Boston Contemplative Leaders in Action Sharing the Mission of Christ
The two current CLIA-Boston cohorts gathered on January 22nd. The first-year cohort met to do the Enneagram, a typology of human personality and method for self-understanding. The second-year cohort met to connect, pray together, and hear presentations around the theme of Sharing the Mission of Christ. In the morning, the second-year group group spent time reflecting on and discussing what sharing the mission of Christ means to them. They also discussed a book they had read, Tattoos on the Heart, a memoir by Greg Boyle, S.J., on his two decades of working with gang members in Los Angeles.
In the afternoon, the group heard from a panel of four presenters who offered a wealth of personal experiences and perspectives.
- John Wronski, S.J., President of Nativity Prep-Boston, has worked with the poor and marginalized people of inner-city Boston, Chicago, Oakland, and Kingston, Jamaica. He spoke about the challenges of operating a Nativity School.
Pat and Paul Daoust, and Brendan Kennealey shared their personal responses to the call to service and reflections on the importance of each person’s gifts in furthering the mission of Christ.
- Pat Daoust, a registered nurse with over 30 years of clinical, educational and managerial experience, is currently a clinical instructor and lecturer at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at UMass Boston and works with the John Snow Institute as a consultant on international projects dealing with HIV and AIDS. For many years, her work has focused on international projects, primarily in Botswana, Swaziland and Ethiopia.
- Paul Daoust, an experienced leader in the human resources consulting and insurance industries, is currently the Non-executive Chairman of the Board of HighRoads, Inc. His volunteer service has centered on education including membership on the boards of the Nativity Prep Schools in Boston and New Bedford, MA, Xaverian Brothers High School and the NativityMiguel Network of Schools.
- Brendan Kennealey started his career as a volunteer teacher at Boston’s Nativity Prep, became the founding principal of a Nativity Prep School in New Bedford, MA and went on to found Mission Schools International (MSI), a non-profit focused on building a network of secondary schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. He currently serves as an Area Superintendent in the Catholic Schools Office of the Boston Archdiocese.
The day concluded with both cohorts joining with spouses and friends for a celebration of Mass.
