Catholic Social Services Australia Delegation Heads for Belgium

A delegation of twenty three directors, senior staff, board members and others involved in the leadership of Catholic social service organisations has departed Australia for a four week study tour – Catholic Leadership and Identity – based at the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium.

Speaking from Rome, ahead of the team’s arrival in Belgium, Frank Quinlan, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services Australia said the program will provide leaders from across the network time to consider some of the major challenges faced by Catholic social services in changing times:

• What is uniquely or particularly Catholic about the work that we do?

• How do we express that identity in a way that is both respectful of our services users and funders, but also assertive of our own identity and values?

• How can we create and foster authentically Catholic programs within our agencies?

• How do we develop staff teams in a way that promotes and enhances the Catholic identity and ethos that our organisations share?

“The program builds on one developed for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, specifically tailored for school principals who have served as leaders for a number of years. The program has been specifically modified and developed to address the issues and concerns of Catholic social service organisations,” Mr Quinlan said.

“It will provide a mix of academic and theological study, practical visits to and experiences in Rome and various European Catholic social services agencies, spiritual development and peer-to-peer networking and support.

The program commences on Wednesday 16 September in Rome and concludes in Leuven on Friday 16 October. The delegation will be led by Fr Joe Caddy, Director of Centacare Melbourne. Fr Caddy is also Chair of the Board of Catholic Social Services Australia.

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Catholic media and all interested parties are welcome to follow the journey as an observer, or to post questions and observations as the pilgrimage unfolds.

Catholic Social Services Australia is the Catholic Church’s peak welfare body in Australia, providing around 500 services to over a million people each year in remote, regional and metropolitan Australia.

16 September 2009

CONTACT Judith Tokley 02 6285 1366 / 0408 824 306