9:00 – 9:55 Mass
10:00 – 11:00 Leadership Thursday Special Sessions Round 1
Monica Rougeau
The Optics of Leading: Transparency, Trust, and Transformation!
The “Optics” is a phrase used for what people are seeing in a situation and their perceptions of it. As we work to facilitate transformation in people’s lives and in our church, the reality we must face is in the perceptions of the people we serve. In this session, we are going to get clear about how to develop transparency, build trust and facilitate transformation with those we serve.
Sr. Mary Ellen Wheelahan & Team
Creating a Culture of Safety
“Creating A Culture of Protection and Healing”
-Identify strengths and weakness in your parish/school organizational structure which will enable you to make changes for the safety of children and youth in your programs.
-What lessons have we learned from the past – lessons that will help us take visible actions for safety?
-How can we change the attitudes and behaviors of leadership, employees, and volunteers in order to prevent harm?
Craig Colson
How to Help Families Heal
Many times, brokenness in families can cause people to lose hope. How can we, as the healing touch of Christ, bring healing to those who have been wounded, left behind and abandoned? Young people, especially need to know that the church is a place that they can be nourished and strengthened in their faith and brought to new life in Christ.
11:10 – 12:10 Leadership Thursday Opening Keynote:
The Question Behind the Question: Tools Needed to Identify and Address the Real Fears, Questions, Hopes and Dreams of Today’s Youth – Roy Petitfils
Often the questions young people ask are masking much deeper, meaningful, and relevant questions that they have not identified or have the language or ego strength to articulate. “Why does the Church hate gay people” goes much deeper than this assuming, condemning, leading question first appears. If we can hold young people lovingly in their questions, and use a few tools to probe even deeper they will let us into their hearts exposing the real question, the real fear or the real hope.
12:15 – 1:15 Lunch for Everyone
Sponsored by Sadlier Religion
1:30 – 2:30 Leadership Thursday Special Sessions Round 2
Sr. Patricia McCormack, EdD
Jesus’ Vision: Be the I in Evangelize
Catechists and Catholic School teachers: embrace your mission! Be an intentional, invitational, and inspirational agent of evangelization to students. This presentation will unpack these terms and offer practical, easy-to-replicate ideas.
Fr. Henry Davis, SSJ
Interjecting the Presence of African American Catholics’ Spirituality
As teachers of theology, it is very important to instruct and insert the truths about who African Americans and African Americans Catholics and the profound contributions this group of people contributed to the life of the Church and society. This presentation will look at some tools on how to encourage classroom discussions by inserting the contributions of this people created in the likeness of God. Resources from Scriptures, theology texts and other ideas will be shared in the presentation.
Becky Eldredge
Quenching Others’ Thirst: Living Our Gospel Call to Make Disciples
How do we offer those we encounter in our ministries a drink of the Living Water that quenches their thirst and soothes the growing sense of hopelessness many people are experiencing today? There is an urgent need to share the Good News of the promises of God with those who are hurting, lost, and in need of comfort. We are called to be God’s vessels of Living Water boldly pouring out the Good News that we are unconditionally loved just as we are, that we are not alone, and that we always belong.
2:30 – 3:30 Leadership Thursday Closing Keynote:
“Resilient Leadership” – Dr. Melanie B. Palmisano
Resilient Leadership involves a new way of thinking, seeking, and leading to foster positive interaction and growth without burnout. In a climate of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, leaders can feel overwhelmed and ineffective. Resilient leaders function with calm, clarity and conviction in the midst of anxiety, coming from a place of strength, knowing how to care for themselves to avoid burnout.
3:30 – 3:35 Closing Prayer
