Paul Lipowski, Ed.D. joined the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor as the organization’s new Chief Charism Officer, starting August 29, 2022.
A proven leader, Paul possesses a wealth of experience in Franciscan theology, religious education, strategic planning, recruitment and development, and in nonprofit management, among many areas of expertise.
He is no stranger to Graymoor, having been an integral part of the March, 2022 Atonement Franciscan Assembly panel on the Future and Formation of Religious Life.
Most recently, Paul has been working as Vice President and Special Advisor for Partners in Franciscan Ministries, the sponsorship corporation of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. In that role, he’s overseen governance, mission integration, programming, and finance of six diverse ministries, including a Catholic hospital system in Hawaii.
He has also worked as Principal of Virtute Duce, LLC, a consulting firm which provides mission integration and governance to support ministries.
From July of 2014 until February of 2021, Paul served as Principal of Felician Services, the ministry arm of the Felician Sisters of Our Lady of Hope Province in Chicago, Illinois. There, he was responsible for overseeing 30 diverse ministries, and he created a formation plan for all levels of leadership. Additionally, Paul was instrumental in the creation of the “Felician Leadership Institute,” a program which targeted mid-level management at the sponsored ministries and engaged them in a week-long formation experience that focused on the Felician history, spirituality, and charism.
For three years, between 2014 and 2017, Paul facilitated a marriage preparation program through the Archdioceses of Chicago, Joliet and Rockford. Prior to that, he worked as the Director of Religious Education at St. Luke Parish in Carol Stream, Illinois, a Catholic Parish of 200 families in the Joliet Diocese. He found success in growing the religious education department from 18 participants to 100 within his first year, and developed and introduced an adult RCIA formation program, among many other accomplishments. He also worked as a pastoral associate and webmaster at the parish.
Paul also has experience working as Director of Primary Faith Formation and a Liturgist at St. Pius X Parish in Lombard, Illinois, and a religious education associate at St. Cletus Parish in La Grange, Illinois.
At the beginning of this year, Paul began part-time work as a lecturer at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He’s also taught at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, as an adjunct instructor of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Paul holds a B.A. from Loyola University in History with a minor in Theology; an M.A. from Loyola in Pastoral Studies; a certificate from Cornell University in Change Leadership; a Master of Letters in Bible and Contemporary World from St. Mary’s College (School of Divinity) at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland; and a Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University.
Paul also has plenty of experience volunteering, as he coaches youth ice hockey in the northwest Chicago area. He’s been an ambassador board member for Franciscan Outreach, a provider of homeless services in Chicago, since April, 2022.
An Illinois native, Paul is married to his wife, Kathy, and has three children.