Leaders must 'listen with the heart,' speaker says at retreat

Friday, Feb. 13, 2015

MIDVALE — Telling stories of Jesus, Saint Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis, Glenmary Home Missioner Father Les Schmidt drew lessons of leadership for those attending the “Growing as a Spiritual Leader” retreat on Feb. 7 at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish.

The first story was that of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Christ’s rejection of Satan’s offering of prestige, power and possessions is a wonderful lesson in leadership, said Fr. Schmidt, who in 2012 was the keynote speaker at the Diocese of Salt Lake City Pastoral Congress. He works in Appalachia, ministering to rural communities. He also helped with two pastoral letters from the bishops of the southern United States.

The greatest evil for a religious leader is prestige, to think “it’s all about me,” as they concentrate on proving how faithful they are, he said.

“If that’s where we start out it’s very understandable, but if that’s where we end up your life is a disaster; your discipleship hasn’t even begun because your discipleship is becoming ever more and more and more like God,” the Glenmary Missioner continued. “Or, as Jesus put it, the reign of God is where everybody belongs, everybody counts, everybody is equal. There are no outsiders with God.”

People cannot impose their faith on others; it is only by realizing that they are one with God that they have the moral authority to attract others, he added.

Power also is a temptation, he said, and a great danger is those who serve the Church for personal gain. By contrast, the Scriptures call Christians to be in solidarity with each other, he said, to be forgiving and receiving of each other.

Sometimes Catholics may be tempted to deny the Church’s sacraments to others, but “sacraments are not a prize to be gained, they are a gift from God,” Fr. Schmidt said.

Jesus, Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis all listened with their hearts to the people and showed mercy; this was the power they reflected, he said.

The third temptation, possessions, is reflected by a modern society that has the attitude the more a person owns the more important they are, Fr. Schmidt said, but the Christian perspective is that possessions come from God and should be shared with others as gifts.

Christian leaders must listen to the people they represent, Fr. Schmidt said, then follow their conscience. The law is necessary and helps govern society, but the person always must come first, he said. Like Jesus responding to the woman who was caught in adultery, sometimes leaders must break the law if it is the morally correct action, Fr. Schmidt said.

He warned that as Christian leaders, those attending the workshop will be rejected, but he said they should embrace the hurt and transform it by loving. If they acknowledge that their work is all about following Jesus, “they’ve done it all,” he said. 

Fr. Schmidt’s workshop was wonderful, said Maria Varela, who teaches religious education at Saint Christopher Parish in Kanab. In particular, she appreciated the message that she must listen to others.

Michael Dusserre, who is involved with the stewardship ministry at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, agreed, saying that the point Fr. Schmidt made about listening to the people reflects his own experience of being inspired by others.

Greg Walsh, another St. Therese of the Child Jesus parishioner, said he liked the emphasis Fr. Schmidt put on the need for understanding and compassion.