Members and leaders of religious institutes serve the common good by acting in partnership with one another to enhance the life of the community and to further its mission. While their roles are distinct, both are strengthened by clarity, trust, and shared understanding — especially when it comes to confidentiality.
In today’s increasingly complex environment, leaders are often required to navigate sensitive matters that cannot be fully disclosed. This article offers reflections on the role of confidentiality in leadership and shares practices that can support thoughtful communication and mutual trust.
Civil vs. canonical responsibilities
Typically, the elected leaders of a religious institute serve as the board of directors for the religious institute’s corresponding not-for-profit civil corporation that carries out the mission and conducts the business of the religious institute. As such, elected leaders are responsible for representing the institute in many and diverse relationships as they engage in the institute’s civil and canonical business.
- Civil: Civil business matters and relationships of a religious institute include areas such as property ownership and management, financial and investment management, ministry ownership, employment matters, legal concerns, and any other matters related to the not-for-profit corporation that carries out the mission of the religious institute.
- Canonical: Canonical matters and relationships include the institutional church, other ecclesial bodies or organizations, sponsored ministries, other religious institutes, and other areas internal to the life of the institute described and detailed in a religious institute’s constitution.
In both their civil and canonical roles, elected leaders are responsible for ensuring that there are appropriate systems, structures, and resources in place to support the well-being of the members and the community as a whole, as well as for its ongoing mission expression.
Confidentiality in practice
Oftentimes, civil and canonical matters require leaders to engage confidentially both internally and externally with their counterparts in other organizations (both civil and canonical) for prudent planning and decision-making to take place.
Just as there are confidential matters related to the internal life of the community and to individual members, there are confidential matters related to the external, business activities of the institute.
When leaders are engaged in conducting business on behalf of the institute, with either their civil or ecclesial counterparts or internally with staff members, advisers, or consultants, they are often bound by prudence, the proscriptions and guidance of ethical business practices, and at times, civil and canon law. This guidance typically acknowledges the confidential nature of the matters under consideration and requires each party to agree to accept limits on the amount and nature of what can be communicated with others about the matter at hand.
When congregational leaders are engaged in planning efforts, matters related to property, sponsored or related ministries, employment matters, and other business matters, they may or may not be free to communicate with members, or the nature and scope of what they are free to communicate is limited.
A helpful rule of thumb in these instances is for leaders and members to agree to certain principles and practices when confidentiality is required. Consider the following best practices:
- Leaders’ responsibility for confidentiality: When leaders are engaged in matters that require their confidentiality (e.g., exploratory processes, negotiations, and planning processes), they will disclose limited or no information to the members, or only the information that they are free to disclose at the time. When these matters are concluded, they will disclose fully all that can be legally, ethically, and prudently disclosed about the matter, the process, and the outcome.
- Members’ responsibility for confidentiality: There are times when leaders want or need to share sensitive information with members. In order to do so, they need to be assured that the information shared will remain with community members and not be shared any further for any reason. In these instances, members must agree to maintain confidentiality and any other limits to communicating requested by leaders.
Strengthening partnerships through trust
The effectiveness of the leader-member partnership, and any agreements that are forged between and among them, will depend on the level of trust in one another that exists in the community. Establishing agreements and practices, along with the mutual trust that they reflect and engender, helps to strengthen and mature both relationships within a community and the community as a whole.
The times that we are living in will become more — not less — complex. When leaders and members are equipped with shared principles and practices, they become more effective, responsive, and resilient. This shared foundation helps strengthen the mission and enhance the institute’s vitality.
We understand the complexity of exercising elected leadership in religious institutes — especially when navigating civil and canonical responsibilities. Our team has had the privilege of partnering with hundreds of religious institutes to support planning, decision-making, and mission alignment. If your community is exploring these areas, we’d be honored to accompany you. Reach out to us to start a conversation, or visit our service page to learn how we can help.
