ABSTRACT
Early on in his career, David Campbell took a special interest in how systemic ideas could be used when working with wider systems. This was one of the points around which the author connected with him. The author has practised, and still practise, family therapy, but most of his work is in other contexts, where he have found systemic thinking and practice a wonderful resource. In particular, David assisted him and encouraged him in transferring systemic ideas and practices into his primary working setting, which is that of a Catholic priest. There was concern that many priests were fragile and there was evidence of higher than usual levels of physical illnesses, which, according to conventional wisdom, was due to stress. Societal change, economic affluence, and the advent of a postmodern culture were leaving many priests and pastoral workers disorientated and dispirited.
