We know that you balance multiple responsibilities that are a vital part of your call to be a Shepherd of your flock and that some of the duties and tasks can become a gravitational pull that leaves little room for the deeper work of inspiring zeal, forming priests, and setting a clear vision for your diocese.
Bishops' Session 2027
What if They All Come Back?
The Bishop’s Role in Cultivating a Growth Mindset
Please join us for our annual session where you and your brother bishops will receive skill-building and coaching to envision a strong future for your local churches and respond to the leadership challenges you encounter.
The three days spent at the Bishops' Session will also provide fraternity and prayer that enable you to contemplate your role and leadership responsibilities in service to your local Church.
During this time, you will engage in dialogue, workshops, prayers, and reflection around questions such as:
- What does it mean to "set the table" so that those coming home encounter Christ, belonging, discipleship, and mission?
- Are priests and parish staff equipped to accompany those searching for faith?
- How do we cultivate hope, readiness, and apostolic imagination in a rapidly changing world?
- How might emerging realities, including artificial intelligence and new patterns of communication, shape the way people seek, belong, and engage the Church?
Date
February 15-18, 2027
Location
Enjoy a beautiful oceanfront property that is known for gracious and attentive service. Located on a stretch of pristine beach in northeast Florida, Ponte Vedra Lodge and Club is a refuge for retreat and reflection.
Previous session topics include:
- Reaching, Engaging, and Cultivating the Next Generation for an Apostolic Age
- Leading the Presbyterate to Accompany the Church in a Polarized Society
- Shepherding a Multi-Generational Presbyterate
- Shepherding in a Post-Pandemic Church
- The Domestic Church: Effective Formation and Evangelization for Catholic Families
What Bishops Are Saying
“I have found the Bishops' Sessions to be thought-provoking and affirming of my ministry at the same time as they have given me valuable tools that I have been able to use to make my ministry more effective. It is also a valued time to be together with my brother bishops — sharing what we are dealing with and supporting each other ministerially and personally.”
“Many of the programs that Catholic Leadership Institute provides bishops…enlighten us about things that we wouldn't ordinarily know about, or we may not be sensitive to, and they bring it to our attention in a very instructive and non-threatening and non-judgmental way to help us become better priests, better bishops. The programs that Catholic Leadership Institute provides are timely, they're informative, they're helpful, and they're solid.”
“I am incredibly grateful for Catholic Leadership Institute’s session for bishops. This is my second time, and this session in particular really spoke to needs we as bishops have in our ministry. The fraternity I got to share with brother bishops was priceless. CLI has really created an experience that is the epitome of excellence and unparalleled in its support of bishops.”
“It’s easy to get into a routine after a few years – especially when the schedule of events and obligations is very demanding. This time for reflection with other bishops and the CLI staff helped me to pause to think more creatively and with new energy about my responsibilities as the Bishop of a Diocese.”
