Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Fr. Ronal - A Servant-Leader (April 6, 1966 - May, 1, 2011
In preparing for this reflection, my husband Mike suggested the “3 B’s” - one) be brief, two) be brilliant, and three) be seated. I promise I will deliver on one and three!
According to Robert Greenleaf, there are ten characteristics of a servant-leader: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment, & community. Fr. Ronal embodied these characteristics. He knew what it meant to “wash the feet of his disciples.”
While I only met Fr. Ronal last April on our first medical mission to Haiti, I got to witness firsthand, these characteristics of servant-leadership in him. I was amazed to see him bringing up buckets of water and washing the bathroom out early every morning before we arose. No matter how early I got up, he was already hard at work making things happen. He made sure that we were comfortable and well fed. He made sure we were safely transported back and forth between Matthew 25 House and St. Gabriel Parish. He organized the number of patients that we would see and he even pushed us beyond that number on our first trip.
I was amazed to see how much he had accomplished in his preparations to receive us despite having recently buried 300 of his parishioners in light of the earthquake that year.
I witnessed how he ministered to his parishioners. They all loved and respected him.
While on that first trip I didn’t get a chance to explore the area, but I could see how he was hard at work healing his community after the earthquake. He knew what needed to get done and he went to work. He had begun clearing areas that were damaged for future rebuilding. On this second medical mission, we saw some of the fruits of that labor of love.
I remember thinking before our arrival on the first trip that we would be inundated with persons suffering from post-traumatic stress, but was pleasantly surprised to find that people seemed to take the earthquake in stride, as much as one can when one loses loved ones and one’s home and personal belongings. This is a testament to his gift of healing.
Additionally, I was pleased to see that much rebuilding had already begun at St. Gabriel Parish on this second trip thanks to Fr. Ronal’s foresight and stewardship. He was definitely committed to the growth and nourishment of his parish.
On reflection, I am very saddened at the loss of our brother in Christ, Fr. Ronal. I pray that the people of Beau Sejour will continue to heal from the traumas of the earthquake and now the loss of their servant-leader, Fr. Ronal. In this situation I must put my trust in Romans 8:28 - “All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
I am grateful that Fr. Ronal was able to join the great servant-leaders before him, especially Pope John Paul II, on Divine Mercy Sunday! God is good all the time. Amen!
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Reflection by Margie C. Sweeney, M.D., SFO presented on Monday, May 23, 2011 at the Memorial Mass for Fr. Ronal at Holy Family Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, FL.
