As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, we are still counting our blessings from the recent THL conference, this year's TLI cohort, and the many other efforts which Tepeyac Leadership carried out in 2024.
Around the corner is also, #GivingTuesday …this is a global day of giving which traditionally takes place the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States.
On behalf of the board of directors of Tepeyac Leadership, these are some of the things we are grateful for…
Gratitude for Your Continued Support
We thank our donors for their generosity and commitment throughout the year. By the grace of God, our Catholic apostolate has grown in reputation and we hear from our friends praise for TLI's professionalism and for setting the bar high in everything we do. However, Tepeyac Leadership is still a young and fragile organization, which depends on YOU, our friends who believe in the mission and are generously ready to support it financially.
Successes and Milestones Achieved
- We have hosted the second The Hour of the Laity (THL) conference, consolidating our newest platform to form lay Catholic leaders for civil society.
- We now have graduated seven generations of our flagship program, Tepeyac Leadership Initiative (TLI).
- The Tepeyac Leaders are on their way to surpassing the 400-mark by summer of 2025.
- The Catholic Professional social network is 700 strong and growing.
- Our newsletter, Tepeyac Hill, is followed by 4,000 people, and the TLI family continues to grow worldwide.
The Impact of TLI’s Work
Tepeyac Leadership’s mission to deliver civic leadership development to lay Catholic professionals in the U.S. and beyond continues to move forward. With a spirit of charity, fidelity to the Magisterium and intellectual rigor, Tepeyac Leadership equips lay Catholic professionals to become virtuous leaders, while supporting the mission of the Church, influencing the culture and serving the common good. But our founder, Bishop Olmsted, often reminds us this is first and foremost a spiritual and interior battle. Thank you for fighting this battle alongside TLI, primarily through your prayers!
Our Volunteers and Staff
Tepeyac Leadership’s small staff could not accomplish what we do on our own. We thank the TLI staff for their hard work! But we are also grateful to rely on the help of 80+ mentors, 150+ speakers, and a small army of volunteers who make up the TLI family. Thank you for dedicating your time and talent to the mission of TLI!
Prayer and The Eucharist
Our Eucharistic Lord and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, is at the heart of what we do at Tepeyac Leadership. As you know, we start everything with prayer and all our in-person events begin with Holy Mass. In addition, we find in St. Juan Diego both a powerful intercessor and our prime example of lay Catholic leadership. St. Juan Diego shows us that the Lord does not call the equipped but equips the called. The smaller we think we are, the brightest Our Lord’s light shines through our lay leadership when we believe in Him and open ourselves up to His Grace.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Tepeyac Leadership could not do what it does if it weren’t for the support of so many Catholic, and Catholic-friendly businesses and organizations who sponsor our events. At whatever level they decide to do it, their investment in Tepeyac Leadership helps TLI reach its goals and move the mission forward.
Looking Ahead to 2025
I am excited about the new year. Brightly in the horizon shines the first Tepeyac Leadership Gala, to take place at St. Joan of Arc parish in Phoenix, on Saturday, April 12. I invite you to attend the gala! In addition to the opportunity to treat a friend or your spouse to a special dinner, you’ll hear from an amazing keynote speaker, Catholic Vote’s president, Brian Burch. And you’ll also get to mingle with a terrific group of Catholics! But most of all, you’ll invest in the next generation of lay Catholic leaders for the world.
Our founder, Bishop Olmsted, has said,
There’s something in being witnesses to the truth, specially to the truth which is Jesus himself. That is a vital part of leadership because those words [go, teach] are not only for the apostles; they are for every member of the Church. I would put that at the heart of leadership.
And I would put that at the heart of what we do at Tepeyac Leadership. YOU are an important part of that, THANK YOU!
Together, let's continue transforming lives, building up the community and the Church, by investing in tomorrow's lay Catholic leaders for civil society.
P.S. I was very inspired to watch this Fox News interview of Brian Burch where he gives a shout-out to Carlo Acutis, a lay Catholic who will soon be the first millennial saint. I can't wait to see Brian at the first Tepeyac Leadership Gala next year!
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