“The family is the fundamental locus of the covenant between the Church and God's creation.”
Pope Francis
This year, Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI) unveiled a new family-focused policy initiative that has impacted several members of the team, their spouses, and their children. The new policies were crafted with intentionality and are designed to support employees and their families during both crucial and joyful moments of their lives – whether it’s welcoming a new child into the world, mourning the loss of a child in the womb, or serving an infirm family member.
The Church we serve is also in our homes.
Kim Miller, Director of People Operations, highlighted the policies added this year to support families and team members. "The biggest additions we made were a comprehensive, fully paid parental leave program and a fully paid medical and caregiving leave program. We also enhanced our discretionary leave policy to make it easier for our variable team members to step away and care for family and medical needs."
Kim explained that parental leave is central to CLI's commitment to caring for and respecting family and the worker and upholding one of CLI’s core values: Care for the Individual. "Our team members are so much more than the roles they fill for CLI, and it is essential that we recognize each team member as a whole person. Caring for the whole person at the most important moments in their life is one way we can do that."
Promoting the Dignity of Family Life
Kurt Zampier and his wife welcomed Daniel, their eight child, just as the new parental leave policy took effect. Kurt, who began his role as Project Manager in 2023, shared, “The parental leave policy was an incredible blessing to my wife, children and me. Being able to disengage from work and focus solely on the beautiful, yet challenging transition of welcoming a new child into our home brought an abundant peace in the initial weeks after our son came home from the hospital. Being able to provide more for my wife during her recovery, spend more time with my children deepening our relationships and building new habits and family spiritual devotions drew us closer as a family and stronger as family.”
Family life can also be stressful and messy, and Kurt sees the new policy as one that points to the gift that family life is to the Church and to the world in good and difficult times. “This policy really enters into the beautiful messiness of family life and promotes the inherent dignity of a family so that when families welcome a new addition – they can give their full attention and efforts to the gift of life.”
Upholding Family Values
Devon Metzger McDonald, People Development and Learning Manager, is anticipating the birth of her second child. "CLI’s parental leave policy gives me great peace of mind that my family will be able to spend time bonding with our new baby in the first twelve weeks of his life. I’m appreciative of the time I will have to begin developing a secure attachment with the new baby, as well as the time I’ll have to allow my body to heal” she shared.
Devon sees a strong connection between CLI’s care for its families and its mission to serve the Church. "Parental leave coverage reflects the Church's commitment to supporting and upholding family values, which are central to Catholic teachings. By implementing generous parental leave policies, CLI sets an example for other Catholic organizations, businesses, and individuals. It demonstrates a commitment to living out Catholic values in the workplace and encourages others to do the same."
10 Gifts for the Mazzarelli Family
For Sam Mazzarelli, Vice President of Innovation and Ministry Development, the new parental leave policy has been a tremendous blessing. "It provided me the invaluable opportunity to be completely present for my wife, my newborn daughter, and each of my 10 children. Every time the Lord blesses us with a new life, every relationship in the family is impacted. This policy allowed me to focus on these relationships intentionally."
Families are integral to the life of the Church and our apostolate, and each one is important to the family of souls. Sam shared how the freedom and care he received from parental leave extended to his wife and children: “this paternal leave allowed them the freedom to adapt and to be present to one another. It gave us the space to delight in the gift that each family member is to the others. My wife appreciated the support and presence, which eased her transition into caring for a newborn. The children relished in the joy and excitement of welcoming a new sibling without feeling rushed or neglected.”
Sam also emphasized the profound connection between CLI's care for its families and its mission to serve the Church. "By prioritizing family, CLI demonstrates its commitment to the foundational unit of the Church and society. This policy not only strengthens individual families but also enhances the overall mission of the apostolate, reflecting the love and care that the Church advocates for all its members."
A Communion of Love
When we consider the link between the family and Church, we ultimately see the face of God. In his Angelus message on the feast of the Holy Family in 2009, Pope Benedict said this, “God is the Trinity, He is a communion of love; so is the family despite all the differences that exist between the mystery of God and His human creature, an expression that reflects the unfathomable mystery of God as love.”
We are grateful to all who support the work of our ministry, so that we can serve the Church in all her faces of family life – at home, in the parish, among the ordained, and in the hearts of the faithful.
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