Fr John Enzler: The Power of YES!

His official title is Monsignor John J. Enzler, President and CEO of Catholic Charities.  A lofty title earned through hard work, perseverance and an unyielding commitment to serving his parish and serving the poor.  But mention the name “Monsignor Enzler” to any Washingtonian, and you might get a puzzled look.

“Oh, you must mean ‘Father John’!”.

Father John, as he is widely known, has been serving as a Catholic priest in the Washington, DC area for the past 44 years.  In that span, he has presided over 2,000 weddings, over 1,000 funerals and over 4,000 baptisms.  He is ingrained into the fabric of the local community and his boundless energy and contagious work ethic has catapulted him to legendary status in and around Washington, DC.

When you are in the presence of Father John, you are in the presence of a benevolent tornado of activity.


The Early Years

Fr John Enzler: The Early YearsThat wasn’t always the case.  Born into a loving and large family with eight sisters and four brothers, Father John struggled to make his mark in the world.  As a high school student at St. John’s, he was an average achiever who battled with reading issues and never fully reached his potential.

It was during this period that he first felt a calling to the priesthood.  But lacking confidence and direction, he tried to duck it and push it out of his mind.  Perhaps forever.


Hitting His Stride

After graduation, his priest uncle helped to pay his tuition at tiny Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.  Finally, Father John was a BIG FISH in a small pond.  This environment instilled him with confidence and provided the launching pad he needed for his life.

Father John excelled at tennis.  He overcame his reading issues and transformed from an audio learner into an avid reader.  He served as a RA and worked with children with disabilities.  More importantly, he formulated a plan for success and fulfillment that has guided his actions ever since.

At Loras, he discovered that by working hard, deeply caring, and saying YES to people’s needs, he could deeply impact the lives of all those around him.  It wasn’t hard for him to say yes.  It made him feel good.  And the more he said yes, the more it energized him and opened up his capacity to give.

With a default mindset of YES, Father John no longer tried to shake his calling.  He said yes!  He excelled at seminary at Mount St. Mary’s and launched into priesthood with confidence, enthusiasm and conviction.  Saying yes had changed his life.


The Power of YES!

Father John yearned to make a difference.  And he worked tirelessly each day to make it happen.  There was no looking back.

Can you preside over my wedding?

YES!

Can you visit my father in the hospital?

YES!

Can you provide extra counseling in the middle of the night?

YES!

Can you lead this parish with conviction?

YES!

Over the course of the next 40 years, Father John served as the pastor for three different parishes and held various leadership positions within the Church.  He loved the sense of community.  He loved the families.  And he loved teaching the children.

But he will always go where he is needed.  And six years ago, the Church needed him at Catholic Charities, where he would tirelessly serve as “The pastor for the poor”.  Of course, he said yes!

And along the journey, Father John discovered that he had one more intrinsic skill.  Because he opened his heart and said yes to so many people in his life, he became a tour de force for fundraising.  He never had any formal training, but how do you say no to the man who always says YES?

As a result, Father John has raised money for countless causes, helped build parishes from the ground up and helped comfort and clothe the needy around the city and around the world.

This is the power of opening your heart and just saying yes!


Imagine a World Built on Yes!

Imagine A World Built On YesWhat if more people had a default position of saying YES?

Can you imagine how much more efficient our sales organizations would be?  Can you imagine how much more effective our leadership would be?  Can you imagine how much more fulfilling our relationships would be?  Can you imagine how much more loving our parenting would be?  Can you imagine how much more resilient we all would be?

A world built on yes opens up endless possibilities.  We no longer close ourselves off to change. We no longer fear failure.  We longer build up walls around us.  And we no longer revel in other people’s misfortune.

Saying yes is not easy.  It takes effort and commitment.  It takes energy and enthusiasm.  But it allows us to explore new areas.  It allows us to fulfill the needs of our loved ones. And it allows us to change the world, one YES at a time!


How Do We Measure Success?

Father John continues to run Catholic Charities with the same conviction and transformational energy that permeates everything he does in his life.  At nearly 70 years old, there is no slowing him down.

But what is his definition of success?  Over the years, he has developed a simple measuring stick to mark his daily progress.  Every evening, he sits down and reflects on the same question:

“What did I do today to take care of people’s needs?”

This question fuels his passion and provides him the energy to keep saying yes.  And isn’t that a great measuring stick for all of us?


Where Do We Go From Here?

Where Do We Go From HereSo what is next for Father John?

Not surprisingly, he has big, life-changing ideas:

Build a day-shelter for the homeless.  Hire more social workers to care for the poor.  Institute a workforce development program to counsel the needy. 

If any one of these initiatives comes to fruition, it would fundamentally change thousands of lives.

But would you bet against him accomplishing all three?  Of course not!  How do you say no to the man who always says YES?

Father John’s simple message applies to all of us.  Stay resilient! Keep working! Believe in your cause! And don’t be afraid to keep saying YES!

Until next week, keep smiling!


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