Control-freakery

I mentioned the National Council of the Secular Carmelites meeting last week.  The National Council is composed very simply of the Regional Representatives plus the national president plus Fr Matt Blake, Delegate from the Friars.  The webmaster is also a member.  Who chooses the Regional Representatives?  Elections take place every three years at the Presidents’ Conference where all the community presidents and smaller group leaders gather to discuss relevant issues and elect a national president for the following three years.  The next Presidents’ Conference will be taking place in September this year.  Having been a Regional Representative for several years, I can testify that the National Council meetings are very instructive, because you learn about issues that have occurred elsewhere, issues you might yourself never have come across, and you take part in discussions about how to resolve them.  One thing I have learned is that misbehaviour by a single individual, or a single individual’s inability to fit into a group or community, can seriously damage that group or community.  This is especially true when that individual suffers from a leader-complex or what is commonly known as control-freakery.  There is a very powerful reason why Teresa promoted the virtue of humility so insistently.

Intercessions:

Brian Davis – cancer

Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him) - cancer

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David - housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill