On March 14, 2005, a press conference was held to announce the launch of a new non-profit organization, the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management (NLRCM).
The concept for the new organization arose from the efforts of the Leadership Roundtable. In 2003, a group of business leaders concerned about the financial and management crisis unfolding in the Catholic Church as a result of the sex abuse crisis organized a series of discussions about the possibilities of rendering assistance to the Church. This led to the Church in America Leadership Roundtable held at the Wharton School in July 2004.
The conference consisted of a two-day meeting at the Wharton School in Philadelphia, bringing together members of the Church hierarchy with leaders from the religious, corporate and nonprofit worlds to discuss ways to strengthen the management, financial structure and human resources of the Catholic Church in the U.S. Participants discovered that islands of managerial strength and excellence exist across the country at both the diocesan and parish levels. At the same time, others could benefit from learning about these best practices. A total of 48 recommendations (27 priority and 21 longer term) were developed as a result of this gathering. The recommendations seek to strengthen apostolic governance and the management, finance and human resources of the Catholic Church in the U.S. at the national, diocesan and parish levels.
As a result of the conference and in dialogue with various national Catholic professional associations involved in the issues of human resources, finances and management, it was determined that additional means were needed to strengthen the life of the church. Specifically, a new, non-profit organization would be established to carry out this mission. The organization would work with volunteers from the business, academic and non-profit sectors to facilitate collaborative efforts with church leaders.
A principal organization in this effort has been FADICA – Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities, a consortium of private charities with interests in helping to create the new organization. The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management is an association of laity and clergy, as allowed within the church’s canon law.
The new organization seeks to continue the positive momentum of the historic 2004 gathering by bringing together key leaders from the Church, from the business world, and from the nonprofit sector to collaboratively address the recommendations from the gathering. The goal is a Church that is stronger in the areas of management, finance and human resources and that more fully utilizes the talents and skills of all of the faithful.
Annual Leadership Roundtable Membership Meetings have been held at the Wharton School, Philadelphia, in 2005 and 2006, and are fixed for the last Thursday and Friday of June each year. Laity, religious, clergy and bishops have met to discuss excellence in the Church, the financial health of the Church, and other topics related to the management of temporal affairs in Catholic parishes, dioceses and organizations.
In the summer of 2005, an Executive Director and Director of Operations were appointed and set up an office and the formal operation of the new nonprofit organization. In June 2006, a Director of Research & Client Services and a Director of Planning & Member Services were added to the team. The staff operates with the following purpose statement and goals: |
