Invitation is open for one-day leadership retreat

Friday, Jan. 23, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — Parish leaders, lay ecclesial ministers, directors of religious education, youth ministers, parish council members, DCCW leaders, Knights of Columbus and Catholic educators are all invited to attend the one-day retreat “Growing as a Spiritual Leader.”

Father Les Schmidt, a Glenmary Home Missioner, will present this retreat, which is intended to assist lay leaders in embracing their call to serve the Church.

Fr. Schmidt serves the spiritual and material needs of the Catholic minority, the unchurched and the poor throughout Appalachia and the southern United States. He is also a resource person from the Congar Institute for Ministry Development.

“The whole theme of the retreat/workshop will be leadership development,” said Fr. Scmidt. “It would light up Pope Francis as the very image of how leadership plays out in today’s world.”

The retreat will focus on Pope Francis as an example of leadership, exploring his words and suggestions for a healthy spiritual life.

Pope Francis is “such an excellent leader. He really follows Jesus in the way Jesus would lead,” said Fr. Schmidt, adding that everyone who is interested should attend the retreat. “This is important. They are the leaders of tomorrow. … What we would do in this workshop/retreat is to lay out for them very clearly how best to move forward.”

Fr. Scmidt also wanted people to remember that “we are all powerful people because we are children of God,  and we have nothing to fear but how that power is to play out in the world. … Jesus showed that very much as a servant leader, willing to suffer, even to die, for us.”

The retreat is organized by the Diocese of Salt Lake City Office of Religious Education and Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. 

WHAT: Leadership retreat

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE: St. Therese of the Child Jesus parish hall, 624 West Lennox St., Midvale

The retreat is free. A small lunch will be served at no cost. For information or to register, call 801-328-8641 ext. 313 or email Samantha.almanza@dioslc.org.

Registration deadline is Feb. 4.