By Aaron Frazita
For the past 13 years, I have been a leader and/or sent youth on the Christian Leadership Institute. It is such a blessing to our ministry at St. Michael. The youth not only learn practical leadership skills such as how to plan and evaluate events, but they get a chance to learn and reflect upon the type of leader they are and how that impacts the group they are a part of. CLI teaches such great hands-on skills and allows the youth a safe place to practice these skills and to learn and grow. Over the years, I have seen so much change in the youth that attend CLI, but the core of the program still speaks to challenging youth to take ownership and be an active part of their faith and parish communities.
Our graduates of CLI have come back energized with the tools they need to jump right in on our leadership team as they plan and lead our ministry at the parish. Not only have the youth changed, but the program has been adapted to our times as well, incorporating technology and challenging the youth and leaders in how they can make it a part of their ministry. CLI is invaluable to helping to shape our young people and helping them to find ways in which they are called to serve in our Church. It has been such a blessing to be a part of the program over the years and I look forward to being a part of it for years to come.
Aaron Frazita is a CLI 2018 Small Group Leader and Coordinator of Youth Ministry at St. Michael.
