After a decade as serving as a priest, Fr. John Currie was searching for something more. His roles and responsibilities had expanded and he was seeking ongoing formation to complement those changes.
As the Parochial Vicar for St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Norwood, MA, Fr. Currie is being called to greater leadership. Along with his ministerial duties assisting the pastor, he oversees the institutional advancement of an adjoining elementary school which includes fundraising and student development. Like many of his brother priests in the Archdiocese of Boston, Fr. Currie is finding helpful tools for maintaining a happy, healthy, and fruitful ministry in Good Leaders, Good Shepherds (GLGS).
With the support of Cardinal Seán O’Malley, a cohort of 24 priests from the Archdiocese of Boston have committed themselves to Good Leaders, Good Shepherds, CLI’s two-year curriculum designed to enhance their leadership skills as priests and help them empower the individuals they serve. For Cardinal O’Malley, ongoing formation is the cornerstone for sustaining ministry and strengthening priestly fraternity. "As we implement Good Leaders, Good Shepherds in the local Church of Boston, I am grateful for its ability to better equip our priests in leadership skills and competencies - both pastorally and spiritually," said Cardinal O’Malley.
The Boston priests participating in GLGS come from diverse parish backgrounds and varying levels of pastoral experience; from priests who have been pastors for decades to others, like Fr. Currie, who know a pastorate is on the horizon. "Seeing other priests who have been priests for 30 and 40 years helped to motivate and inspire me," said Fr. Currie. "I said to myself, if they are still pushing themselves to learn, how can I not do the same?"
Having recently returned to active priestly duty after 18 months of sick leave, Fr. Fred Barr was searching for a way to reorient himself back into parish life. Good Leaders, Good Shepherds came at "an excellent time," said Fr. Barr who was appointed interim pastor at St. John the Evangelist in Canton, MA in early December. St. John’s is home to approximately 1,000 parishioners and a school of 200 students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
When Fr. Barr arrived at St. John’s he had just completed the first module of GLGS training and faced a challenging responsibility. "The parishioners were very unhappy and a lot of healing needed to take place...they needed to move forward," said Fr. Barr. After completing the first session of GLGS training, Fr. Barr realized that in order to obtain the best from his staff he not only had to develop his own gifts and talents, but nurture the gifts and talents of those he was serving.
When asked how he thinks his staff is responding to the new leadership techniques he is applying, Fr. Barr candidly admits "I think I’m blowing their minds." "Renewing priestly leadership is a tremendous gift to the Church and it (GLGS) has come at a great time as the Church enters into the third millennium," said Fr. Barr. "I believe Good Leaders, Good Shepherds is the work of the Holy Spirit."
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