Grateful for You & Fr. Chuck
Every year at this time, I am grateful and think about Fr. Chuck
Pfeffer. I feel especially grateful for him and for all of you during
this 30th
Anniversary year.
Fr. Chuck was the co-founder of CLI alongside me… I can’t help but imagine what he must be thinking in heaven as he looks down upon our ministry.
- In CLI’s first days, could Fr. Chuck have ever dreamed that we have worked alongside 118 partner dioceses?
- Would he be humbled that we have reached almost 500,000 Catholics through our Disciple Maker Index?
- As a priest, how grateful would he be that we have served over 5,254 priests through Good Leaders, Good Shepherds and Called For More?
- Would he – given his heart for youth and young adult ministry – be most excited by the parishes we are serving through Next Generation Parish to pave the way for future generations?
I am so humbled by what Catholic Leadership Institute has been able to accomplish. I know that it is because of our generous, prayerful, and faithful CLI community that we have achieved these milestones.
As a sign of my gratitude, please know that you are in my prayers – it is an honor to pray for all of you!
Double Your Gift; Founder Does Double Duty
CLICK HERE to Support CLI’s Ministry on Giving Tuesday
My parish, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in West Chester, PA, is a part of Catholic Leadership Institute’s Next Generation Parish endeavor. Recently, Sts. Peter and Paul hosted an information session to share what our parish has been doing as part of this endeavor.
I shared with our wonderful pastor, Msgr. Angelo Citino, that I would be attending just to listen and learn. I wanted to simply be an observer in the pews.
When I left that meeting, I knew I was wrong.
I could not just sit back and listen – I had to be a part of the diligent work I saw taking place. The caliber and excitement of the volunteers who were standing up and playing a role in Next Generation Parish were exceptional. Within them, I saw the leadership qualities that inspired me to found Catholic Leadership Institute. I was humbled.
Further humbling is the dedication of Msgr. Citino. He shares about his NGP experience and a unique view of the impact of your giving:
“I am very grateful for CLI’s Next Generation Parish. I am not far from retirement and when I went to the first information session about NGP, I thought, ‘Should I do this?’ Yes, I should. I must. A parish needs vibrancy; this is a way to create that. NGP is the best thing I can do to build something beautiful at this parish to hand over to my successor.
At our parish, we started with a core group of volunteers to lead the Envisioning Phase. They in turn have been inviting other laity to stand up and join them. The effort keeps growing: the laity are not just participating… they are taking ownership of ministry, involvement, and evangelization.
CLI is a wonderful cause. If you are a donor thinking about giving to support CLI’s ministry, I hope you think about your gift not just as a donation to the Church – but think of your giving as a way to evangelize people.
A gift to CLI is a way for you to play a role in the evangelization our Church needs right now. You are inspiring and aiding people to go out and bring Jesus to others. I say to all those in our parish – those involved ministry, teaching, prep, and more – you are building up this Kingdom of God. In the midst of everyday life, it is easy to lose sight of that. But we are building up the Kingdom. That’s what our jobs are. That’s what your giving does.”
One thing I have learned in this hard, humbling, and important work is this: for our Church, our parishes, and our faith to thrive, we have to invite others:
…invite others to know Jesus
…invite others into our parishes
…invite others to Mass
…invite others to share their witness
…invite others to the loving arms of Christ
Today, I invite you to give at any level to make more Catholic Leadership Institute ministry possible.
I can say with great certainly and great humility that your work empowers amazing ministry… I know because I am a proud participant in that ministry!
As a Founder and as a worker in the vineyard, I invite you, and I thank you.
Our CEO Daniel Cellucci's weekly email, the DIAL: Discerning Insights About Leadership.
CLI serves Church leaders, helping them rediscover their potential and forming them to be more intentional with those they serve.
CLI helps empower and energize Catholic leaders by providing focus and courage to engage the culture with an apostolic mindset.
CLI provides vision and hope about the future of the Church with a humble, yet strategic approach.
