By Celia K. Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
A new initiative in the Diocese of Honolulu aims to support young adults in their professional lives by providing mentorship, networking and opportunities to deepen their faith.
The program, called Young Catholic Leaders, got its start a few years ago with funding from the diocese’s “With Grateful Hearts” campaign. Dara Perreira, diocesan director of human resources, wrote the grant for the funds and partnered with the EPIC Ministry young adult organization based on Oahu.
YCL is rooted in Bishop Larry Silva’s “Witness to Jesus: Diocesan Road Map for Pastoral, Program and Facility Needs 2008-2013,” according to Perreira — two of the road map’s six focus areas are faith formation and youth and young adult programs.
“The goal of YCL is to meet young adults, both Catholic and non-Catholic, where they are and many of them are in the workforce with early- or mid-stage careers,” she said.
While these young people often seek traditional work-related assistance, such as professional development, networking opportunities and learning from other successful businesspeople, “what makes YCL different is that it also offers spiritual growth, faith formation and an understanding of (the) sanctification of work,” Perreira said.
Similar initiatives exist elsewhere in the U.S., but YCL was founded with the recognition that the program “needed to be tailored to Hawaii’s culture and business environment,” Perreira said.
“One does not have to travel to an overseas country to carry out missionary work; it can be done right in our own community where there is a need for Jesus to be present,” she added. “You would be surprised to discover that we have many successful Catholic businesspeople and workers who live out their baptismal call in the workplace and can share their experiences, knowledge and networks with our younger leaders who are eager to learn and develop themselves.”
To that end, EPIC Ministry has hosted workshops and networking events, begun building a directory of Catholic professionals, and launched a mentorship podcast series featuring prominent isle leaders such as former Lt. Gov. James R. “Duke” Aiona and Lori Kahikina, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation CEO and executive director.
EPIC’s established community of young adults and its mission of empowering young people to follow Christ offered “a perfect foundation to set YCL upon for positive impact,” Perreira said.
She added that the ministry was also “discerning a next step in evangelization and missionary work,” making it an opportune time to join forces on the new initiative.
Malcolm Zara, executive director of EPIC, said that the response to YCL so far has been “incredibly positive.”
“These podcasts and workshops have resonated with attendees, who appreciate the blend of faith, mentorship and real-world skill-building that YCL offers,” he said.
“YCL hopes to foster a supportive environment for young Catholics navigating their paths in the secular workplace while staying true to their faith.”
Perreira’s hope for YCL is that it will strengthen young Catholics in the workplace “so that they are ready and confident to serve as servant leaders within our community.”
“We need to continue to support the development of individuals in both their professional and spiritual lives so they may steward good work in all industries at all levels, on boards of nonprofits, in government and in private organizations and also fulfill the call that Christ has for them,” she said.
