commitment not only to the most current models of social work and humanitarian response, but also to the best practices of management and administration. This helps us assure that we are being good stewards of the resources at our disposal for the poor and marginalized—not only because we are to be accountable to donors who through their generosity help to make this work possible, but most importantly because the poor deserve the best and most professional service that we can offer. But if we stop there, even if we provide the best professional services possible, we will have not fully lived out our commission of diakonia. As the encyclical points out, charitable workers in the name of the Church must first of all be bearers of God’s love to those experiencing need and frequently a lack of hope. Yet, while professional competence is a primary, fundamental requirement, it is not of itself sufficient. We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically proper care. They need humanity. They need hearfelt concern. Those who work for the Church’s charitable organizations must be distinguished by the fact that they do not merely meet the needs of the moment, but they dedicate themselves to others with heartfelt concern, enabling them to experience the richness of their humanity. (DCE 31a) In a similar vein, St. Vincent de Paul reminds us that if we do not give the poor love even as we give them bread, they will not forgive us for it.
In order to accomplish this task, in managerial terms, we attempt to build an organizational culture which is rooted in the tenets of our faith. Our charitable interaction is not to be defined by the latest sociological understanding of human nature, but rather by the foundational theological principle that, as creatures made in the image and likeness of our God, we approach each person with the dignity and respect worthy of the neighbor who is also seen as brother or sister. This is not to be construed as some abstract philosophical idea, but as a foundational principle that is concretized in very specific behavior and expectations. The encyclical points out: As a community, the Church must practice love. Love thus needs to be organized if it is to be an ordered service to the community. The awareness of this responsibility has had a constitutive relevance in the Church from the beginning… (DCE 20)
So, how is it possible to build such an organizational culture that is rooted in the Gospel and in the social teachings of the Church? First of all, to be sure, there are specific duties that define the roles of paid staff, leaders, board members and volunteer workers who together comprise the organization. But these roles make sense only when the organization is seen in its proper relationship to the larger Church structure. This must begin with recognition of the proper role of bishop. As the ecclesiastical office of bishop is the primary teacher and administrator of the diocese, so also does the charitable work of the diocesan church flow from the office of bishop. This is poignantly expressed in the episcopal ordination rite. In the rite of episcopal ordination, prior to the act of consecration itself, the candidate must respond to several questions which express the essential elements of his office and recall the duties of his future ministry. He promises expressly to be, in the Lord’s name, welcoming and merciful to the poor and to all those in need of consolation and assistance.” (DCE 32, referring to the Pontificale Romanum) This, then, seems to assume that the bishop will not only be knowledgeable of an organization’s work, but will in fact provide spiritual direction and formation for those working in the name of the Church.
In turning to the leadership of Catholic charitable organizations, we can see that as an extension of the bishop’s office they have a significant responsibility to implement the mission and Catholic identity of the organization. Through much of the Church’s history this leadership was practiced by priests or religious who may or may not have had any background in social work or management but who brought to these positions training in theology which would guide them in their charitable leadership positions. From the second half of the last century we see more and more laity filling these positions, working as executive directors, senior leaders, and board members who may have training in social work or more frequently management and administration, but who do not have adequate formation in Catholic theology. While they frequently have some theological training, these leaders sometimes do not have the benefit of on-going theological formation, and so will require resources to understand this aspect and requirement of their position. In the United States, at least, there is a greater expectation by governments, donors and philanthropic funders that nonprofit executive leaders be proficient in management and finance. This creates both opportunities and obstacles to help leaders integrate the demands of management with the requirements that leaders and agencies be rooted in Catholic theology, spirituality and identity.
The encyclical tells us: Those who are in a position to help others will realize that in doing so they themselves receive help; being able to help others is no merit or achievement of their own. This duty is a grace. (DCE 35) What is addressed here is the transformational dimension of Christian charity. For volunteers, especially youth who frequently work in groups and teams, the experience of encountering Christ in the lives of the destitute convinces them all the more of God’s gracious and universal love for all humanity. It also strengthens their faith in a contradiction so aptly expressed in the Peace Prayer of St. Francis: It is in giving that we receive. Those who have experienced the L’Arche communities of Jean Vanier witness to this truth in an extraordinary way. Even paid staff frequently remark that they receive far more than they give.
Pope Benedict also addresses the issue of proselytism. Those who practice charity in the Church’s name will never seek to impose the Church’s faith upon others. They realize that a pure and generous love is the best witness to the God in whom we believe and by whom we are driven to love. A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak. (DCE 31) While this passage refers primarily to charitable actions and the respect for individuals that is inherent in them, it is also a balance for those delivering the services, that their hearts be in accord with the values and principles foundational to the Church’s charitable work. This is critical to the “formation of heart” espoused by the encyclical.
 

Challenges
Let me address a few of the challenges facing the day-to-day reality of Catholic charitable organizations. The task of implementing the Church’s charitable ministry is complicated by the very social context in which we find ourselves. In centuries prior to our own, especially in the United States, parochialism was necessary in order to preserve the faith and culture of Catholics who found themselves in situations that were either indifferent or openly hostile to their beliefs. Such a response to charitable ministry does not seem suited to the current situation. Throughout the world the social milieu to a greater or lesser extent is becoming more diverse and pluralistic. Government has also become far more proscriptive in how services may and should be delivered. Catholic organizations are thus facing challenges by the expectations of a secular society as well as legal requirements, both of which may run counter to Catholic moral and social teaching. A current situation is in the area of outreach to people infected with the AIDS virus. Some government entities attach to program funding the requirement that condoms be distributed to clients. Catholic organizations will not be able to enter into contracts with such requirements. Or, as governments continue to expand the definition of protected classes of people to include same-sex partners and to require organizations to provide services such as adoption to them in order to be licensed, we may need to walk away from such services if no other solution can be found.
In the face of this we must not let the government define the Church’s proper role: The Church’s charitable organizations, on the other hand, constitute an ‘opus proprium’, a task agreeable to her, in which she does not cooperate collaterally, but acts as a subject with direct responsibility, doing what corresponds to her nature. The Church can never be exempted from practicing charity as an organized activity of believers…” (DCE 29)
In the best situation, this relationship should not become adversarial. Church agencies, with their transparent operation and their faithfulness to the duty of witnessing to love, are able to give a Christian quality to the civil agencies too, favouring a mutual coordination that can only redound to the effectiveness of charitable service. (DCE 30) But always, Catholic charitable organizations must remain faithful to the tenets of our faith.
I have previously made reference to another challenge. Unlike previous centuries when the majority of leadership and workers in Catholic organizations were religious women and men, today lay persons are more likely to hold such leadership positions. This should not be seen so much as a matter of economic necessity stemming from the law of supply and demand, but rather as a positive growth in the understanding of the proper vocation of the lay person within the Church that includes a commitment to the works of charity. Today much of the workforce, however, may not only be lay, but also may not be Catholic. If we believe that Catholic charitable organizations are different not only in why they provide services, but also in how they minister to the needy, a critical challenge becomes that of assuring that Catholic values permeate the organization and that nothing contrary to Catholic morals is practiced.
On the positive side, we can invite people from other faith traditions to minister with us in the works of charity. While there are African-Americans who are Catholic and bring to the Church a unique and wonderful tradition, the majority of African-Americans are Baptist. When I would greet a new employee who was an African-American, I would ask them how they were doing. If they responded, “I’m blessed!” I knew that they were Baptist because that’s just not in our Catholic lexicon or practice. I would go on to ask them why they chose to work at Catholic Charities. Frequently they would respond that if their church had such agencies they would be working there. But until then, they wanted to work somewhere where their values were integrated into their work, and Catholic Charities allowed them to do that. I always felt blessed that they knew their faith would be respected here, unlike a secular setting.
Another challenge is the tendency of people to compartmentalize the work of the Church. Precisely here I mean the assignment of the Church’s charitable mission to organizational efforts alone to the detriment of personal and parish involvement. The Church operates on many levels and each level is bound by the mandate of service in ministry. Love of neighbor, grounded in the love of God, is first and foremost a responsibility for each individual member of the faithful, but it is also a responsibility for the entire ecclesial community at every level: the local community to the particular Church and to the Church universal in its entirety. (DCE, 20)
 

Practical Opportunities
I would like to turn now to some very practical suggestions about activities that Catholic organizations might do to assure and promote the Catholic foundations that are our underpinnings. Let me acknowledge that these are taken from my direct experience in running a local Caritas agency and now in leading the national organization in the United States. However, given the fact that there are some 160 national Caritas organizations and countless other organizations such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Ladies of Charity, and others, I believe that the ideas and experience chronicled here will have merit and application to other Catholic organizations as well.

Annual Agency Practice
Each agency out of practical necessity regularly holds an orientation for new employees, board members and volunteers. Issues that are covered include personnel policies and benefits, safety procedures and organizational practice. Such orientations should also include an introduction to the Catholic nature of the organization and the principles that should govern its work. This introduction would be a catechesis on mission. My expectation is that this orientation would be augmented every year by a training day or session for all staff specifically on some aspect of our Catholic identity. This could be further augmented by an annual full staff meeting with the bishop. This would seem to be a minimum practice or starting point.
I would like to give an example of a concise catechesis of the mandate of charity that I have used. It would begin with the first chapters of the Book of Genesis and the inherent goodness in God’s creation. Of special importance is verse 26-27 of the first chapter: Then God said: “let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”
God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.”(Gen 1:26-27)
This then is foundational to how we approach one another: with the dignity and respect which the image and likeness of God imbedded in each of us deserves, no matter what the external human manifestation.
As we listen to the words of the Prophets, we learn of God’s special care for the widow, the orphan and the stranger in our midst. We learn that the measure by which any society will be judged is the compassion that is shown to the most vulnerable.
Standing as the fulfillment of that prophetic tradition, there are three parables of Jesus that have special significance: The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim? …Go and do likewise; the Parable of the Final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me; the Washing of the Feet (John 13:1-20) I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.
The mandate of charity is clearly not some passing remark by Jesus in the Gospel, but rather a core teaching and demand of discipleship. Even this rudimentary exposition should impress upon those working in a Catholic charitable organization that they are participating in sacred work as they continue the ministry of Jesus to those in need.

National Member Resource Center
Because Catholic identity is not only essential but also critical to our work, at Catholic Charities USA there is a standing Board Committee on Strategic Planning and Mission Effectiveness of the National Board of Trustees as well as a staff position at the national office dedicated to Catholic Identity and Mission Integration. Besides maintaining a professional section of similar local positions throughout the network, this person acts as a resource for presentations and workshops. But the responsibility of Catholic identity can not and should not be relegated to one person because each representative of the organization shares in the duty of mission and therefore evangelization in their own respective way.
To this end, resources, including PowerPoint presentations and links to Catholic resources, are also available on the internet to help with local agency trainings. During Advent and Lent we provide daily reflections written by members of the network and based on the Scripture readings of the day. A Committee of the National Board of Trustees is preparing a new and revised manual for local Caritas’ board members and senior leaders that will provide them with theological, spiritual, historical, and legal resources pertaining to Catholic identity and corporate structures appropriate in the legal and social context of the United States since no comprehensive resource currently exists.

Annual Gathering
Each year Catholic Charities USA gathers representatives from around the country to our annual membership and network meeting. At these annual events, there are numerous tracts and workshops devoted to topics of ethics, spirituality, Catholic social doctrine, and pastoral theology (parish social ministry). In the past several years, for example, we have sponsored major workshops on the Catholic Charities Code of Ethics, and various panel discussions and reflections by experts applying the principles of cooperation on the ethical issues concerning partnerships and alliances. Each year we have sponsored expert keynote speakers on topics of Catholic social teachings.

New Directors Institute
Every year it is possible to have twenty to thirty people join our national network as new directors. Since many have no experience in a position that is church-related, we sponsor at our expense a three day institute at the national headquarters to orient them to Catholic identity and the larger ecclesial picture. During this time there are presentations on the theological foundations of our work; the history and development of the Catholic Charities network in the United States; a brief introduction to Canon Law and the canonical structures that define our organizations within a diocesan structure; and, the resources available to them to promote the spiritual formation of their staff and volunteers. They are also given a copy of and introduced to both The Catechism of the Catholic Church and The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

National Board of Trustees and Directors Trip to Rome
Twice, in the past three years, the Catholic Charities USA Board of Trustees has sponsored a trip for Board members and Diocesan Directors to travel to Rome and Vatican City. During these trips, we have spent time in reflection and celebration of the Eucharist, visiting sacred sites, and meeting with representatives from the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Pontifical Council Justice and Peace and various other Vatican dicasteries as well as Caritas Internationalis. Our delegation visited the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See in order to build relationships and to ensure that the US Embassy understands the work of Caritas and its social policy positions. Those who have attended these meetings and visits noted how important it is for them to witness the work of the global Church, and how that experience increases their understanding of ecclesiology and the praxis of the charitable works of the Church on an international level.

From Mission to Service
In collaboration with the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, a two week process has been developed that attempts to integrate a sound basis in theology with best organizational practices. Hence the program is a joint effort with faculty from the School of Theology and the School of Business Management. Ten agencies are accepted into this program every year and each agency may have five people participate. One of the people must be the Executive Director, another must represent the Board of Trustees and the other three may be a combination of staff in leadership positions or other board members. Between the beginning week in the Spring and the final week in the Fall, participating agencies will work on a specific project that is related to the theme of the program, From Mission to Service. To have access and engagement with such an outstanding faculty is an incredible gift and resource to the network. We are now in our fourth year of this program and I am most grateful because the expense is underwritten by the University of Notre Dame as part of its desire to further the social mission of the Church.

Proposed Spirituality for Leadership Initiative
Since Catholic Relief Services serves as the official organization for international outreach by the US Bishops’Conference, one of the dimensions that is frequently missing in local Caritas directors in the Untied States is an appreciation for the universal dimension of the Church and the Church’s charitable work. The upcoming retreat in Guadalajara, Mexico in June 2008 for Caritas directors in North and South America sponsored by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum is a welcome effort to implement a “formation of the heart” on such a global ecclesiological plane and will be of great benefit. Another effort that is being planned by Catholic Charities USA is a semi-annual two week spiritual institute for agency leadership. The first week would take place in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. The University of Freiburg has offered advanced degrees in Caritaswissenschaft for over one hundred years. For many years this educational degree program was led by Professor Dr. Heinrich Pompey who will receive a special papal honor at this Plenary Assembly. Fr. Dr. Klaus Baumann, the current director, has been most helpful in pursuing this venture. The program faculty would offer lectures on Christian social ethics and the place of charitable work in the life of the Church. (Freiburg is also the center of the German Caritasverein which was the first national Caritas organization.)
The second week would take place in Rome focusing on an understanding of the development of diakonia in the Church, as well as an introduction and interaction with the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and Caritas Internationalis. It is my firm conviction that such an experience can only enhance the work of the local church in service to the poor.
I have presented you with seven practical suggestions of practices that Catholic Charities USA does to attempt to build up an organizational culture in harmony and as envisioned by Deus caritas est. It is important to note that because of our structure as a membership organization we cannot mandate any practice, but rather must use moral persuasion and Church teaching to influence the leadership of our member agencies. We have recently revised our Code of Ethics and modeled it after the principles and values of the Compendium. It is an expectation that each member organization will adopt or endorse it. We also encourage agencies to have employees sign a document where they pledge to respect the Catholic nature of the agency and uphold Catholic teaching in their work. While we hope that our agencies will aspire to the highest levels, documents such as this are also necessary to ensure compliance.
 

Conclusion
I have attempted to offer some very practical efforts that a Catholic organization can utilize to develop a culture that is permeated with the identity of our faith and fundamentals of Catholic social teaching. This comes from my deep belief that our faith is the greatest asset and gift that we have to offer. Given our current social situation, we have an opportunity to witness to this great tradition alive from the early Christian community until today. The Gospel after all does not present us with a valiant proposition but rather a clear mandate: to manifest Christ’s love in the world. Among many noble saints, Ss.Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac urge us to think of our obligation to the poor as a privilege. More recently, Blessed Frederic Ozanam and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta have shown us the face of Christ in the faces of the destitute and disenfranchised. These Saints, and many others, model how Catholic charitable ministry did, and continues to, provide “best practices” of an integration of spirituality, theological reflection, social work and management practices. An important insight that these Saints provide to us today is that in order to witness and live our Catholic identity in our organizations, we must constantly form our leaders, boards, volunteers and staff in our faith, and remain ever vigilant in integrating our Catholic ethical stance in our decision making processes and structures. Deus caritas est can show us the way to a renewal of this same spirit in our charitable works today.
May God who has begun this good work in us, bring it to fruition.