On August 13, 2025, the Franciscan College of the Immaculate Conception (FCIC) held a seminar with its leaders and administrators on Franciscan Leadership and Conflict Management at the Bonzel Multifunction Hall. The speaker, Fr. Jose Litigio, OFM, shared a powerful message about a leadership style rooted in compassion, faith, and action. His talk offered a refreshing contrast to more common leadership approaches that focus on control and authority.
Franciscan leadership, according to Fr. Litigio, is built on three key qualities: a discerning mind, a compassionate heart, and a firm and decisive will. These traits help leaders make wise decisions, care deeply for others, and act with courage. Instead of leading from above, Franciscan leaders walk with their communities, offering support and hope. It starts from the bottom, not from above.
A fundamental element of this leadership is conflict management through fraternal correction. Fr. Litigio emphasized that true resolution requires balancing the mind’s wisdom with the heart’s compassion—rejecting both destructive criticism and the illusion of “constructive” criticism that still wounds. Leaders must correct as brothers/sisters in faith (fraternal correction), prioritizing relational healing over being “right.” This approach transforms conflicts into opportunities for communal growth, mirroring Francis of Assisi’s way of gentle admonition embedded in love.
Fr. Litigio emphasized that mercy is central to this kind of leadership. Leaders must be able to give courage to those who feel discouraged or lost. They should create a space where people can be renewed by God’s love and feel cared for. Leadership, in this sense, is not just about managing—it’s about healing and transforming lives. Franciscan leadership is rooted in the way of life, which is the Gospel life.
In a world that often values power over compassion, the Franciscan way of leadership offers a different path—one that leads with love, listens with empathy, and acts with purpose. As Fr. Joe reminded everyone, “Love is the essence of our leadership.” Through this seminar, FCIC reaffirmed its commitment to forming leaders who serve with heart and lead with faith.
By Rowen Jay Loquillano
