One way or another, everyone is a leader, said Sister Patricia Murray, I.B.V.M., during The Lay Centre’s community evening March, 1. 

Sister Murray is the executive secretary of the International Union of Superiors General. After Mass and dinner with the community, she encouraged Lay Centre residents to see themselves as leaders, as they all will make a difference in their respective communities in one way or another.

Aside from those people identified as leaders due to the rank they hold in an organization or hierarchy, she distinguished between two other kinds of leaders: servant leaders and transformational leaders. 

“When a leader speaks from the place of authenticity and honesty, people hear what God wants to tell them,” she said. 

This means that, through a true spirit of leadership, it is possible to be creative and work together with others, who have different expertise and skills. 

She shared her different experiences over the years as a leader and as a communicator, including in places like South Sudan where the collaboration among leaders resulted in an improvement of people’s lives. 

That evening, Mass was celebrated by Father Douglas W. Marcouiller, S.J., general counselor the Society of Jesus.

Contributed: Filip Veber