JUN 2025_Ministry Leadership Immersion Participant Guide

MINISTRY LEADERSHIP IMMERSION Leading A Thriving Healthcare Ministry

PARTICIPANT GUIDE

Our Commitment to You To create an experience that...

• Studies the distinctive elements of Catholic healthcare • Explores Ascension's identity as a ministry of the Church • Provides active reflection on your vocation as an Ascension

leader

...within a community of Ascension leaders

1

Formation Map

2

The Ascension Mission Statement Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable.

Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities.

We are advocates for a compassionate and just society through our actions and our words.

Notes

3

4

TRADITION

“Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer…”

5

6

TRADITION

Ascension's Story

Notes

7

The Loving, Healing Ministry of Jesus: The Healing of the Paralytic at Capernaum

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set [him] in His presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?”

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

Luke 5:17-26

8

TRADITION

The Healing of the Paralytic at Capernaum Activity What is happening in the story?

What types of healing take place in the story?

Where do we see similar healing taking place in our workday?

9

Sponsorship and Governance Participating Entities

APPOINT

Ascension Sponsor

Participating Entities APPOINTS

Ascension Board

APPOINTS

Chief Executive Officer

10

TRADITION

The Catholic Health Association

Vision Statement

We will empower bold change to elevate human flourishing

Catholic Health Association • www.chasusa.org • Professional organization for

Catholic healthcare • Cross-ministry leadership • Ministry Identity Assessment • Register with your Ascension email • Health Progress • Catholic Health World • Position statements/resources • Webinars/trainings

11

12

• Compassionate • Respectful • Holistic

• An Advocate • Generous • Humble

I Will...

• Care for the

Whole Person • Celebrate Diversity • Cultivate Relationships • Practice Reflection and Self-Care

I Will...

• Advocate for the

Voiceless • Engage Solidarity • Volunteer • Lead as a Ministry

Service of Reverence the Poor

I Am...

I Am...

Steward • Transparent

• Authentic

Protect Safety • Establish Clear Direction • Lead Consistently • Hold Myself and Others Accountable

• Prioritize and

I Will...

Complexity • Collaborate • Exercise Discernment • Seek “Both-And” Solutions

• Navigate

I Will...

Wisdom

• A Good

Integrity

• Integrative

• Accountable

Am...

• Ethical

I Am...

• Celebratory

• Passionate

• Joyful

I Am...

Ownership and Model the Way

• Lead Change • Inspire My Team • Explain “Why” • Demonstrate

I Will...

Encourage Others

• Recognize and

Successes

• Celebrate

Joy

• Affirm Hope and

Outcomes

• Deliver Strategic

I Will...

Creativity Dedication

Leader

• A Change

• Inspiring

• Courageous

Am...

Living Our Ascension Values: Ministry Leadership Culture

SPIRITUALITY

We commit ourselves to...

"Spiritually-centered, holistic care..."

13

14

SPIRITUALITY

Ascension Leaders are expected to: Engage in spiritual formation through regular personal practices that develop spiritual maturity and enhanced alignment between vocation and values Build self-insight to ground in self-awareness and openness to feedback through regular practices of 2 reflection Nuture, lead, and expect the same of one another and the associates/clinicians for whom they are responsible through regular practices of Organizational Spirituality Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief that there is something greater than oneself

Notes

15

What is Prayer and Reflection, and Why Does Ascension Value It? 2

Group Prayer

Group Reflection

Movement

A turn toward the Divine, both beyond us and within us

A turn inward in community

Action

Engaging with the Divine - or Source of meaning - in our lives

Pausing, quieting ourselves, and reviewing what is before us and within us

Content

Scripture, mantra, contemplation, meditation, an open heart, and more

Poem, story, quote, letter, song, video image, silence, and more

16

SPIRITUALITY

Ingredients of Group Prayer and Reflection

Content: that aligns with your awareness of yourself, the group, and the movement of the Divine Contemplation: empowers the group to experience the prayer and reflection to its fullest; generates safety, quiet, calm, attentiveness, presence, and openness Action: invite the group to take reflective action Closing: simple blessing or prayer to close, using inclusive language (e.g., in God's Holy Name we pray.)

17

Personal Spirituality and Leading Group Prayer and Reflection Journal: In your view, why is spirituality important to who we are as leaders of this ministry?

What is significant about group prayer and reflection in Ascension?

Discuss: • Where do the effects of personal spirituality, group prayer, and reflection show up in your leadership?

• Where might it grow?

18

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

…we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable.

19

20

C AT H O L I C S O C I A L TEACHING

Principles of our Ministry Identity

Care for Those Who are Poor and Vulnerable

Attend to the Whole Person

2 Steward Resources

Serve as a Ministry of the Church

Core Commitments in the Ministry Identity Assessment Mirror These Principles

Notes

21

Principles of Ascension's Ministry Identity Activity How do these principles guide values-aligned leadership?

Human Dignity

Common Good

22

C AT H O L I C S O C I A L TEACHING

Principles of Ascension's Ministry Identity Activity How do these principles guide values-aligned leadership?

Justice

In what practical applications will you express these principles? How can we grow our implementation of them in daily leadership?

23

Operationalizing Ministry Identity Activity

What connections do you see for the principles of Catholic Social Teaching to be advanced and expressed in these strategies and initiatives?

24

C AT H O L I C S O C I A L TEACHING

2

25

Writing (and Sharing) Your Own Case Study Activity Think about a decision you are making, a plan you're a part of crafting, or a situation you are about to navigate...

Write (2-3 sentences for each): What is happening?

Who will be impacted?

26

C AT H O L I C S O C I A L TEACHING

Writing (and Sharing) Your Own Case Study Activity How are the principles of human dignity, justice, and the common good being applied? How might they be better applied?

• To the decision • To the communication of the decision • To the evaluation of the impact of the decision • To what happens after

What themes did you notice? How will you set this into action tomorrow, the next day, and so on?

27

28

ETHICS

A

Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities.

29

30

ETHICS

The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services - 6th Edition Purpose • To affirm ethical standards2and norms regarding the dignity of

the human person • To provide “authoritative” guidance for healthcare professionals • To provide principles and guides for patients, families and,

surrogates making decisions • Guardrails for living out Catholic identity

Elements of ERDs • Part One: Social Responsibility • Part Two: Pastoral and Spiritual Responsibility • Part Three: Provider-Patient Relationship • Part Four: Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life • Part Five: Issues in Care at the End of Life • Part Six: Forming New Partnerships with Health Care

Organizations and Providers

31

The ERDs: Responsibilities of Leaders ERD 5: Catholic health care services must adopt these Directives as policy.

ERD 6: A Catholic health care organization should be a responsible steward of the health care resources available to it.

2

ERD 7: A Catholic health care institution must treat its employees respectfully and justly.

ERD 37: An ethics committee or some alternate form of ethical consultation should be available.

32

ETHICS

Key Operational Takeaways • Ascension and all its subsidiaries are

required to abide by the ERDs

2

• All large Ministry Markets have

embedded Ethicists • The System Office Ethics team serves

Ministry-wide Function and the entire health ministry • Your local bishop has ultimate

responsibility (and authority) for interpreting the ERDs • https://www.myEthicsRx.org - a

dynamic website will help you understand what the issues are and get you most of the way to an answer

33

34

DISCERNMENT

“...through our actions and our words”

35

36

DISCERNMENT

What is Discernment in Ascension?

Formal Organizational Ethics Discernment Process • 9 steps

2

• Requires an Ethics consultant • Major organizational decisions (e.g. acquisitions, joint

ventures, divestitures)

Informal Discernment • Applying concepts without formal process • Operational decisions

Everday Discernment • Values in Action • Day to day interactions, business decisions,

communications, etc.

37

Formal Organizational Ethics Discernment Process 9 Steps 2 1. Identify the central question(s) 2. Reflect on our hopes, fears, biases 3. Consider subsidiarity 4. Identify the relevant facts 5. Identify salient values and moral concerns 6. Consider additional possibilities 7. Decide and see holistically 8. Consolation and desolation reflection 9. Communicate and implement review 1 Discernment is “the process of developing eyes to see God in the midst of ordinary, finite existence, to allow ourselves to be stirred by this God and to be called into a vocation of service in God’s creative project.”

- André Delbecq

38

DISCERNMENT

Integrated / Everyday Values-Based Decision Making • Why is this decision difficult?

2

• Do we have all the information we need to make this

decision now?

• Do we have input from those stakeholders who will be

significantly affected by the decision?

• How does this decision impact the poor and vulnerable?

• What creative alternative solutions have been explored?

• What values and principles underlie this decision?

• How does the team feel about the decision being made?

• What is the best way to implement this decision,

considering the need to be sensitive to all stakeholders?

39

2

40

VOCATION

Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities. We are advocates for a compassionate and just society through our actions and our words.

41

42

V O C AT I O N

Vocation in the Catholic Health Tradition Work as...

Job Career Vocation

Gift

"Vocation is where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.”

- Frederick Buechner theologian and novelist

43

Synthesizing Stories: Me, Us, Ascension Study the distinctive elements of Catholic2healthcare

Explores Ascension’s identity as a ministry of the Church

Provides active reflection on your vocation as an Ascension leader

…within a community of Ascension leaders

44

V O C AT I O N

Closing Blessing We are Ascension leaders. This healing ministry of Jesus, which has been handed from generation to generation, is entrusted to our care.

We are called to embody, sustain and promote Ascension’s identity as a Catholic ministry and to realize Ascension’s Mission and Vision by living our Values in action, reflection, and service to others, especially for those who are poor and vulnerable.

2

May the gift of leadership awaken in us as a vocation, Keeping us mindful of the providence that calls us to serve.

As high over the mountains the eagle spreads its wings, May our perspective be larger than the view from the foothills.

When the way is flat and dull in times of gray endurance, May our imagination continue to evoke horizons.

When thirst burns in times of drought, May we be blessed to find the wells.

May we have the wisdom to read time clearly And know when the seed of change will flourish.

In our hearts may there be a sanctuary To nurture the inner stillness where clarity is born.

May our souls find the graciousness To rise above the fester of small mediocrities.

May our work be infused with passion and creativity Expressing wisdom through the balance of compassion and challenge.

May our expression of power never become a shell Wherein our hearts would silently atrophy.

Instead, may we welcome our own vulnerability As the ground where healing and truth join.

May the sacredness of our work bring light and renewal To those who work with us And to those who see and receive our work.

And may each dawn find hope in our hearts Approaching the new day with dreams, possibilities, and promises For the future of this healing ministry.

Amen

45

46

Notes

Action Items

47

Notes

Action Items

48

Notes

Action Items

49

June 2025