Called for More Update
Our priestly shepherds care deeply for the souls entrusted to their care. Who cares for our clergy? Catholic Leadership Institute has taken on an endeavor to care for the needs of bishops and priests.
Tim Flanagan founded Catholic Leadership Institute with a vision that Church leaders needed and deserved leadership formation. Tim’s favorite quote is: “God’s gift to us is our potential, and what we do with it is our gift back to God.” Our mission to embolden the clergy aims to help priests better identify their God-given gifts and use them for His glory.
Emboldening the clergy means fostering healthier, happier, and holier priests, who are equipped with the priority plans, coaches, lay leader support, fraternity, and leadership development necessary to be good shepherds in service to their flock.
In this way, Catholic Leadership Institute has served priests and dioceses through Called For More. Inspired by love for priests, the innovative, data-informed initiative, Called For More revolutionizes the discernment, appointment, and transition of priests through intentional, research-based, and faith-filled attention to:
- Innovative Technology Integration: Parishes participate in assessment via the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) survey and priests participate in a deep personal assessment.
- Priest Placement: Intentional strategic placement for priests aligns their gifts and skills with identified parish needs. Personalized support and tools further foster those talents.
- Growth Plans: Pastors and parishes have the means and tools to formulate individualized, long-term growth plans, that help priests transition, lead, and establish parish vision.
- Personalized Support: Sustaining resources include guidance in creating and utilizing targeted roadmaps for self-care, mentorship, coaching, and professional development.
Today, Called For More is active or completed in the following arch/dioceses:
The generosity of our donors and foundations fosters within the hearts of our clergy (of all ages and assignments) the courage, confidence, and competence they need in order to tend to their sheep and lead them to Heaven.
Called for More Giving in Action
Catholic Leadership Institute is grateful to the Lilly Endowment, Inc. for awarding CLI a $500,000 grant to sustain and grow Called For More. Enhancements include expanding reach, enhancing technology, empowering life-changing coaching, and extending impact of the Disciple Maker Index survey. Below are a few insights into how your generosity is emboldening our clergy through CLI ministries:
Priest Convocations: Last year, Catholic Leadership Institute delivered several priest convocations from coast to coast. At these multi-day engagements, CLI shared thought leadership around priestly ministry and relevant metrics of parish life.
Good Leaders, Good Shepherds: This signature formation curriculum supports priestly leadership and ministry. Almost 3,000 priests across the country have received world-class leadership training that better prepares them for self leadership, parish leadership, and team leadership through a blend of training, tools, coaching, reflection, and fraternity.
Seminary Support: CLI is blessed to serve 863 seminarians globally, both in the US and abroad in Rome. We are committed to supporting future shepherds of the Church in the earliest days of their formation.
The Bishops Sessions:
- “Shepherding a Post-Pandemic Church”: Bishops from the US, Canada, Haiti, and the Virgin Islands participated in the Episcopal Ongoing Formation & Support Session last year. Bishops spent three days learning, praying, and collaborating about how our Church will adapt and thrive in these unprecedented times. This session focused on building unity in the wake of the pandemic, prioritizing leadership to address the needs of our changing Church, discerning the opportunities for mission in today’s Church, and sharing best practices.
- “Shepherding a Multi-Generational Presbyterate”: In January, Bishops gathered again to focus on loving, shepherding, inspiring, and getting to know their priests. Reflection, dialogue, and learnings focused on strengthening the presbyterate and strengthening the relationship between Bishops and their priests.
It is always a privilege for Catholic Leadership Institute to support and walk alongside our clergy. All of this work is made possible by generous donors who deeply love and believe in our clergy.
In the Words of a Supporter:
“God loves the Church… He loves those who serve His Church. I feel called to love our bishops and to love our religious. I look at how hard they work and how little support they get in some of the ways they most need it. CLI fills that need. A priest friend told me when I joined the Board of Directors at CLI that CLI saved his priesthood. He wouldn’t be here as a priest if not for CLI – WOW to be part of that is a gift. You can change the lives of the people who are called to be the leaders of His church. This is big.” - Drew Peloubet, CLI Board Members, Diocese of St. Petersburg
In the Words of a Bishop:
“The fruits of Called For More are a great gift in encouraging greater pastoral self-awareness and leadership. This has been an opportunity to call my priests to do more, be more, and serve more happily, more effectively, and more like Jesus.” - Bishop Robert Gruss, Diocese of Saginaw
In the Words of a Participant:
“Called For More is needed to continue to form leaders within the Church so that they may be visionary, courageous, holy, selfless, and inspiring… anything geared towards that is going to help the entire Church.” - Fr. Scott Jablonski, Diocese of Madison
Our CEO Daniel Cellucci's weekly email, the DIAL: Discerning Insights About Leadership.
CLI helps empower and energize Catholic leaders by providing focus and courage to engage the culture with an apostolic mindset.
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