Franciscan LEAD: A New Program, A New Direction

What is Franciscan LEAD?

Franciscan LEAD is a five day intense training experience that will lead participants into a deeper relationship with Christ and equip them to minister effectively to their peers.

One of the most exciting aspects of Franciscan LEAD is the depth of training that the teens will receive. Our goal is to equip and empower young people to be witnesses to their Catholic faith and lead their peers into a deeper relationship with Christ. Imagine the impact on your youth group, even your parish, if you had teens that were unafraid and passionate about preaching the Gospel. This program is designed with you and your ministry in mind. We want to prepare your teens to strengthen their relationship in Christ and empower them to be authentic witnesses in your youth groups. In order to do this, we are going to need your help.

Vision Statement

Franciscan LEAD seeks to be the soil where God will plant the seeds of evangelization for the next generation. Participants will discover who they are in Christ, how to walk with Him as a disciple, and how to share His love as a living witness. This program will help fulfill John Paul II’s call on this generation to join in the New Evangelization.

Mission Statement

Franciscan LEAD is a dynamic Catholic Leadership, Evangelization, And Discipleship development experience for high school students. Our goal is to train, equip and empower high school youth to witness their Catholic faith to their peers and to prepare them for ongoing service in evangelization. Franciscan LEAD will always use dynamic, well-trained young adults and youth ministers to facilitate the training experience. The training week will be rooted in the truths of Scripture, the Catechism, and the multitude of saints who both lived and spread the gospel with zeal and faithfulness. Each day of training will root the participants deeper into prayer and life in the Holy Spirit as taught to us by Christ and given to us in the Sacraments. Every participant will be trained to effectively witness the faith through personal testimony, sharing the gospel message, radical service and authentic witness.

Key Concepts and Competencies

Leadership Training:
- Present Jesus as the model of servant-leadership
- Train teens to bring integrity to all areas of their lives
- Discuss the habits and practices of effective leadership
- Discern and nurture unique gifts of leadership in individual participants

Discipleship Training:
- Nurture and encourage ongoing conversion through personal devotion and participation in the life of the Church
- Crystallize the centrality of a personal relationship with the living Christ
- Study and experience various forms of prayer and developing a consistent prayer life
- Equip and empower teens to overcome sin and the lies of their culture through the Sacraments, daily examination of conscience and personal devotion

Evangelization Training:
- Understand and effectively share the core of the Gospel message through proclamation and relationship ministry
- Develop, write, and share a personal testimony
- How to pray with someone to begin or deepen their relationship with Christ
- Answering difficult faith questions

What makes Franciscan LEAD unique?
- Intensive training rooted in the Truths of the Catholic Church
- Passionate, experienced, and devoted leaders
- Personal attention (5 to 1: participant to leader ratio)
- The opportunity to put newly acquired leadership skills and insights immediately into practice!

For more information on Franciscan LEAD, please click on the different links below:

  Franciscan LEAD Group Leader’s Explanation Sheet
  Franciscan LEAD Questions and Answers
  Franciscan LEAD Recruitment and Application Procedures
  Franciscan LEAD Prayer for Candidates