Chartrand - who achieved business success in the grocery industry and philanthropic success through support of Catholic Charities, Wounded Warriors, and his own foundation, which focuses on education - wanted to share the lessons he’d learned in his life and career with others. He realized that “unreasonable leadership” is a common denominator among people who’ve achieved great things.
During an interview on Christopher Closeup, he explained, “It’s based on the quote from George Bernard Shaw that all progress is made from unreasonable people because reasonable people adjust to their surroundings. Unreasonable people rebel against those surroundings and produce progress. In fact, right after I finished writing the book is when I went to Poland and it actually hit me when I went through the museum for Father Jerzy that this is the ultimate unreasonable leader because he had the conviction and the courage to change the status quo.”
Chartrand took that pilgrimage to Poland in 2010 with Nancy, his wife of 38 years whom he credits with strengthening and grounding his own Catholic faith. They attended Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church where Father Jerzy is buried, though they weren’t familiar with his story at the time. An English-speaking lady took them through the museum underneath the church where they learned about this ordinary and humble parish priest who had lived his faith in a way that eventually led to his martyrdom. “That’s when the Holy Spirit hit me,” said Gary, “with how courageous this priest was and what strong conviction and faith he had.”
The thought even occurred to Chartrand that somebody should make a movie about Father Jerzy. With no experience as a filmmaker, though, he never pursued the idea. But one year later, he received a call from a friend who said that two filmmakers in his area of Jacksonville, Florida, were planning a documentary about Father Jerzy and wanted to meet with him. Chartrand listened to their plans and talked to Nancy about the idea. Together, they signed on as executive producers and agreed to finance the whole project. Soon after, Martin Sheen agreed to narrate the film, giving it an even greater sense of gravitas.
Since then, Jerzy Popieluszko: Messenger of the Truth has aired on PBS stations nationally, won a Christopher Award, and is now available on DVD. Though Chartrand credits the Holy Spirit as being the guide to much of this success, part of it also stems from the unreasonable leadership that prompted him to take a prayerful, carefully-considered risk which is a key step on the road to anyone’s success.
Chartrand concluded, “My advice is - get out of your comfort zone. All progress takes place when you get beyond your comfort zone. Our mind plays tricks on us. We think we want to be in this reasonable safe, comfortable place, and that we’ll be happy. The fact is that isn’t where happiness is found. Happiness is found when you pierce through all those things that try to keep you in that reasonable, comfortable, safe place. If you move beyond your fear zone, you’ll discover things about yourself that you just didn’t think were possible.
(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written by Tony Rossi, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
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