How does interaction between people work? I guess, one of the basics is that if you agree about something, you keep word and hold on to the agreement. Otherwise it is difficult to see how life & cooperation and interaction should work on the long term run. If you cannot rely on somebodies promise, the interaction is fundamentally disturbed.
This applies very much in the field of the relationship between employer and employee. I am still struggling with the fact, that somebody working for a bishops conference is not only able to break agreements repeatedly and one-sided and that a bishop is actually covering up for such an behavior. This is not only sad, but brings up fundamental questions about the working ethic of such an entity. Mobbing and broken promises should never be part of dealing with an employee, even if the victim it is only a priest without the right to contest it in a secular court of law.
For me these experiences leave deep tracks in understanding of church personal. I only know that dealing with people means honesty, means integrity and means standing to his own word. Otherwise I act anti-social, a-social. We as a church stand for justice and peace; it was unthinkable for me, that such behavior would be condoned by the conference secretary or even a bishop. Call me naive for not expecting it – but at least I am learning that having a social conscience seems not to be a credential for somebody leading a department at a bishops conference.
But I finally refuse to be a victim – leaving tracks does not mean to give up hope. I am convinced that you harvest, what you sowed – and that behavior like the described one only shows the lack of the experience of the unconditional love of God, which makes you able to deal with the next person in a civilised way. Such behavior indicates for me also an fundamental unhappiness with oneself. For me it is a sign, how unsaved a person is. So frustration and anger transforms into pity and compassion. It takes time – for me a whole holiday to come to that conclusion, but since then, I feel free to move on on my way and to search for a way to live my calling… Exciting times indeed.
Filed under: Reflection, Uncategorized, anger, broken promise, Church Matters, compassion, employee, employer, ethics, frustration, honesty, integrety, interaction, mobbing, pity
God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE 