... another thought ....

"I tell you, if one wants to be active, one must not be afraid of going wrong, one must not be afraid of making mistakes now and then. Many people think that they will become good just by doing no harm — but that's a lie, and you yourself used to call it that. That way lies stagnation, mediocrity.

Just slap anything on when you see a blank canvas staring you in the face like some imbecile. You don't know how paralyzing that is, that stare of a blank canvas is, which says to the painter, You can't do a thing. The canvas has an idiotic stare and mesmerises some painters so much that they turn into idiots themselves. Many painters are afraid in front of the blank canvas, but the blank canvas is afraid of the real, passionate painter who dares and who has broken the spell of 'you can't' once and for all.

Life itself, too, is forever turning an infinitely vacant, dispiriting blank side towards man on which nothing appears, any more than it does on a blank canvas. But no matter how vacant and vain, how dead life may appear to be, the man of faith, of energy, of warmth, who knows something, will not be put off so easily. He wades in and does something and stays with it, in short, he violates, “defiles” — they say."

- Vincent Van Gogh

A quote from a master ...

"I think that everything that is really good and beautiful, the inner, moral, spiritual and sublime beauty in men and their works, comes from God, and everything that is bad and evil in the works of men and in men is not from God, and God does not approve of it.

But I cannot help thinking that the best way of knowing God is to love many things. Love this friend, this person, this thing, whatever you like, and you will be on the right road to understanding Him better, that is what I keep telling myself. But you must love with a sublime, genuine, profound sympathy, with devotion, with intelligence, and you must try all the time to understand Him more, better and yet more. That will lead to God, that will lead to an unshakeable faith."

- Vincent Van Gogh

You're Invited ...

... to an Open House at the Cleveland Aikikai (Aikido School).

If you're in the Cleveland area and you're interested in the revolutionary non-violent martial art that I talk about in my book Black Belt Leader, Peaceful Leader: An Introduction to Catholic Servant Leadership, then be sure to visit the open house at the school where I train in Aikido.

Here's the information:

Cleveland Aikikai Open House

Evolved from the ancient arts of the Samurai, Aikido is a modern martial art that emphasizes peaceful, non-violent conflict resolution – ending the at-tack without harming the attacker. While most martial artists are taught to only use their training in the event of an unprovoked attack, Aikido is also considered a spiritual path of self development with self defense techniques designed to prevent injury to the attacker. There are no competitions or tournaments in Aikido and students of all ages and physical abilities progress at their own pace.


• Aikido Demonstrated by Adults & Children

• Iaido—the art of drawing and cutting with the Japanese Sword

• Snacks & Refreshments


Date: 06/28/2008
Time: 10:00 AM—2:00

Located in Cleveland Heights on Mayfield Rd just west of Warrensville Center Road
Date: 06/28/2008
Time: 10:00 AM—2:00
For more information, call 440.725.9494

You can download the flyer here.

Hope you can make it!

Leadership ... or Greed?

An AP article on CEO pay by By RACHEL BECK and MATTHEW FORDAHL observes,

"The AP review of compensation for the heads of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index finds the median pay package added up to nearly $8.4 million. That's a comfortable gain of about $280,000 from 2006."

Given the present state of the economy, having an median salary of $8.4 million is greed; the antithesis of Catholic Servant Leadership.

Think about it.

Tim Russert ... Catholic Servant Leader

The world mourns the loss of journalist and leader Tim Russert. A graduate of Cleveland's John Carroll University, Mr. Russert would have been touched by the out-pouring of emotion that surrounds his death.

There have been many tributes in the media lately, many echoing words similar to Jay Leno's:



Although I never had the chance to meet Tim, by all accounts he was truly a Catholic Servant Leader. People consistently have described him as level-headed, humble, intelligent and deeply, deeply caring.

The world has lost an important Catholic Servant Leader in Tim Russert. Our prayers go out to his family.

Catholic Servant Leadership in Duluth Minnesota

Here's a brief glimpse of some of the interesting things I saw on my visit to Duluth, Minnesota, as well as my final comments on my speech on "Living the Path of Advocacy and Justice with Catholic Servant Leadership".

Catholic Servant Leadership: Advocating for Justice

What does it mean to 'advocate for justice' as a Catholic Servant Leader? Here, I share my thoughts with the leadership of the Benedictine Health System ...