Governance and Leadership in an Era of Digital Transformation
The Catholic Partnership Summit, the Leadership Roundtable’s flagship gathering, which brings together lay leaders, clergy, and religious for discussions and exchanges of views on the most pressing challenges and opportunities of our time, was held on October 20–21 at Loyola University Chicago’s Lake Shore Campus in the United States.
Among the participants was Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, who delivered an address on the theme “Governance and Leadership in an Era of Digital Transformation.”
This year’s Summit opened with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Lawrence Sullivan, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago, in the Madonna Della Strada Chapel. Bishop Robert J. Lombardo, CFR, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, was also present.
The Mass was followed by a series of discussions on Diocesan Renewal: “Lessons from the Field” and “Strong Enough to Carry the Mission: Vision - and Mission - Driven Leadership”. The latter explored the importance of leadership grounded in vision and mission, examining how leaders set direction, shape organizational culture, and keep institutions faithful to their purpose, particularly in the age of artificial intelligence.
Another discussion, entitled “Who is Forming What We Are Making?”, drew on Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas to address a fundamental question: What does a Church with two thousand years of wisdom and experience in formation have to offer at this moment in history?
The panel discussion on Magnifica Humanitas and “The Wise Use of Powerful Tools” focused on artificial intelligence, a technology powerful enough to revolutionize the way people think and work, and one that is already testing the resilience of institutions. Rather than concentrating on what these tools are capable of doing, the session explored how Catholic institutions can embrace innovation without losing their identity.
Finally, the panel discussion “Technology as an Evangelization Tool” highlighted the possibilities that emerge when Catholic institutions place contemporary technological tools at the service of their mission, embracing innovation without allowing themselves to be shaped by it.
Since 2003, the Catholic Partnership Summits have responded to the needs expressed by leaders, making significant contributions to discussions on renewal, co-responsibility, financial transparency, young adult engagement, and the path forward for the Church at the national level.