The notion of grace

Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), San Francisco, which either sponsors or participates in three separate leadership development programs, sees the formation of new ministry leadership as a matter of the first importance. For the past four years, CHW has participated in CHA's Ecclesiology and Spiritual Renewal Program for System Leaders, the annual pilgrimage to the Vatican City in which ministry executives, board members, and sponsors get an opportunity to learn about the church's institutional structure and immerse themselves in its spiritual atmosphere. In 2002 the system established its CHW Learning Institute, which offers all employees training in leadership, clinical, governance, and employee development. Among other things, the institute has developed CHW's Competency Standards for Leadership. In 2004 CHW, with four other Catholic health care systems in the western United States, created the Ministry Leadership Center, Sacramento. This spring, 49 CHW managers were among the students enrolled in the center's inaugural classes. Among other subjects, they studied the distinctive competencies-intellectual, affective, and spiritual-required to lead a health care ministry in its operations and governance.