Our Sunday Visitor Grant Supports Catholic Youth Leadership Development
Miguel Chavez, director of campus ministry, wanted to create something that would inspire young leaders to take a more active role in the Catholic Church.
With that goal in mind and through support received from a recent $19,100 grant from the Our Sunday Visitor Institute, the Office of Campus Ministry has prepared a series of formative workshops and retreat programs to support and encourage high school students to develop as leaders in faith in the Catholic Church.
“I think the Church is starving for the presence of young people who are engaged and not afraid to stand up and lead,” said Chavez. “Through this grant support, we have created a series of Saturday seminars and programming geared towards high school students that will not only provide exposure for Walsh University but will also focus on leadership development in faith to empower students to be active participants and role models in the Church today.”
The ELPIS Saturday Leadership Series and High School Retreats will be held throughout the 2015-16 school year beginning this September. These retreats and lectures will challenge participants to recognize their God-given talents and use their gifts to lead.
The series is titled ELPIS, the Greek word for “hope.” Each program will connect young people, committed in faith, to each other in serving their communities.
“Our focus for the Saturday series will be smaller leadership groups within high school and parish communities, such as student faith leadership groups or if a parish has a handful of young leaders they would like to attend,” said Chavez. “They will really benefit from the Saturday series. The retreats are designed for much larger school gatherings for a day of recollection.”
The Saturday Leadership Series will begin on September 19 and will include three presentations by experienced professionals dedicated to empowering young men and women to integrated faith and serve as leaders evangelizing the world today.
In addition, each Saturday session will include small group discussions and networking opportunities. At each session, participants will learn how faith inspires leadership as well as numerous resources available to lead in one’s community.
“Our focus for the Saturday series will be smaller leadership groups within high school and parish communities, such as student faith leadership groups or if a parish has a handful of young leaders they would like to attend,” said Chavez. “They will really benefit from the Saturday series. The retreats are designed for much larger school gatherings for a day of recollection.”
The ELPIS High School Retreats will begin on September 24 with “What AM I made for?” and will run through April with a different theme for each session. The retreats will offer participants the opportunity to gather in prayer and fellowship to discern God’s call and grow in faith and wisdom.
“Our theme for all of these sessions is ‘Hope in the Lord,’ with the idea is that these young people, as they prepare themselves to become leaders in the Church, are becoming the incarnate hope that the Church needs today,” said Chavez.
Walsh student Mary Modena was commissioned to create an image to help illustrate the series theme. This image of two hands, one that is desperate in its reaching while the other is outstretched and palm up to symbolize the hand of God with the Greek word ELPIS written in the palm’s creases.
“This has become our overarching theme – ELPIS or hope,” said Chavez. “These young people are the future leaders in the Church, they are the leaders in our world today. And when you reach out your hand, you exhibit a hope that transcends all hopes. We are so blessed to have this grant from Our Sunday Visitor Institute to help support the formation of these young Catholic leaders.”
Click here for a registration information and a complete schedule of events