Terézia Rončáková is vice-dean of the Faculty of Arts and Letters and a professor in the Department of Journalism at Catholic University in Ružomberok, Slovakia, one of the member institutions of the Catholic Universities Partnership. In the summer of 2023, she came to the University of Notre Dame to join the Catholic Leadership Program, hosted and organized by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies with support from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops and its Subcommittee to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe grants.
On a memorable Maundy Thursday, I returned from the pre-premiere of the documentary film The Last Supper about the spectacular reconstruction of the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Slovak painter Stanislav Lajda devoted 10 years and, indirectly, his whole life to the reconstruction. He conducted extensive research along the way and discovered many facts and connections that no one had found for 500 years: where the church tower depicted outside the window stands, how it relates to Christopher Columbus, to which biblical figures the figures of individual apostles refer, why there are Old Testament figures on the left side of the table and New Testament figures on the right ... Brilliant!
It was a brilliant work by da Vinci, an ingenious reconstruction of Lajda, and a brilliant film by young director Matúš Demko (he has a doctorate from my university, Catholic University in Ružomberok, and even in my Department of Journalism). It is amazing when people use their gifts to the fullest. We admire their knowledge and performance; we marvel at the incredible amount of work behind it.
My experience at the Catholic Leadership Program at the Nanovic Institute during the summer of 2023 was of this kind. It was an experience of professionalism, purposefulness, and the maximal use of one's abilities. It was an inspiration for disciplined systematic work. We received a lot of suggestions and know-how about this "system."
We started with the “expedition” of Clemens Sedmak and the realization that the fear of death, a loss of place, or a change of status quo does not belong on the expedition. Monica Caro taught us that a leader should not go around offices collecting “monkeys” (complications) but leave them nicely on the shoulders of their followers and help them cope with them. We have heard from all sides that vision is important and the answer to the question “why” is paramount. Catholic identity is crucial, but it comprises more than just external institutional signs. It should be borne by the people. Sometimes two or three strong, charismatic educators will change a student's life. As a rule, these are people who sincerely care about the “person” of that student. Clemens shared with us his reflection on “how to love your students” and your followers, too. He showed us that one of the pitfalls for a leader is to miss the seemingly insignificant details that unnecessarily humble or shame others.
I experienced a similar feeling of the "blowing of the Spirit" in the community we created with friends from different Central and Eastern European countries at the week-long Leadership Seminar. I consider this community to be one of the proofs of good work.
Each of us took away a lot of such wisdom and, during the week, filed them away in our thick notebook which we received at the beginning of the week. Sometimes with the feeling that, after a phase of enthusiasm, we fall into the reality of our domestic institutions, where resources are very limited, and things tend to be done—as we say in Slovakia—“on the knee.” Or what is performed in a professional institution by a department of several members represents only one part of the many tasks of our dean or vice-dean, who in our conditions juggles many hats without infrastructure, both technical and human. In addition, I was a little disturbed by the constant American emphasis on evaluating subordinates and on frequent honest (and harsh) feedback. I think that cultural differences need to be very much considered in this area because what is usual and motivating in some places may be too unusual and destructive elsewhere.
I am a proud graduate and member of the Ladislav Hanus Fellowship (Spoločenstvo Ladislva Hanusa – SLH), founded 22 years ago in Slovakia by young enthusiasts to convey to young intellectuals and future leaders their American experience of education and personal growth—specifically from the Witherspoon Institute. I consider Slovak SLH to be a strongly blessed work, where the Spirit in individual semester communities causes exceptional cohesion, friendship, and enthusiasm that lasts for many years after the end of the program (in my case for 21 years). I experienced a similar feeling of the "blowing of the Spirit" in the community we created with friends from different Central and Eastern European countries at the week-long Leadership Seminar. I consider this community to be one of the proofs of good work.
This stay was my first experience with a huge university complex at the highest level and my first experience with America. All those strong impressions led me to the magnificent university library on my last day. I sat down at the window overlooking the square with the lake, put on my knees a file with notes from the whole week, and let myself be overwhelmed by the power of impressions—in Milan, in Santa Maria delle Grazie, and in South Bend at Notre Dame, where one feels something like a concentration of Western civilization … and a little more.
Clemens concluded by saying that everything is temporary—including both the university and the Church. The only main goal is to do God's will.
The video below shares more about the Catholic Leadership Program in 2023.
Originally published by at crossingthesquare.nd.edu on May 07, 2024.