Bishop must communicate to ensure future of diocese

AS THE BISHOP of the Diocese of Scranton, Joseph Martino wears many hats, including spiritual leader and chief executive officer of a vast institution that has improved Northeastern Pennsylvania’s quality of life for generations.

But one hat that needs resizing is that of communicator. As the diocese executive, it is incumbent upon Bishop Martino to articulate his message clearly and successfully to effect changes necessary to keep the Catholic Church viable.

There’s no doubt the bishop has been clear about the diocese’s network of schools: Declining enrollments have forced the diocese to close schools, restructure school boards and cut costs.

But we take issue with the way Bishop Martino is delivering this message to the diocese teachers, who had been unionized, but have seen their organization artfully dismantled and now wish to rebuild. In that regard, his success is elusive.

• Isn’t the purpose of effective communication to build a consensus with those who are essential to the system? What is more important to a school’s infrastructure than the dedicated teachers who make it work?

• By using polished, anti-union statements delivered through newspaper advertisements and on the Internet, the bishop is alienating key players and building barriers.

• By not meeting personally with those who have opposing viewpoints, the bishop is foregoing the opportunity to build consensus for an institution that, quite frankly, has been struggling in the 21sth century.

Bishop Martino could borrow a game plan from a national figure who walked in his shoes three decades ago. Lee Iacocca, the American industrialist from nearby Allentown, broke new ground when he took the cause of the ailing Chrysler Corp. directly to the unions, the American people and Congress. Collectively, with open dialogue, compromise and a stated purpose, they saved the company.

It became a textbook example of effective communication, and to this day Iacocca is a national figure because of the teamwork he instilled.

Like Bishop Martino, he was not a miracle worker. The situation he inherited was dire, but he built a consensus to reverse the tide and prevailed.

Obviously running a Catholic school system is not analogous to producing a successful line of mini-vans. The point is that the unions and top executives had a singular purpose: Save the organization and nurture it back to health -- as a team. This took sacrifice, open dialogue and a keen focus on the goal.

Will you meet with your employees and their leaders, Bishop Martino? Can you work with them for the common good? Will the teachers reciprocate?

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