An Introduction
The Roman Catholic Church began as a mix of Romans, Greeks, Jews, and people from other backgrounds drawn to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth around the middle of the first century AD. Over time, it grew into a distinct institution with its own structure. A professional clergy developed—educated and trained—who operated somewhat separately from the everyday believers.
Though a lot has been said about how emotional intelligence affects individuals and lay communities, the Church’s real focus should be on its professional leaders—the bishops, priests, and deacons, known collectively as clerics. The impact leaders have on an institution can be either profoundly positive or deeply harmful. Leaders set the tone and shape expectations, whether in communities, governments, businesses, or armies. This holds especially true in religious settings.
Within the Church, a cleric is primarily a servant-leader, guiding and influencing people toward moral choices and spiritual faith by living out those values openly among the faithful. This idea of leading through service and sacrifice is deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian thought. In this view, God transcends existence and is essentially love itself. Love is not about need or obligation—it’s about desire. It’s a choice made freely, a “want to,” never a “have to.”
Understanding this theology is key from an institutional standpoint. Pastoral servant leadership isn’t about wielding power; it’s about wielding influence. But that influence isn’t meant to benefit the cleric or the institution—it’s meant to serve others as individuals. People are given a choice, and a positive outcome is offered, not through force, but through invitation. Those faced with the choice are free to accept or decline.
This core belief in pastoral servant leadership, grounded in clear moral aims, is why emotional intelligence is vital for any cleric’s success. It’s about more than just occasional actions or performances—it’s about living an authentic witness every single moment, fully embracing the role and responsibility of the cleric.
When people leave the faith, it’s rarely because they see Jesus of Nazareth as a hypocrite or fool. More often, they point to the believers and clerics within the Church as falling short of those ideals.
Clerics know the impact their witness can have when it’s true and positive. They’ve also felt the weight of regret, humility, and sorrow when their example didn’t live up to Jesus’ standards, aware that it may have led someone astray. The goal isn’t perfection—that’s an impossible standard for humans. Instead, it’s about a steady, deliberate effort to make sure their witness consistently reflects the values Jesus taught.
The Contemplative Deacon 