Not Just Another Meeting
In business, having the skill and ability to prepare and execute a good meeting is essential. Meetings can be deadly if great care isn’t taken to look after every detail. And every detail is important, from the participants and the room to the agenda and the coffee. Never forget the coffee! It’s no different in the Church. I’ve heard pastors and parishioners say, “I hate meetings.” I’ve heard parish council members say, “One way to kill a good idea is to meet and talk about it.” And also I’ve heard, “People who like meetings should never be put in charge of things.” It’s easy to see why many people dread meetings. They rarely start on time; they almost never end on time; often, participants and the agenda aren’t prepared. And someone always wants to take control and dominate the meeting, which usually results in putting some attendees to sleep. The word meeting has come to be despised. That’s why I was surprised when I heard the first announcements about the triennial gathering of the Pontifical Council for the Family to be held in Philadelphia from September 22 to 27. I thought, “Oh no! They called it a meeting! Why did they have to call it a meeting? I hope it’s not that kind of meeting!”
