St. Joseph’s Lessons in Creative Courage

By Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., President, Saint Joseph’s University

Last December, Pope Francis declared a special “Year of Saint Joseph” asking us to consider the many laudatory characteristics associated with the earthly father of Jesus as virtues we can all seek in this extraordinary year of challenges and change. The primary attribute the Pope mentioned was the “creative courage” of Joseph. This past year has been a time of unprecedented creativity in almost every sector of society. And these innovative moves have taken a certain amount of courage for most of us.

At this time last year educators took a leap into a new world of offering 100% remote learning in a variety of ways. The pivot to online modes of teaching went exceptionally well for those of us in higher education. A university such as Saint Joseph’s made an early investment in online education over 15 years ago in some of our academic programs, but the sudden pandemic generated the creative response of our faculty and staff with remarkable speed while still prioritizing the personal concern for students. Yet it took courage to not allow this to be the only long-term solution to learning for our students as many devised the safety plans and new protocols necessary to reopen schools for this academic year using a variety of innovative modes for quality learning both in-person and remotely. With an all hands-on-deck approach and every creative mind active and ready to respond, many students have not missed a moment of growth and development in this challenging year. As we imagine a post pandemic reality, the educational community will need the think and act anew with creative combinations of modes of learning that can enhance the educational experience and allow for the personal growth and development that is necessary for forming the next generations of Americans as active citizens and innovative creators of a better future.

Pope Francis held his installation eight years ago on the feast day of St. Joseph. In that time he has led by example as a global leader who understands the need to take thoughtful risks to meet the challenges of our current times. He has used his quarantine time to author both a new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, that calls for a new type of solidarity among all people and a willingness to reconsider the status quo in our economic and social systems. New modes of communication, advancements in science and a reimagination of our business systems have opened up for us new creative ways to include everyone in our economy and eliminate old prejudices that have harmed our sense of community. More U.S. business start-ups have been created by a wider variety of people in this time of pandemic than in the last decade. Pope Francis talks about letting us dream and vision a new path forward and this invitation has been taken up by CEOs of some of the largest companies in the world. On the same day the Pope proclaimed the Year of St. Joseph, he also announced the Council for Inclusive Capitalism and a remarkable conversation about the future of how we do business has begun with his invitation and leadership. His recent trip to Iraq is an example of the courage he is willing to exercise to advance the conversation and increase productive cooperation, renewal and inclusion.

Creative courage has been our default over this past year of uncertainty, challenges and renewed awareness of widespread inequities. The courage to be creative needs to be our focus as we move forward. Reclaiming our old lives before the pandemic will not suffice. We need to let the necessity of invention and the ability to collaborate in new ways be an essential part of our way of proceeding in the midst of rapid change. St. Joseph was willing to forego the expected ways of doing things in order to do the right thing. This allowed him to live a courageous life. As a carpenter he was compelled to problem solve the needs of his clients. He lived as a refugee with his young family in Egypt, calling him to adjust to new ways of living. Joseph raised his son to bring a message of hope and offer a vision and reality of a redeemed humanity. The fatherly saint exemplified qualities of determination and persistence. He had the humility to admit what he did not know and this afforded him a natural openness to new ideas and to learn from those who were different from himself. He placed the values of justice and compassion as central to his work and decision-making. The path forward for all of us requires these same qualities and best practices. 

So let’s not just celebrate St. Joseph on his special day in March. Let us honor the Year of St. Joseph and not be afraid to let the traditional values of the popular saint be a model for us to be both creative and courageous well into the future.