The Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University has released the second book in a series focused on mission integration in Franciscan institutions.

“Franciscan Mission and Organizational Development: A Socio-Analytic Perspective” is authored by Fr. David B. Couturier, O.F.M. Cap., executive director of the Franciscan Institute and associate professor of Theology and Franciscan Studies.

In the introduction, Fr. Couturier addresses the challenges faced by Franciscan institutions worldwide – including colleges, universities, hospitals, social service agencies and parishes.

“In an era marked by volatility, complexity and accelerating globalization, Catholic institutions find themselves navigating increasingly turbulent organizational landscapes,” he writes. “Thomas Friedman says that we live in an ‘age of accelerations’ where the volume and velocity of change in almost every sector of our lives make it difficult to cope and adjust, even in our most cherished and, indeed, sacred institutions.”

Fr. Couturier further notes that, while all institutions — from governments to corporations — struggle to maintain coherence and continuity, religious organizations, especially those dedicated to serving the poor and marginalized, face unique and vital challenges. These organizations are called to remain faithful to their founding charisms in a world that often overlooks their spiritual and communal contributions. The book explores how leaders can use mission-driven strategies to help their organizations thrive during difficult times.

Dr. Richard Trietley, president of Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, praised the book’s impact: “This is a work of enormous importance, consequence and love … a diagnostic and pastoral resource for religious leaders striving to improve organizational culture and align mission and purpose with today’s rapidly evolving environment.”

Dr. Krijn Pansters, the new director of the Franciscan Study Center at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, lauded the book’s rich interdisciplinary perspective, noting it brings “Francis of Assisi’s call to conversion and a Gospel-centered ‘rule and life’ into meaningful dialogue with contemporary institutional realities.”

The book has been selected as a textbook for the course “Mission-Driven Leadership in Higher Education” in St. Bonaventure’s new doctoral program in Educational Leadership offered through the School of Education. It is also part of the Franciscan Institute’s Padua Program, a yearlong certificate training in Franciscan mission-based leadership.

The book is published by Franciscan Institute Publications and is available for order at  www.franciscanpublications.com.

For more information about the Franciscan Institute, visit www.sbu.edu/FranciscanInstitute.