Heart to Heart | EP7: Dr. Michael Higgins on Pope Francis, Servant Leadership & the New Pope Leo XIV

"In this episode of the Heart to Heart podcast series on leadership, Chuck Firlotte welcomes Dr. Michael Higgins, a Canadian scholar, distinguished professor, and author. Dr. Higgins is the author of the book Francis, the Jesuit Disruptor, a personal portrait of Pope Francis.

Dr. Higgins discusses his path to becoming a well-known Vatican scholar and expert, which began not by design, but by accident. His training in doctrinal studies was initially to be a Victorianist, specializing in 19th-century English literature. His interest in the Vatican grew partly because one of his thesis directors was a British Carmelite who wrote a book called The Vatican Oracle. Higgins also started working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a documentarian, researching and narrating radio programs. He later became the chief consultant for the series Sir Peter Ustinov's Inside the Vatican. After all these experiences, he became an expert on the Vatican and a Vatican affairs analyst for The Globe and Mail.

The main topic of discussion is leadership. The conversation focuses on Pope Francis and his unique style of ""servant leadership"". Dr. Higgins explains that Francis took the papal title Servus Servorum Dei (""the servant of the servants of God"") very seriously, focusing on a pastoral, rather than jurisdictional, role. According to Dr. Higgins, Francis's goal was to move the Roman Catholic Church into a new era where its relevance is not diminished by its historical baggage. He humanized the papacy by not living in the Apostolic Palace, wearing simpler vestments, and cutting down the ceremony.

The discussion also covers:
Pope Francis's life and background: Francis was a Jesuit who considered marrying a young woman before beginning his studies, which suggests he did not fear or disparage women. He was also a product of his Latin American culture, which led him to have a sentimental and romanticized notion of women.
Francis and women in the church: Francis made significant changes by bringing women and their gifts into the governance structure of the church, including senior cabinet positions and the head of the Vatican City State. However, he did not pursue the ordination of women to the priesthood, fearing it would shatter the unity of the universal Roman communion.
The new Pope Leo XIV: Dr. Higgins was surprised by the election of Pope Leo XIV, who he describes as a ""relatively obscure prelate"" to the larger public, but a prominent member of the Vatican Curia. Higgins believes Pope Leo XIV, a canon lawyer, is a consolidator and ""the Augustinian stabilizer,"" rather than a visionary like Francis.
Words of wisdom for young leaders: Dr. Higgins emphasizes the importance of human solidarity, altruism, and serving others. He advises young people to follow the advice given to Pope Francis when he was elected pope: ""Don't forget the poor"".

SPONSORED BY: Aquarion Water Company, Bridgeport CT and Ganim Financial Management, Shelton CT

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