Fr. Bob McLaughlin
Leadership Consultant
Rev. Dr. Robert P. McLaughlin, aka “Father Bob,” has been involved in Church ministry his entire life. From an early age he volunteered in ministries and serving on the parish council and later he worked in youth ministry both at the parish and diocesan level. Eventually answering God’s call, Fr. Bob received a master’s in divinity and a master’s in theology from Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary before being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark in 2011. As an ordained priest he has served in parishes, in campus ministry, and is wrapping up his assignment as a hospital chaplain.
Fr. Bob has long had a passion for social justice and working with the most vulnerable members of society which led him to pursue advanced graduate studies in Social Work, obtaining both a Master from Ramapo College and a Doctorate from Fordham University. He recently defended his dissertation that assessed the interdisciplinary, interagency collaboration of service providers supporting survivors of human trafficking in New Jersey as understood through a complexity theory lens. It is here that he learned the benefits and challenges of bringing together the community, with all its diversity, talents, and resources, to be amplified towards a common vision. Fr. Bob is hopeful that his diverse experiences within and understanding of the Church and its complexities will serve in assisting parishes and dioceses achieve their goals.
When Fr. Bob is not working for the Church, he enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and occasionally playing golf (though he never keeps score). He enjoys supporting worthy causes including LifeWay Network and the America’s Special Children’s Pilgrimage Group (ASCPG). And at least a couple of times a month he appreciates a trip to the Broadway theater, or at least the movies to provoke the imagination.
