Msgr. Bussen receives Park City leadership award

Intermountain Catholic

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Msgr. Robert J. Bussen, pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Park City, reflects on what makes a good community leader June 21 in a restaurant in Park City. Msgr. Bussen was recognized this month for his leadership skills. IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

PARK CITY — In his 12 years in the resort community of Park City, Msgr. Robert J. Bussen, pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, here, has become involved in how the city is coping with issues facing all growing communities – immigration, health care, affordable housing, education, violence and crime, and planning for the future. Never one to shy away from a difficult issue or from speaking truth to power, Msgr. Bussen has found that as a recognized community leader as well as the leader of a faith community, he has developed power of his own, and, tempering it with compassion carried over from Catholic teaching, he’s been an agent for change in Park City.

Msgr. Bussen, who is very comfortable being called Father Bob, was honored with the prestigious 2006 Park City Leadership Award at the annual meeting of the national Community Leadership Association (formerly the National Association for Community Leadership) April 27-30 in Hartford, Conn.

"I’ve always been supportive of the leadership program in Park City," Fr. Bussen told the Intermountain Catholic June 21. "In the past, people have sought out the local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club to gain leadership experience and training, both of which are good. But in Park City, there are leadership opportunities that are community-based and focused on municipal government.

Msgr. Bussen said in his first year in Park City, he and Holy Family Sister Ancila were selected to participate in the program out of some 150 applicants for 25 openings.

"Park City was studying the issue of balance in the community," he said. "We looked at issues of the arts and business, the needs of our minority populations, and how to provide quality education for all our children whether they spoke English or not, and how to integrate our growing Hispanic population into the city in a way that is healthy for everyone.

"As I looked at all of these issues from a leadership standpoint, I had to ask myself, ‘Do you have what it takes?’ I think all leaders should ask that question every now and then."

Not easy, he said, was determining his own niche in Park City, and helping define the importance of the Catholic Church in dialogue with the community.

"Park City has a diverse population," he said. "We have inner city poor and we have people who are very wealthy. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has spoken eloquently on the issues of poverty. Bishop (William) Weigand gave us all an example of compassion in dealing with the state’s growing Hispanic population and Bishop (George) Niederauer taught us about solidarity with the poor and oppressed in his meeting with the striking miners in Huntington. I speak to those issues and bring their insights to the table, while knowing Park City and its populations well."

Being the leader of Park City’s Catholic community accords him a measure of authority, Msgr. Bussen said. Joining in the community leadership effort has allowed him to partner with others in the community to address such issues as bringing quality health and dental care to the Hispanic community in Park City and its environs and immigration issues.

"This has certainly taught me that one person can make a difference," he said. "Of course, it helps if your opinions are heard and responded to, and I have always found myself very well received in the community."

Being recognized by the Community Leadership Association has great meaning for Msgr. Bussen. "It comes from people for whom I have the highest respect."

The Park City community leadership training program has included summer bus tours to similar communities across the country and opportunities for civic leaders to share their experiences. One such tour took Msgr. Bussen and his colleagues to Truckee, Calif.

"The tours are a wonderful experience," he said. "In Truckee, we were reminded that good leadership is possible in small communities. They are facing some of the same issues we are facing, and the bus tour gave us many good opportunities to talk with people, then get back on the bus and share what we’d learned."

One of the big issues being faced by Park City’s leadership now is housing, Msgr. Bussen said. "We’re in the process of teasing out solutions in interesting ways. We have employment on a seasonal basis, during the ski season, for example, from November to April, and the people who come to work during that season need affordable housing. We have some affordable housing in apartments and duplexes that were built for that purpose about 10 years ago."

Seasonal work in Park City’s ski resorts, hotels, and restaurants has drawn people from Mexico and South and Central America, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa, he said, "but it doesn’t always work to bring people up from the Southern Hemisphere because their winter season doesn’t coincide with our winter season. We also face immigration problems with many of them. A guest worker program, like the one suggested by President Bush would be helpful to many Park City employers. We need to address the immigration issues with compassion and justice."

He said transitional housing is also needed – places where families can live temporarily until they receive their first paychecks.

"We have lots of jobs in Park City, but people are locked out of them because they have nowhere to live, and it’s expensive to live here. Affordable and transitional housing is high on our priority list."

Msgr. Bussen’s name has been synonymous with the struggle for human rights, fair treatment for immigrants, and providing quality education for immigrant children. He’s challenged the powerful to examine their consciences and their treatment of people who are less fortunate.

"Speaking publicly on these issues in the midst of unsolved social problems is a last resort," he said. "I speak to all people and I speak to people of power all the time. They know who I am. If what I do is seen (in the press), I hope it’s because I did it the right way, the diplomatic way, the compassionate way."

Msgr. Bussen said Park City has very accessible public leaders in Mayor Dana Williams, City Manager Tom Bakaly, its city council, and its boards and commissions. McPolin Elementary School, under the leadership of the late Linda Singer, trained all of its teachers to teach English as a Second Language, and has excellent programs for all students, whether they’re gifted or they have special needs, and whether they speak English or not, he said. The school’s test results regularly surpass both national and state averages.

"I’m very proud of this town," Msgr. Bussen said. "A lot of hard work goes on here. A lot of collaboration goes on as well. We have good Chamber of Commerce leadership and our community leadership group is challenging as well. It’s good for all of us to be among people who move us forward, who encourage us to help others rather than helping just ourselves.