Special to the Catholic Business Journal— Registration for this year’s Napa Institute topped 550 people. The Meritage Hotel, where the annual conference is held, will soon be doubling its size and able to accommodate many more in 2018.
Best-selling author Patrick Lencioni spoke on behalf of “The Amazing Parish.’ He has learned through his work that parishes are hungry. Lencioni noted four things that separate Amazing Parishes from all others:
- Leaders participating together in prayer and the sacraments;
- Have a healthy organization. One that is supportive and collaborative;
- Leaders evangelizing and discipling one another. Leaders who live it can share it
- Sunday liturgy feeds those in pews. www.amazingparish.org.
Conference co-founder Tim Busch’s introduction noted that “most Catholic NGOs [non-government organizations] are represented at this meeting.” The Napa Institute offers liturgy and worship throughout the conference 24/7, exposes attendees to different Catholic Rites’ (in union with Rome) liturgical traditions such as the Byzantine Mass, provides talks and breakout sessions hosted by leading clergy and lay Catholic thinkers to enhance formation, and creates a special sense of community as we spend time together to mix and talk to one another.
Former Senator Rick Santorum shared his journey that began as politician who avoided moral issues due to a fear of being unpopular and possibly voted out of office. But he changed his focus radically thanks to the homily of one priest. Sen. Santorum stepped into a church one day and was intellectually and emotionally grabbed by the priest’s homily. As he spoke, this priest influenced Santorum to dig deep into his faith to summon the courageous needed to focus on Truth. His words turned Santorum’s life upside-down as he began his journey to become a national spokesperson on moral issues. As he summarized: “If not now, when? If not us, who?…we all need to be fighters!”
The Becket Fund in its update on religious liberty stated that “our founding fathers knew religion was a force for good and embedded freedom of religion into the Constitution…
Freedom of worship does not equal freedom of religion. Nihilists who believe in nothing are trying to limit religion. Real freedom means knowing our choices and being able to make choices that enable us in our pursuit of happiness.
The Napa Institute was inspired by a 2010 essay, “The Next America,” (First Things) penned by Philadelphia’s Archbishop Charles Chaput and resembles the Aspen Institute with provocative talks given by leading Catholic clergy, authors and laypeople. The Institute, now in its seventh year, was co-founded by Rev. Robert Spitzer, S.J., former president of Gonzaga University, and Tim Busch, a successful lawyer and entrepreneur in the hospitality business. The aim of the Institute is to better equip Catholic leaders to face the challenges of the “next America.” More than 550 people from all over the world are attending this year’s four-day conference.
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Thomas A. Loarie reports live from the Napa Institute and is a columnist and senior editorial advisor for Catholic Business Journal, one of three rotating hosts on the popular “The Mentors” radio show, and the of Bryologyx. He may be reached at tloarie@catholicbusinessjournal.biz.