EP. 05 – Bishop Dennis Sullivan
As the Bishop of Camden, Dennis Sullivan knows how important it is to connect with people through language, but he teaches his priests that it is more important to speak the “language of the heart.” During his discussion with Virtua President and CEO Dennis Pullin, he also talks about how the church’s commitment to ‘servant leadership’ can translate to the business world, as well as importance of language, building relationships with other community organizations, and the biggest challenges facing today’s Catholic Church. Often described as a man of the people, Bishop Sullivan uses his deep intellect and big heart to persistently question how the Church can use its influence to do more for humankind. Ordained a priest nearly 50 years ago, his many years of service on the Lower East Side of Manhattan have given him a special closeness and dedication to the immigrant communities, particularly those of Latino and Asian descent. Today, he is a vital and vibrant force in and around the vulnerable communities of Camden where he once said: “The church must walk with the poor and never abandon the city of Camden.” Never afraid to take on controversy, Bishop Sullivan has served as a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committee on child protection, which oversees the Church’s efforts to respond to the issues of sexual abuse by clergymen. Prior to coming to South Jersey, Bishop Sullivan was instrumental in New York’s own ongoing reorganization, so he is intimately familiar with how challenging, yet necessary change can be.
