Bishop Larry Silva, front center, met with the young people and adults attending the Christian Leadership Institute at St. Stephen Diocesan Center in Kaneohe. (Courtesy Lisa Gomes)
By Lisa Gomes
Special to the Herald
Each summer, the Christian Leadership Institute offers a powerful reminder of the vibrancy and potential of our young church — and this year was no different.
Organized by the Diocese of Honolulu’s Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, CLI gathers high school men and women, recommended by their parishes and schools, for a week of faith-filled leadership formation.
Now in its ninth year (with a brief hiatus during the pandemic), CLI continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s young people. While rooted in the original CLI curriculum, the experience has been thoughtfully adapted to reflect the language, culture and lived experience of youth in Hawaii.
One example of this change is a workshop on stewardship, which was implemented a few years ago in response to the diocese’s ongoing effort to promote a culture of intentional discipleship and parish vitality. Participants were reminded that stewardship isn’t just about future service — it’s about recognizing and offering their gifts now, as vital members of the church today.
From June 22-27, 35 young people gathered to grow in discipleship, build leadership skills and deepen their relationship with Christ and one another. A new highlight of the week was the “Week in Review” activity, where participants created social media content to reflect on their experience and evangelize in a space that feels natural to them. Their creative and inspiring posts can be viewed on the @OYYAM Instagram page.
The young people’s reflections speak volumes about the impact of the week:
- “After spending a week at CLI, I’ve learned so many new skills. I learned how to become a better, more improved Christian leader and how to become more involved in my parish. CLI was such a blessing for me — I was able to find a side of myself I didn’t even know existed.” — Francis Bumatay, St. Damien Church, Molokai
- “The most meaningful part of CLI for me was growing closer in the faith, alongside fellow Christian leaders. Learning in such a supportive and diverse environment allowed me to enhance my communication skills, while remaining open-minded to different ideas and perspectives.” — Lauryn Paloma, Damien Memorial School
- “As the week went on… I started to feel more comfortable and confident as I learned more about leadership and planning skills and feel empowered to serve. I socialized and participated. I grew in my faith — not be a fan of Jesus but a follower of him.” — Noah Baloaloa, St. Anthony Church, Wailuku
- “My CLI experience was amazing. Although I wasn’t an extrovert, that didn’t stop me from becoming one. Learning about all of the leadership styles was one of my favorite workshops, along with ‘Planning Skills.’ Before CLI, I didn’t really enjoy planning, but this activity helped me grow in confidence and learn to identify needs, goals, parameters and objectives. I plan to use what I learned to help adults build our youth ministry, share my experiences with others and invite more youth to get involved. I hope my contributions will make a positive impact in our parish and community. Plus, I developed long-lasting friendships with other young Christian leaders, and I’m so grateful for that.” — Leia Hook, Christ the King Church, Kahului
- “In CLI you can connect closer to God and learn leadership skills that you can use to connect to the community. It not only taught me great skills but also gave me a second family. I met amazing people, and after that experience, it made me feel like a different person. I won’t ever forget that experience.” — Ammaron Noeau-Mahi, St. Joseph School, Hilo
- “CLI was an answered prayer. In just six days, I grew in faith, hope and love. One of the things that touched me most was being surrounded by so many teens with their hearts on fire. I was especially blessed by my small group and all the adventures we shared. I was given many opportunities to grow closer to God and educated by leaders who showed me how to lead like Jesus.” — Leia Tupper, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Ewa Beach
CLI participants attended Eucharistic adoration in St. Stephen’s chapel. (Courtesy Lisa Gomes)
The impact of CLI wasn’t only felt by the youth. Judith Hook, a volunteer with the altar server ministry at Christ the King Church in Kahului, shared her experience as a guest and observer:
“It was a blessing to witness their learning put into practice and come to fruition. Every workshop had a meaningful impact and engaged real-world applications. It was heartwarming to see young people from different parishes across the state come together as one — building community, forming lasting friendships and honing their leadership skills. I left empowered in so many ways. I’m excited to see what our young adults will contribute to our parish and community!”
Experiences like these affirm that CLI is more than leadership training — it’s a sacred space where young people are formed in faith, service and fellowship, and where the broader church is reminded of the power of investing in the next generation of leaders.
These young leaders returned to their parishes and schools equipped not only with practical tools and skills, but also with a renewed commitment to live as missionary disciples. CLI reminds us that our youth are not just the future — they are the now of the church.
To learn more about the Christian Leadership Institute, visit www.catholichawaii.org/oyyam/ym/cli-hi.
Lisa Gomes is director of the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
The participants in last month’s Christian Leadership Institute and the program’s religious and lay leaders posed for a photo at St. Ste-phen Diocesan Center in Kaneohe. (Courtesy Lisa Gomes)