Dear TLI family,
As this year draws to a close and we approach the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord, it is fitting that we pause together to look honestly at the state of our world. Each week, we do this not to be discouraged but to see reality clearly and to respond as faithful Catholic leaders formed by truth, courage, and hope.
Across the globe, headlines remind us that the dignity of the human person and the freedom to live one’s faith remain under serious threat. In places like Nigeria, where over one hundred Catholic school students were recently released after being kidnapped, we glimpse both the deep suffering endured by our brothers and sisters and the power of prayer, perseverance, and international solidarity. Their freedom is a blessing, but it also stands as a reminder that many Christians continue to face violence, intimidation, and martyrdom simply for professing the name of Christ.
At the same time, persecution does not always take the form of chains or prison cells. In many developed nations, including the United States, Christians encounter more subtle yet real pressures to conform, to remain silent, or to compartmentalize faith as something private and irrelevant to public life. Laws, cultural norms, and professional expectations increasingly challenge believers to choose between fidelity to Christ and acceptance by the world. This quiet erosion of religious freedom requires leaders with well formed consciences, intellectual clarity, and moral courage.
It is precisely here that the mission of Tepeyac Leadership finds its deepest meaning. Investing in lay Catholic leadership for civil society is not a luxury for calmer times. It is an urgent necessity for this moment in history. The Church depends on men and women who can bring the light of the Gospel into business, education, media, politics, and culture with competence, humility, and charity. Through formation rooted in the teachings of the Church, Tepeyac Leadership seeks to prepare leaders who can stand firm without bitterness and engage the world without compromise.
Yet as we reflect on these challenges, we do so in the shadow of the manger. Christmas reminds us that God entered a world marked by injustice, fear, and oppression, not with power as the world understands it, but with the vulnerable strength of a child. The birth of Jesus Christ assures us that darkness does not have the final word. Hope is not naïve optimism. It is confidence rooted in the victory of Christ.
This is why, in the end, our attitude must be one of joy and gratitude. Joy because Emmanuel is with us. Gratitude because God continues to work through his people, through his Church. To our entire TLI family, thank you for your prayers, your trust, and your commitment to forming faithful Catholic leaders for the world. Your support makes this mission possible and fruitful.
As you celebrate Christmas with your families, may your homes be filled with peace, laughter, and the quiet wonder of Christ’s presence. May the Holy Family protect you, strengthen your vocation, and renew your hope for the year ahead.
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas, and may God bless you abundantly.
Sincerely yours in Christ and Our Lady of Guadalupe,
