MOVEMENT 1

Ignatian Spirituality

SEPTEMBER 2023

Cultivating a
Contemplative Spirituality

Explore more fully how to cultivate a contemplative spirituality and the tools offered within the Ignatian tradition for doing so.

Explore more fully how to cultivate a contemplative spirituality and the tools offered within the Ignatian tradition for doing so. 

OCTOBER 2023

Emotional Intelligence

Explore concepts such as self awareness, empathy, motivation, and relationship management. Develop reflective habits and cultivate practices to lead with emotional intelligence.

NOVEMBER 2023

Just Listening

Explore listening as “foundational to all personal, organizational, and social change when it is done justly and equitably. Listening deeply and without ego to each others' ideas, insights, and experiences enhances personal relationships, professional collaborations, workplace efficiency, and social transformation efforts.” Listening is fundamental to the Ignatian tradition and a critical tool for leadership.
Content for this theme is drawn from Just Listening.

The first movement of the CLA journey is an in-depth exploration of the spirituality that underpins the program.

You are given ample opportunity to learn about and engage the Ignatian tradition and invited to a deeper experience of community through prayer, reflection and discussion.

In addition to the retreat, workshops, and meetings, cohorts are encouraged to engage in their local community and organize social engagements to supplement you experience.

MOVEMENT 2

Ignatian Leadership

JANUARY 2024

Vocation

Reflect deeply upon how each of us is being called by God. Learn about St. Ignatius’ Principle and Foundation and examine your personal vocational call as an Ignatian leader.

FEBRUARY 2024

Servant Leadership

Explore principles of servant leaders including listening, empathy, foresight and stewardship. Understand this leadership theory and develop corresponding habits.

MARCH 2024

Leading in Complexity

Consider the demands on leaders in an increasingly complex and uncertain world, as well as explore ways to navigate and ultimately thrive.

APRIL 2024

Accountable Leadership

Advance practices that empower Ignatian leaders to cultivate an awareness of their attachments and biases so that they are free to lead authentically and effectively. Participants will learn to disrupt immunity to change through reflection, self- assessment, and curiosity and develop leadership strategies that foster open, diverse, and inclusive communities.

MAY 2024

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Conflict is a natural part of life, but unmanaged conflict prevents individuals and organizations from focusing on mission and achieving goals.  The dynamics of conflict including power, values and identity will be explored through an Ignatian lens. Participants will learn to strengthen existing conflict engagement skills and look for ways to develop additional skills.

JUNE 2024

Transformational Leadership

Better understand how you can become agents of change in your own communities.

The second movement of the CLA journey focuses on articulating a paradigm of leadership informed by Ignatian spirituality and providing opportunities for you to develop your own praxis of Ignatian leadership.

You will review different leadership styles and integrate new insights into your own leadership.

In addition to the retreat, workshops, and meetings, cohorts are encouraged to engage in their local community and organize social engagements to supplement your experience. At this point in the program, you are provided access to a spiritual director.

MOVEMENT 3

Leaders for Mission

SEPTEMBER 2024

In Search of the Common Good

Explore the concept of the common good, and the values and principles from Catholic Social Thought that underpin faith-justice. Prayerfully and constructively analyze your leadership and lived experience through this lens.

OCTOBER 2024

Leaders For and With Others

Discover the Universal Apostolic Preferences as a guide for connecting one’s leadership to the shared work and commitments of the Jesuits. Learn to cultivate a communal and person- centered leadership approach.

NOVEMBER 2024

In Good Company

Shape a collaborative posture of leadership. Explore accompaniment as both a praxis and resource. Hear from a network of leaders who reflect on their own experience of accompaniment and how it embodies a commitment to mission.

The third movement of the CLA journey focuses on leadership in service to mission.

Through the inspiration of Catholic Social Teaching, the Universal Apostolic Preferences, and the Ignatian tradition, you will explore what it means to be a leader committed to justice.

In addition to the retreat, workshops, and meetings, cohorts are encouraged to engage in their local community and organize social engagements to supplement your experience.

MOVEMENT 4

Contemplative Leaders in Action

JANUARY 2025

Leading with God

Examine your communities in relationship with God. Contemplate key questions on how you are being called to greater leadership in your everyday life whether at work, home, Church, or in your communities. Develop and adapt your own leadership purpose to reflect your learning, and inform your way forward.

FEBRUARY 2025

Contemplative Action
in Today’s World

Situate your leadership in the current context of our world. Discern values and praxis that is relevant to the signs of the times and that reflects your leadership purpose.

MARCH 2025

Continuing the Journey

Contemplate your call to greater leadership in your everyday life - at work, home, Church, or in your community. Strategize a framework for ongoing learning and formation.

The fourth movement of the CLA journey invites you to integrate your learning and development in cultivating a practice of contemplative and active leadership in your workplaces, churches, and the communities in which you live.

You will be asked to develop a leadership praxis in response to the needs of the world and the signs of the times. The final phase of CLA emphasizes the outward expression of your experience and formation as Ignatian leaders.

In addition to the retreat, workshops, and meetings, cohorts are encouraged to engage in their local community and organize social engagements to supplement your experience.

Retreats & Reflection

INTEGRATED

Our Way of Proceeding

The opening retreat has three primary goals: (1) to provide a comprehensive overview of CLA; (2) to foster community among cohort participants; (3) to examine principal themes of Ignatian spirituality. A pre-retreat reading of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by Fr. James Martin, SJ provides a common language and context for Ignatian Spirituality - an important centering for participants’ varying levels of experience and exposure to the tradition.  The retreat offers a framework and introduction to the content, themes and exercises participants will engage - throughout CLA’s 18 month of virtual workshop presentations, curriculum sessions, resources, and supplemental offerings.  


January 2024 Day of Reflection

This day of reflection is a moment of pause, prayer and reflection as participants transition from Movement I to Movement II of the curriculum.  

September 2024 Day of Reflection

This day of reflection is a moment of pause, prayer and reflection as participants transition from Movement II to Movement III of the curriculum.

January 2025 Day of Reflection

This day of reflection is a moment of pause, prayer and reflection as participants transition from Movement III to Movement IV of the curriculum.

Our Way of Proceeding Revisited

The closing retreat and commissioning provides a space for you to reflect on your CLA journey and share the graces of the experience. You will revisit and expand your spiritual autobiography to reflect your CLA journey. You will be commissioned as members of the CLA alumni community, and invited to commit to ongoing growth and engagement as leaders.

CLA Monthly Sequence

Independent Work

Reading, video, or podcast; theme-based content.

Virtual Workshop

Introduction to the theme; all cohorts.

Independent Exercise

Experiential engagement with the theme.

Cohort Session

Group discussion, prayer, and reflection.