When you consider any working group of humans, you can look at them at how well they produce? Do they accomplishe their work? Are they efficient? Are they inclusive to having new Canadians, different ethnic groups and woman working in their structures?
But we also need to look at the ‘tone’ that the leadership sets for the group and the way that the social/working group will permit the leader to influence them.
One insightful leader spelt it out clearly: “I cannot define tone in words but I certainly can feel it when I begin to work with these people.” You will recognize the tone by living it.
The best place to begin with tone is your family of origin. Most probably it was your Mother who set the tone how the family would function. This was not a policy paper that she sat down and developed. She just did it! The family functioned and moved along, and she adjusted to each child --- and you changed along with her!
You probably could not have put it into words when you were growing up. You just did it and got along well with everyone. But when push came to shove, your Moher set the tone!
Take a few moments. Look around at the tone that exists in your workplace? With the parents and organizers of your child’s hockey team? your in-laws? Your small group of close friends? Your parish church?
Leaders do make a difference. The real leaders (who may not be the person out in front) set the tone.
This is why the leadership of Pope Francis is significant. Did he change anything? Are there new rules to follow under his leadership? We are having to work to gather up any definite change in church practice and teaching that he implemented.
What he did change was the tone. He is moving the Church to become a Church for the poor. He is turning our gaze toward the poor and the forgotten of this world. Everything that the Pope does and says has symbolic meaning. It also carries political meaning.
His first visit was to the island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean. This tiny island is the first landing place of countless poor people (i.e., undocumented) trying to move into Europe. These are people who are trying to build a better life for their children and find security from the turmoil and civil unrest that they have experienced in their countries of origin.
The first people he went to engage with were the poor of this world. What kind of tone, what kind of response was Pope Francis seeking to create by visiting the migrants (i.e., the poor) of this modern history?
He teaches that he wants Christians to come to church with dirty shoes because they have been out on the streets caring for the poor. Can you think of a better image to express compassion and respect for our fellow human beings who so often disappear into the shadows? This is a Church that cares about the well-being of the people with little power and income.
The tone that Pope Francis is setting will bear fruit many generations hence. Being challenged to be a Church for the poor is a blessing.
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