Nairobi, Kenya — Participants at the ongoing Global Young Members Meeting continued their formation journey with a two-day workshop led by Fr James Shimbala on the challenges of ministry, crisis management, self-care and team ministry.
DAY ONE: CHALLENGES AS PART OF MINISTRY
On day one, the speaker made it clear that, in pastoral ministry, we as missionaries and priests routinely face crises or challenges that test our spiritual, emotional and practical capacity. He used the sailing boat analogy to describe to us the different phases in which we can be hit by crisis. Through small group discussions, he helped us to point out some of the areas that bring crisis in ministry. From the group discussions and from his insights, we came to the realisation that crises come to us at different phases of our ministry and can cripple us. There was a stress on personal crisis that comes with illness, loss, relational strain or moral failure, even while the leader is still expected to care for others.
He also called our attention to crises at the community level, such as conflict, moral failure by team members, sudden death, financial shortfalls or scandals that threaten the unity and trust of a team. From a broader perspective, he connected us to external challenges or crises, such as disasters, economic hardship, public health emergencies or social upheavals, which place heavy demands on the Church as a first responder.
James Shimbala also reflected on leadership and identity as challenges, where one is expected to remain calm, provide clear biblical direction, communicate wisely and absorb others’ pain while one’s own emotional resources are depleted. In such situations, isolation, secondary trauma, burnout and the temptation either to over-function or to withdraw are frequent risks that can arise.
After mapping out some of the challenges and the four human conditions of mortality, meaninglessness, responsible freedom and aloneness, he attempted to propose some crisis management tools. These included managing our fears, progressive muscle relaxation, meaningful life, resilience, healthy thinking, turning loneliness into aloneness and self-care. Among these tools, he emphasised managing our fears. Due to lack of time, we could not have a session on resilience.
Other proposed solutions for crisis management centred on dependence on prayer and Scripture, slowing down enough to gather facts and seek counsel rather than reacting impulsively, clear and truthful communication, practical care for those affected, post-crisis self-care and accountability for the leader, and viewing the crisis as an opportunity for the Gospel and deeper reliance on God, rather than solely as a threat to be managed.
DAY TWO: YOU CANNOT GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE!
On day two, the stress was on self-care and team ministry. To begin with, James Shimbala highlighted that self-care is oriented towards a nourish-and-flourish perspective for better service to others. In this sense, self-care becomes restorative, done by oneself and deliberately aimed at oneself for the service of others.
From my own understanding of day two, the speaker invited us to become aware that, as missionaries and priests, we must intentionally protect our spiritual, physical, emotional and relational health through regular prayer, rest, boundaries and exercise. Neglect leads to burnout and negative stress, for we cannot reap what we did not sow. Healthy self-care that springs from healthy spirituality and resilience sustains long-term, effective ministry and builds very solid teams in ministry. Where there is emotional intelligence guided by healthy spirituality, physical care, realistic positive thinking and concrete team ministry, effective parish work will grow. At this point, effective parish work will be established through shared leadership and the use of complementary gifts. When the path to self-care and team ministry is clear, delegation, collaboration and mutual support will be at play, avoiding the one-man-show ministry syndrome.
We cannot pour from an empty cup, and we cannot give what we do not have. We need to take care of ourselves first, for we are receiving in order to give back to others.
The meeting, hosted in Nairobi, has brought together young members from different mission areas for prayer, sharing, reflection and ongoing formation. In a warm and honest atmosphere, the workshop invited participants to look closely at the real pressures of pastoral life and the need to serve from a place of inner balance and faith.
