Mission leaders understand, apply and serve as a resource regarding the principles of Catholic social teaching and moral theology, including the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs). They are responsible for ensuring that the appropriate level of ethics training is provided to various levels and disciplines in the ministry. Mission leaders can identify clinical and organizational ethical issues and facilitate an ethical discernment process in collaboration with key stakeholders, subject-matter experts and trained ethicists. They create and cultivate an organizational culture where difficult conversations can occur in a safe and transparent environment. Mission leaders consistently inspire fidelity to Catholic identity in all aspects of business operations and ensure that a respect for human dignity and the common good are at the core of the ethical discernment process.

A. Ensures effective on-going staff education on human dignity, the common good and other relevant ethical principles

TIER I: Understands common ethics issues, available resources and maintains relationships with subject-matter experts

TIER II: Collaborates with ethicists to offer relevant and timely training to ethics teams

TIER III: Ensures continued ethics training is available to all levels of the organization

B. Promotes the implementation of ethical standards throughout the organization

TIER I: Identifies ethical issues and raises awareness around reporting processes

TIER II: Participates in identifying and resolving organizational and personal ethics conflicts

TIER III: Collaborates with other leaders to ensure comprehensive organizational policies, processes and procedures in ethics training and reporting

C. Serves as a resource regarding the Catholic moral tradition, including the ERDs

TIER I: Understands key ethical principles in the moral tradition and the ERDs

TIER II: Facilitates dialogue and application of ethical principles and the ERDs

TIER III: Analyzes trends and implements policy review and updates in ethics education across the ministry

D. Ensures Catholic social and moral traditions are respected as partnerships are explored

TIER I: Identifies and escalates potential theological and ethical concerns

TIER II: Promotes the organizational, social and moral traditions critical to Catholic identity in the assessment and analysis of possible partnerships

TIER III: Ensures that Catholic identity is addressed in joint ventures, partnerships, mergers, acquisitions, etc.

E. Creates safe space for managing tensions and assists in resolving conflicts

TIER I: Cultivates self-awareness and nonjudgmental presence in challenging situations

TIER II: Names and helps resolve conflict in light of competing core values

TIER III: Builds a just culture that promotes open dialogue and communal problem-solving

F. Promotes use of ethical discernment models

TIER I: Understands the process and purpose of ethical discernment

TIER II: Facilitates ethical discernment within planning and decision-making

TIER III: Ensures the integrity and effectiveness of ethical discernments

Related Resources

• Catholic Ethics and the Challenge of COVID-19
• Catholic Health Initiative's Mission Network Podcasts: EthicsLab, and EthicsLab Essentials. The EthicsLab Podcast explores current health care ethics issues with national experts to provide better knowledge and practical results. EthicsLab Essentials is an AMA PRA accredited ethics education for health care professionals and ethics committee members. 
• Understanding and Applying the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services: An Educational Resource for the Ministry (2014)
• ERDs and Catholic Long-Term Care Providers
• Health Care Ethics USA
  This publication is an ethics vehicle for the Catholic health ministry. Contact us at [email protected] to subscribe for free.
• Video Case Studies about the Mission Leader Role
• Video: Mission Leader as Ethics Point Person – Michael Miller Jr.
• Video: Mission Leader as Ethics Point Person – Mary Hill