At the Inaugural Public Dialogue of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, FADICA President Alexia Kelley emphasized servant leadership as a key “factor” in Pope Francis’ papacy.
On a panel alongside the New York Times’ David Brooks, PBS’ Mark Shields, and the USCCB’s president’s spokesperson Kim Daniels, Alexia said that Pope Francis shows the way to Catholics on how to move beyond the division in the Church, to move toward healing and to be part of the solution. She observed that young Catholics have been moved by the witness of the Pope’s actions, his inclusiveness and authenticity, but noted that they haven’t yet heard the whole story on Catholic social thought. With a robust understanding of the rich Catholic social tradition, young Catholics can become a powerful force and movement for the Church.
The dialogue was moderated by John Carr, director of the Initiative at Georgetown University.
Watch the video of “The Francis Factor: Implications of Pope Francis and Catholic Social Thought for American Public Life.”
Stories of interest regarding the Dialogue:
Kelley noted that Pope Francis embodies a spirit of servant leadership, and Brooks said that the pope has fully embraced being counter-cultural, “looking like a Christian.”
From Lessons from Rome for DC, a blog post at Busted Halo, written by Michael O’Loughlin.
Panelist Alexia Kelley, president and CEO of Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities, said she found Pope Francis offering a servant-leadership style that can help inform public life in the U.S.
“He’s showing it not just in an intellectual sense or an academic sense, but he’s living it very symbolically. So it’s clear, powerful, and simple words and actions. He’s showing us his integrity, an alignment of word and being.”
From Can Pope Francis Bridge U.S. Social Divides?, posted on America Magazine
