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Six incredible days of youth leadership training
July 24-29
at fabulous Camp Ewalu
near Strawberry Point
Here's a brochure for CLI 2011
Click here for a registration form
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| Every activity at CLI has a purpose... to make you a better leader! |
"CLI was a life-changing experience for me. I went there
not knowing anyone and left with a lot of new friends. At first, I was a very task-oriented person. I wanted to get from point
A to point B as quickly as possible. After CLI, I learned that maintenance is also very important."
~ Caitlyn
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| These girls have water balloons and they're not afraid to use 'em! |
Who
should attend CLI?
Young people age 15-18, who are preparing to enter
at least their sophomore year of high school. Each candidate should be either currently involved with or beginning a leadership
role in a parish, school, or diocese.
Adult Youth Ministers, parish pastoral and school personnel.
CLI is a highly valuable learning experience for the adult. Adults are expected to be present for the entire week and participate
fully in the CLI process.
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| It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.... not to mention C-L-I! |
What are the components of CLI?
Skill
Workshops:
Each
day includes a large group workshop on one of these leadership skills:
· Leadership
Styles
· Communication
· Planning
· Group
Dynamics
· Consensus
Seeking
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| Megan leads a sing-a-long while some folks snarf s'mores during an evening social. |
Support
Groups:
Throughout
the week, CLI provides and opportunity for participants to practice these new skills working in small groups. The small group
is also a place to share insights on special topics such as:
· Prayer
· Decision
Making
· Call
to Ministry
· Youth
Ministry
· Affirmation
Prayer,
Worship, Play and Social Time:
Each
day there is time for recreation and relaxation, prayer and the Eucharist, and getting to know other youth throughout the
state of Iowa.
What happens at CLI?
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| Leaders learn to work together when challenged with blindfolds and other obstactles. |
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| CLI youth learn by doing, like in this skit where a family is too busy to hear the call of Jesus. |
76 youth, including 18 from our diocese, attended the
Iowa Christian Leadership Institute in 2008. Frank Agnoli of Our Lady of Victory parish
in Davenport, shares his thoughts on CLI.
Christian
Leadership Institute 2008 began with a parable about a man who possessed gifts that he wasn't aware of. The purpose of
CLI was for us to discover what we had all along.
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| An intense storm on our first night destroyed a huge oak tree. We prayed around it the next morning. |
The
time spent at CLI gave all of the attendees a chance for reflection and prayer, a chance to meditate on who we truly are as
well as what strengths we have. According to candidate Alyssa Hall, 17, of Marshalltown. “It helped me connect to Christ.”
A
youth from Mount Vernon, Adam Craig, 18, also appreciated
the meditative prayers.
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| Alyssa, Jessy, Amanda, Zach, Julia & Robbie enjoy an in-tents experience in a team-building activity |
“You’re kind of able to look back at yourself,” Adam
said. “It’s pretty much an out-of-body experience.”
Another
facet of the week was the building of a community, be it with our bunk mates, small groups, or the entire leadership conference.
In the process, many of us naturally became close friends.
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| Team members grew closer as they work together. |
As
Jessy Frye, 14, of Muscatine, said: “We’re all here (at CLI) because God wanted us to be friends.”
Leah Chapman, 17, of Dyersville, went further by proclaiming, “We’re not a
group; we’re a family.”
"(My
fellow candidates are) really supportive,” acknowledged Joshua Stika,
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| It's amazing what you can do with balloons and masking tape! |
16,
from Cresco. “They helped me come out of my… comfort zone.”
Joshua was not alone in this revelation. Through
the help of our fellow candidates, we were all stretched beyond our comfort zone. For some of us, it involved being led along
blindfolded, singing in a choir, or taking on new responsibilities as leaders during group exercises.
One
activity that incorporated the biggest struggle and the most growth during CLI was the planning of daily Masses. Any of the
participants
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| Bobby serves for Fr. Marty during a Mass held amid high winds on the edge of a soybean field. |
would
openly admit to being bored during Sunday morning liturgy. However, with the ability to organize the ceremony, we youth simply
became more involved.
“The
liturgy has been so powerful (because of this),” reflected Julia Arth, who will begin her sophomore year at Assumption High School in Davenport this fall.
Father
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| Later, after Mass, Fr. Marty and Bobby begin a support group for people with unique hairstyles. |
Marty Goetz's energetic homilies didn't
hurt either.
On
the last day of CLI all of the candidates gathered together in the conference hall to share their reflections. There were
many teary eyes, prolonged embraces and promises to meet on Facebook. More importantly, though, we learned about ourselves,
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| After a day of learning, fun and being creative, we paused to pray and reflect in our journals. |
our
gifts, and what it takes to truly be a Christian leader.
(Frank Agnoli is a student at Assumption High School and member of Our Lady of Victory Parish, both in Davenport.
We thank The Catholic Messenger for Frank's article, and Week 2 Leader of Team Crystal DeNeve
for the photos.)
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| Youth from the Diocese of Davenport and adult team leaders from our diocese pose near the end of CLI |
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