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Cronogue, Michael

College of Education and Social Services

Ed. D.

Leadership in Catholic religious communities is in a state of crisis (Sheeran, 2008). The pool of potential leaders is dwindling while insufficient attention has been paid to developing the next generation of leaders. Utilizing the methodology of action research, the author reflects on his first two years as the newly elected Superior General of the Society of Saint Edmund, a small Catholic religious community. Action research is a form of inquiry that insiders in a community can use to address a particular problem. The personal reflection of the researcher is a key component of the research process. To that end, the author explores his values, beliefs, strengths, and challenges as a leader (Reason & Marshall, 2001) with respect to the future of the Society of Saint Edmund.
This link between self-awareness and leadership is increasingly seen as a valid form of research (Lowney, 2005; Schon, 1983). The dissertation suggests that religious leaders need to make charism, vocation, and mission both energizing and understandable in light of how the role of religious societies have changed over time, and that there is hope for renewal in the Society of Saint Edmund. In addition, insights are offered into the complex decision-making processes that newly elected religious leaders often find themselves immersed in with little training. "Such insider accounts generate important knowledge to be shared among practitioners -- a knowledge base that is otherwise unavailable" (Herr & Anderson, 2005, p. 34).