Caritas Manila Head Lectures PPC on Servant Leadership

Fr. Anton Pascual, the Executive Director of Caritas Manila and president of Radio Veritas, gave a well received talk, ‘The Ultimate Test of Servant Leadership’, to the Parish Pastoral Council and a few other non-PPC members last March 9. This was part of the Discernment Assembly that Fr. Steve required of all those identified to participate in the PPC leadership selection process.

Fr. Anton started by saying that everyone was there to ‘learn, unlearn, and relearn’. He argued that we all needed to learn because only learners will be successful in our knowledge society. We also needed to unlearn especially when it came to fake news. And we need to relearn if only for the simple reason that our memories are good for only 72 hours before we start forgetting. This is the same reason why by April, most people have already forgotten their New Year’s resolutions. This is the same reason why we need to keep reading the Bible as well, since we forget over time.

He argued that the concept of leadership is in crisis. As examples, he cited the collapse of the American economy in 2008, the PCSO head being sacked just a few days ago for corruption, the homosexuality and sexual abuse that had infested the Catholic Church. The world needs real leaders to move us forward. But not any kind – mankind needs authentic righteous leaders, which the Bible refers to as ‘servants’. These ‘servant leaders’ are servants first and they lead in serving. To him, Christ was the model of perfect ‘servant leadership’. The ultimate test, according to Fr. Anton, is when you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions: Do those they serve grow as persons? Do those served eventually become servant leaders also?

Fr. Anton asked several rhetorical questions – after 500 years of Catholic Christianity, where are we now? Are we, as a nation, of one mind, one heart? (Acts 4:32). Do we pray, break bread, and reflect on the word of God together? Do we give enough, at least the 10 percent that the concept of tithing suggests? Why is it that the ones feeding us, the farmers and the fisher folk, comprise the poorest sector in the Philippines?

It is unfortunate that what is important to the world is achievement, acquisitions, and appearance. When our leaders pursue these three ‘As’, then they lose their moral compass and begin to stray as servant leaders. He cited Pope Francis, who said that ‘authentic power is service. Whatever power or influence you have, use it for service’. The same thought is captured in Matthew 20:28 – ‘Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as ransom for many.’

Fr. Anton talked through the five practices of servant leadership.

1. Model the Way. True servant leaders practice what they preach, walk the talk, keep their promises. True servant leadership is leadership by example. Fr. Anton mentioned that in a recent survey, the number one cited characteristic of admired leaders wasn’t competence, ability to inspire, or being a visionary. It was ‘honesty’. Credibility is the foundation of leadership, he argued, hence, we should look for ‘ugali’.
2. Inspire a Shared Vision. Fr. Anton reiterated that true leaders begin with the end in mind (quoting Steven Covey). They envision and talk about the organization’s future. When they do so, they use positive, energetic, upbeat language, making liberal use of metaphors, symbols, examples and stories. He cited the audacious goals of Bill Gates (a computer in every home) and Steve Jobs (your life in your phone).
3. Challenge the Process. Leaders question the status quo and keep asking, ‘How do we improve the parish?’ They do something each day differently so that you’re better today than you were the day before. They always ask questions, they seek advice, they listen to diverse perspectives, they ask ‘how we can do this better’, and they get out of their comfort zones. These leaders also accept that once in a while, when they taker risks, they’ll fail but they’re secure in the knowledge that they’ve learned a bit more.
4. Enable Others to Act. True servant leaders are not one-man armies, they inspire others to work as a team (‘we’re all in this together’). They give trust, build trust, and earn trust by being logical, by being authentic, and by being empathetic. They listen, and listen some more. They get to know their members and show genuine concern.
5. Encourage the Heart. The servant leader affirms each one. They are appreciative of everyone’s gifts and contributions. They make it comfortable to give and receive feedback. The words ‘thank you’, ‘please’ and ‘I’m sorry’ are part of their daily vocabulary. They find time to be present, both in tough times and in celebrations. They create a strong sense of community.

The Diocese of Cubao Media Group captured Fr. Anton’s enlightening talk, which made it possible for it to be shown to others. The dozen or so invitees who failed to attend were met by Fr. Steve the following day, March 10, Sunday. These included the Sunrise Ministry heads and core team members who were on pilgrimage the previous day. Then the following week, Saturday, March 16, Fr. Steve organized a ‘make-up class’ for a dozen or so invitees who failed to make it last March 9 and March 10 for valid reasons – out of the country, sickness, family emergency – but were free on March 16. Both March 10 and March 16 groups were able to watch the video after which Fr. Steve discussed the process and PPC roles.

Fr. Anton completed his Philosophy degree from Our Lady of Angels Franciscan Seminary and his Theology degree from the San Jose Seminary which he followed up with a Masters in Development Management at AIM.

Awarded the Order of the Golden Heart by the Office of the President in 2010, Fr. Anton was also an AIM Alumni Achievement awardee in 2014. He received the Gawad Parangal Award from the Cooperative Development Authority for Most Outstanding Cooperative Leader in 2015. And the following year, the Junior Chamber International Senate Philippines recognized him as The Outstanding Filipino Awardee for NGO and Cooperative.