CSAN Leadership Conference

Source: CSAN

This week, the leaders of the member organisations of the Caritas Social Action Network of England and Wales gathered for their leadership conference at Hinsley Hall in Leeds from 14-15 October 2021.

The theme of the conference was 'the social mission of the Church in a Covid-impacted society'.

Speakers included Raymond Friel, the new CEO of CSAN; Professor Jim McManus, Director of Public Health for Hertfordshire and adviser to the Bishops' Conference on Covid-secure worship; Dr Clare Watkins, Reader in Ecclesiology at Roehampton University; and Fr Jan Novotnik, Director of Mission at the Bishops' Conference.

In a series of linked keynotes, the conference began with a reminder of the "why" of the Catholic Church, the mission to further the kingdom of God in this life, to contribute to the liberation from everything which oppresses people. The delegates considered the strategic objectives of CSAN in this context, with an emphasis on developing leadership alliances, offering new programmes in formation and raising a prophetic voice in the public arena.

The conference followed the pastoral cycle approach, continuing with what they "saw" in the current Covid pandemic, or "syndemic" as Jim McManus described it, an event with multiple impacts, which has exposed the deeply-rooted inequality in our society. Clare Watkins led a reflective session on discernment in the light of the Gospel, what is the Spirit saying to us about what we see, how can we faithfully read the signs of the times?

Fr Jan Novotnik provided a very helpful overview of the synodal process which is just getting underway in the Church. He stressed that the synod process was not a survey, or some kind of parliament, but a new way of being Church, the people of God, based on dialogue with each other and deep listening to the Holy Spirit.

For the leaders in the CSAN network, this was the beginning of a process of discernment of how they might be part of the synod process, and especially how they might amplify the voices which are seldom heard in such dialogue, the voices of the excluded and marginalised.

The event was sponsored by CCLA, the largest manager of charity funds in the UK. CCLA, a long-standing partner of CSAN, has recently launched the Catholic Investment Fund for organisations wanting their money managed in a way that is consistent with their faith.

LINK

CSAN: www.csan.org.uk