CARE General Meeting Minutes
Leadership: On Fire for the Future
January 20, 2011
St. Julian Eymard, Elk Grove Village

Hosted by Therese Bergmann
Prayer was led by Cheryl Antos and Mark Buckley

The topic for the meeting was Leadership: Leading in a Cross-Cultural Setting. The meeting was facilitated by Felicia Wolf, O.F.F. and Claire Noonan. We focused in on multicultural experiences. Felicia and Claire integrated information from the book, Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories and Synthetic Culture by Gert Jan Hofstede into their presentations and our conversations. Hofstede is a Dutch author who from living in a port country was used to dealing with many different cultures. He did research 30 years ago for IBM regarding the IBM culture. The control groups were different offices, factories and ethnic groups. The data is still being used.
Cultural issues have broadened beyond ethnicity—he added in other factors such as age and economics.

The attendance was very low so we did not break into small groups; we did all the processing together as a group. The first group activity was to view some picture and write down what you thought was going on in the picture. It was discussed that there are no right or wrong answers in the sharing. Ideas centered on a meeting, meals or and intervention. The scene was open ended and we all bring our own ideas and assumptions, none are wrong.

The question was asked how does it feel to be asked to interrupt the picture.
Non threatening
Opens the imagination
Brings up reality—need not control
Hard adjustment to realizing everyone can be right, one can be better
We discussed the layers of interpretation in Catholic traditions. Compared first century picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and a modern picture of a boy stopping traffic for a mother duck and her ducklings.

Felicia and Claire presented a chart on five values of culture according to Hofstede. It looked at identity, hierarchy, gender, truth and virtue collectively and for individuals. Long term orientation and short term orientation. Ideas focused on the example of someone who is more individual than group. They often say they are Catholic but then practice something else. Feminine Characteristics are presented as more nurturing.

When the attitude is whatever you want there is weak uncertainty avoidance. Regimented/rule orientated have a strong uncertainty avoidance. In the long term you are planting the seeds, wait for God’s time. Short term—How many Catholics are going to church on Sunday?

Culturally these values color your views of another group and you may not perceive their actions correctly—they are colored by your own filters. If you are a strong individual you may find the people of a collective orientated culture to be slow to make a decision and consider them lazy. It is how we work with our cultural bias that improves things and we all have them to some extent. Cultures need to learn to work together.

Example: Young woman going for a job interview was told to never wear pants, skirts and dresses were an outward sign of her feminity and non-threatening. Loyola had it in their handbook when women were first admitted that the girls were to wear skirts, no pants allowed. Did pants create a fear of aggressiveness, trying to be a man vs. flirty, playful? As represented by skirts? Cultural biases are a reality between men and women, ethnic groups and economic groups. We all have them to some degree.

Stages of Culture Shock
Honeymoon: this is where the newly arrived individual experiences curiosity and
excitement of a tourist but the person’s basic identity is rooted back home.

Disorientation: This stage involves disintegration of almost everything family. The
Individual is overwhelmed by the requirements of the new culture and bombarded by
stimuli in the new environment. One feels disorientated and experiences self-blame
and a sense of personal inadequacy.

We discussed in groups of three a time in our present jobs that we experienced a cultural bias in our staff relationships at the parish or office.

Cultural insights from the sharing included the following:
You need to step out of our shell to deflect the personal agendas of others
High need for certainty, know the facts
Make others responsible for their ideas—You feel strongly about something, tell
me more and include why.
Pick your battles
Have support; know your staff or parishioners do not stand alone.


Business Meeting
Led by Therese Bergmann

Lois De Felice—Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry
Christian Rocha has been hired as Coordinator of Media and Marketing
Marta Stepniak has been hired as Coordinator of Polish Catechesis
Tom Howard is moving to the Office of Peace and Justice as the Education Director
Five Year Planning has been developed
2011 Year of Teens and Young Adults
2012 Year of Sunday Mass
2013 Year of Parent Formation
2014 Year of Sacraments
2015 Year of Parish Vitality and Financial Stability
Lois presented a list of dates for upcoming events and workshops that the office is involved in. They can be found on the OFCYM’s website for the most current information.
Nelly Lorenzo is finalizing plans for the Theological Intensive for early June, check the website for the final information.

Mark Buckley –NCCL
Kevin Cody- NPCD
Both organizations have national meetings coming up this spring
NCCL is meeting May 22-26 in Atlanta Georgia
NPCD is meeting April 26-May 1 in New Orleans, celebrating their 35th Anniversary
There are awards presented at both conventions, Mark and Kevin have placed applications on today’s sign-in table.
NCCL –New Wineskin Award
NPCD-only presenting their EMAUS Award this year
Membership in these organizations is an investment. They have a reciprocal agreement that allows members of one organization to attend the other’s events.
NPCD is experiencing change in leadership but Barbara Glynn is now in the national office coordinating the convention.

PAAC 20011 Fall Conference is to be October 4-6 at Benet Lake, WI. Marty Haugen is the planned facilitator.

Thanks to Michael and Sue Rheames owners of The Christian Shop, Palatine, IL for bringing a great display of their materials and providing us with lunch.

Next General Meeting:
St. Linus Parish, Oak Lawn IL
March 17, 2011, 9:00 AM

Respectfully submitted,
Colleen M.Walery