R.I.P. Bob Carty - More Than Meets the Eye!

Bob Carty was an old friend.  We had not seen much of one another for a long time but we had shared work, living together and dreams when I had hair and he had a gorgeous beard!  Bob died this week after a long battle with cancer.  Some would say that Bob was an incredibly successful radio documentary journalist; some called him a talented singer, songwriter whose music brought people together within the genre I liked to call folk music at its best.  He won more awards than one could imagine as a journalist with CBC; he had a significant following of his fun loving, justice-oriented music and had an engaging, dynamic personality that afforded most of us to love him, even from afar!  Okay, so why, beside my personal sense of loss would I blog about this man?

Bob Carty was not part of our Good Shepherd Network....but Bob was a Shepherd like no other.  Bob and I shared intense moments and experiences together 40 years ago but that journey shared is as fresh today as it was then.  He modeled an incredible dedication to study and research yet spurned formal education.  He critiqued his Church strongly but nurtured his profound faith always.  He had a sense of urgency for justice for the poor and a dedication to work for changing oppressive systems everywhere.  Within it all, Bob had an easy going, steady and consistent way of teaching and inspiring goodness, confidence and competence in others like few others can demonstrate.  

Bob Carty inspired a consistent commitment to reflective practice...he always reviewed his own and his team's work.  He taught others about the value of situating ourselves in front of the circumstance we would encounter, the people we would meet or address, knowing that the best place to start is always where THEY are at. This sensitive awareness is what made him so engaging with others and allowed him to lead the rest of us to a deeper place.

After all is said and done, I don't think I will remember what awards he won;  I will not ever remember what was the first or last song he ever wrote.  I will always remember how it felt to share a piece of our mutual journey, our growth as persons, our learning about the world and this complex life we live.  And how this felt was truly life giving, profoundly more than words can capture.  I am a better person today for having known him.  

So my friend, the award-winning journalist and the folk singing troubadour, has left this human journey.  But his legacy is an intimate, personal witness to self reflection, changing oneself as one works to change systems and knowing that each one of us has a special gift to leave to this world.  

How many of us have had a special person in our life who found the goodness in us?  Surely, we have had that one person....so what did they reveal to you?  What is that special gift you have?  Go find it, nurture it, share it and, in time, leave it.  Thanks, Bob, for the profound gift you have left us.

What Happens in Quito Should NOT stay in Quito!

Last week I had the immense privilege to join with 65 Good Shepherd Sisters and 10 other Mission Partners to participate in the month long Intercontinental Assembly of the Americas.  The participants were all representative of Countries across South, Central and North America.  I met some truly amazing women (and a few good men) who energetically engaged in study and dialogue (I mean DIALOGUE!) about the risks they need to take for Mission.....their mission.  These meetings are in preparation for next year's International Meetings in June.  This is a called their general chapter where every six years the sisters determine new leadership for the congregation which operates in 72 countries;  they will also determine how they will choose to live out their spiritual and active participation in ways to live their lives of extraordinary commitment and will make adjustments in their governance.  

Equally and perhaps most importantly, the Sisters make determinations about future directions in their embrace of the mission of Good Shepherd and how they should live their commitment to furthering the great work of compassion, service of the poor, reconciliation and advocacy for those who lives leave them on the margins of society.  Throw in many moments for spiritual reflection and prayer and the recipe for inspiration is complete.

In Quito I met many really fine leaders with an abundance of courage, sensitivity and competence.  I also met a people who love to celebrate and party as passionately as they bring love and healing to the world.  I met younger sisters, some who could easily be my daughters, who humbled me with their insight, bravery and integrity of soul in their singular desire to serve the world.  If they are a sampling of the rest of this international group, the future is indeed hopeful and in good hands.

I also met a sampling of mission partners....lay folks like you and me.  Folks who are professionally trained and equally passionate about the core mission and values of Good Shepherd.  They are a formidable group of leaders who are committed to support the rest of us to embody those core values in the way we work and view the world both professionally and personally.  Their voice, their input and their insights were sought throughout the week and their input will also be represented at the general chapter meetings next year.  

These experiences, this dialogue could easily be the start of something really new and challenging for everyone....or they could be the world's best kept secret!  Let's not stop here!  Let's keep the conversation going.  Like to know more?  Let me know.  I have nothing to hide from my wondrous experience in Quito, Equador!