Leaders from schools across the Diocese met in November for the inaugural Joy of Leadership conversations.
Held at Canisius College in Pymble and entitled A Heart To Serve, the gathering was designed to inspire and engage our leaders and aspiring leaders in reflections on contemporary Catholic leadership.
Seventy-five leaders took part and watched on as Dr Anthony Maher interviewed Fr David Ranson about the challenges and joys of missionary leadership.
Fr David spoke about his view that leadership was about people and reflected on models of leadership from his own life, including the extraverted Archbishop of Hobart, Guilford Clyde Young, and the leader of Cisterian monks at Tarawarra Abbey, Dom Kevin O’Farrell.
When questioned about the various agendas of church and education today, Fr David called on leaders to “Listen deeply to others because listening is leadership in action.”
The lively conversation continued during the evening meal, and Mr Peter Hamill thanked leaders for their commitment to participate.
This evening was the first of a series of proposed evenings on leadership to be held within the Diocese.