The Bishop’s Challenge: Resolving the Conflict of Managing the Church’s Business and Attending to the Business of the Church September 9, 2008

Most people think about the clergy in the role of pastor and spiritual consultant. Many people feel that the clergy, while sincere, passionate, focused on helping all people and preaching the message of forgiveness are just not in-tune with the realities of today’s business world. This is, in fact, a myth.

Being the chief executive of a diocese, places the same kinds of demands on a Bishop as the CEO of a major, multi-division corporation. A challenge anyone in the business world can appreciate. But, what only a few are aware of is that best business practices can not be summarily implemented by the Bishop. The Bishop must assess the appropriateness of the best business practices through the lens of Canon Law; a requirement that increases the complexity of running a complex organization and limits some of the options that are available to any secular CEO.

Catholics@Work is proud to announce that the Most Reverend Stephen E. Blair, Bishop of Stockton and Chaplin of The Catholic Professional and Business Club, will be our guest speaker at the first event of the 2008 – 2009 breakfast speaker series, which will take place on Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

“The public would be surprised at the complexity of the management structure of the Catholic Church and what must be taken into consideration in managing a diocese” said Bishop Blair.

Bishop Blair will share with us the challenges of the Bishop’s job and dispel some common myths about the church’s command and control mechanism. Bishop Blair continued, “Many people believe we can just give an order and all will follow, this is just not the case.”

Alison Yount, president of Catholics@Work said, “Gaining a better understanding of the realities of what the Bishop must contend with in the spiritual and business management of the diocese will, without a doubt, give all of us a new appreciation for what is a very difficult management job. It will provide us with insights we can take with us and use in our own workplace.”

The event will be held at Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville, CA 94526 on September 9, 2008. A full buffet breakfast is served starting at 7:00am (Mass is offered at 6:30am at the same location.) Cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. To register visit http://www.catholicsatwork.org .

Official Website: http://www.CatholicsAtWork.org