A Clear Vision. An Inspired Parish.
One of the reasons I joined Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI) in 2019 was because of our Next Generation Parish (NGP) endeavor. I saw and felt such a deep need to ignite parish life. NGP meets that need.
The
gifts and steps forward that can arise from the work done in NGP are
transformative, long-lasting, and even sometimes surprising in the best
way.
Below, read an awesome story about an unexpected “gift” of Next Generation Parish work in the Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi.
p.s. As a fundraiser, it will come as no surprise why I love this NGP story!
St. Charles Borromeo & the Power of Philanthropy
On Friday, November 4, we celebrated the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, which called to mind a favorite CLI story of mine.
St. Charles Borromeo spent his life caring for others and helping others grasp how much God and His Church cared for them as well. He believed that this type of love could change the world. That is the heart of philanthropy.
St. Charles Parish Embraces Vision
I have a great love for philanthropy and, today, I share the story of
generosity from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Picayune,
Mississippi. St. Charles Parish is one of our Next Generation Parishes.
Next Generation Parish is a four-year journey to move
parishes into the future – part of that work revolves around setting a
vision and a priority plan to support that vision.
In the Envisioning Phase of NGP, St. Charles worked with parish team
members and the pastor; gathered data and insights from people in the
pews; and conducted site visits to create a plan that focused on five
priorities to guide their work, their goals, their milestones, and their
progress into the future:
- Creating Opportunities to Encounter Jesus
- Forming Disciples
- Enhancing Sunday Experience
- Evangelizing with a Missionary Heart
- Strengthening Catholic Ministries
That vision gave them the confidence to act and dream for their parish with purpose and intentionality.
In fact, it inspired the pastor, Fr. Bernie Papania, to share a
conversation with a local philanthropist. Armed with his plan and
vision, Fr. Bernie could clearly articulate the needs of his parish, the
steps forward, and their focus.
The philanthropist was so inspired and encouraged by this plan, she
made a special gift to Fr. Bernie and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic
Church: a 2-acre property adjacent to the parish grounds. This gift
offers so many options for the parish to grow, bring people closer to
Jesus, and to meet the goals of their Parish Priority Plan.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church’s experience within Next Generation Parish reinforces a lesson that we see in action every day at Catholic Leadership Institute:
The power of vision is immense. The power of philanthropy is profound. The power of God working through each can change the world.
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 provides vision and hope about the future of the Church with a humble, yet strategic approach.
