January 27, 2010

Denver seminarians complete leadership formation program

On Jan. 9, 17 seminarians from the Archdiocese of Denver completed Good Leaders, Good Shepherds, a two-year clergy leadership development program of the Catholic Leadership Institute. 

The evening event  at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver commenced with a prayer service, dinner and ceremony hosted by Matthew Manion, president  and CEO of Catholic Leadership Institute, which is headquartered in Exton, Pa. The evening included a testimony from seminarian Henry ZawMin.

With the support of Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., the participating seminarians became the second class from the archdiocese to graduate from Good Leaders, Good Shepherds.  In April 2008, 26 priests from the archdiocese completed the program; the first cohort in the country to finish the two-year curriculum.

“The Archdiocese of Denver is richer in both priestly ministry and fraternity because of our partnership with the Catholic Leadership Institute,” Archbishop Chaput said. “The programs of the institute have helped us form a more collaborative and caring community.”

Along with the Archdiocese of Denver, Catholic Leadership Institute is ministering to the bishops and presbyterates of an additional 42 U.S. dioceses along with the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 

“We are blessed to be ministering with the good shepherds of the Archdiocese of Denver,” said Father Bill Dickinson, CLI’s national director for leadership development. “Our mission is to help shepherds recognize their God-given potential and develop their leadership skills so they can effectively and confidently lead their faith communities in carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.”

Good Leaders, Good Shepherds is designed to equip clergy with the relevant, practical and pastoral leadership skills necessary to shepherd a parish and support the governing office of their priesthood.  During the two-year program priests learn about the various contexts in which they lead, and specific skill sets within each context that will help them lead most effectively. Catholic Leadership Institute also offers a complementary leadership skill building training program to parish and diocesan leaders titled, Tending the Talents.

Founded in 1991, CLI is an organization of lay Catholics whose mission is to build Catholic leaders for today and tomorrow. The organization has helped more than 9,000 priests, seminarians, lay and religious leaders, young adult and campus leaders, to discover their mission in life and fulfill their God-given potential.  Catholic Leadership Institute strives to combine the best in leadership and personal development programs from academia and the corporate world with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.