I was an active member of a Christian group in college. We sought to support one another, care for those around us, and speak of our relationship with Jesus Christ to others. I remember how big of a deal leadership selection was in our group. Leaders would come together to make a list of possible people to discuss for leadership. We then delegated who would talk to these people to get their permission to talk about them. Then over several weeks, we would evaluate each person and their strengths and weaknesses. We were careful to attempt to discern if and where they might be placed in leadership for their own development as well as the benefit of the group. Then we would make selections, talk to those we had chosen, support them as they decided on whether they wanted to make the commitment to serving as a leader, and then finally pray over the whole group as we prepared to initiate them into the work of the leadership team.
I share all this to say this process came to my mind as I have been hearing and reading about the selection of the next leader of the Catholic Church. In churches and religious groups, leadership selection is everything because the success of such organizations has everything to do with the quality of the people. Other organizations might be able to lean on fixed assets, brand value, or best practices. But spiritual groups are only as good as the people who are in them, and so identifying and supporting leaders becomes everything. While I may not agree with everything in Catholic doctrine, I have many good Catholic friends who I find to be some of the most godly and justice-minded Christians I know. So I join with them in praying for the cardinals who are themselves praying as they navigate through this leadership selection process. May God’s hand be on the next person to lead this large religious organization, that the Catholic Church for the next generation would be a place where His work is done.
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