5 Tips for Communications in Times of Crisis for Catholic Leaders

1. Follow your Crisis Communications Plan

• Dust off your crisis communications plan and put it to use, starting with calling your crisis communications team members together (Don’t have a crisis communications plan? Here is a sample for small parishes or Catholic organizations to get you started).

2. Lead with Pastoral Concerns

• Keep those affected by the pandemic at the beginning of your communications
• Keep all those entrusted to your care in your communications
• Mention spiritual and social resources available to those in your community, whether you provide these or direct people to local resources

3. Be Consistent

• Set up a regular communications schedule
• Be consistent in what you share with different groups at different times
• Allow yourself to say “I don’t know” if you don’t know the answer to something

4. Be Transparent and Accountable

• Share what you know, when you know it, as long as it is appropriate
• Take responsibility for problems; provide solutions
• Know that if you are transparent and accountable now, it can strengthen relationships and restore trust over time

5. Let Your Faith Shine Through

• Communicate through the Christian tradition, drawing upon scripture and symbols with which people are familiar in order to convey meaning, comfort, and hope
• Follow in Christ’s footsteps of servant leadership: revealing your own human vulnerability and emotions can be a sign of strength and provide permission for others to do the same
• Start with prayer and place your trust in God to help you communicate

Visit leadershiproundtable.org/covid for further resources or contact our program manager, Peter Denio, for customized support and solutions 201.739.2674 or peter@leadershiproundtable.org.