For more than a millennium, the university has been understood to be where the Church goes “to think” about questions relating to faith, life, existence, and the common good of society. Since 1865, St. Jerome’s University has been serving this need and preparing generations of leaders for lives of contribution and service to the Church and the world. The Certificate in Catholic Leadership is focused on preparing individuals with the intellectual, spiritual, and experiential formation required for ministerial, educational, medical, and social service to the needs of the contemporary Church and the world.
The Certificate in Catholic Leadership (CCL) program is designed for organizations seeking to enhance their employees' growth in Catholic mission-aligned activity in community with other leaders. The program is also well suited to volunteers and other individuals interested in exploring their past, present, or future leadership in community with others. The Certificate is open to anyone affiliated with a Catholic organization regardless of faith background.
Testimonials
I am pleased to endorse the Certificate in Catholic Leadership offered by St. Jerome's University.
This valuable program provides participants with the intellectual, spiritual, and practical formation needed for leadership and service in Catholic ministry, education, health care, and social outreach.
The Certificate offers flexible opportunities for study and formation, making it accessible to those serving in Catholic organizations as well as to others who wish to deepen their understanding of Catholic leadership and its contemporary realities. It forms leaders who are grounded in faith, committed to service, and responsive to the needs of the Church and society.
I am grateful to those who lead and support this initiative, and to all who participate in it with generosity and dedication. Our Diocese is blessed by the presence of this program, and its fruits are evident in the faithful, competent, and well-formed leaders it helps to cultivate within our local Church and beyond.
- Bishop Joseph Dabrowski, Diocese of Hamilton
The Certificate in Catholic Leadership has empowered participants from our system to grow in their faith and recognize their unique gifts that they bring to their school communities. The program has enriched our staff with faith centered learning experiences, enabling them to bring that faith to their schools in meaningful ways. It has also provided practical tools including ethical reasoning and reflective practices to enhance their decision making and leadership skills. The capstone project has united our participants to create a system initiative that has been impactful in engaging each of our school communities in the Jubilee year in meaningful ways. The program has also created a faith community among participants from across the Diocese that share similar interests. Finally, the mentoring component has provided valuable opportunities for our staff to engage in meaningful conversations with the participants about Catholic leadership and the discernment of their vocational call.
- Lorrie Naar, Superintendent, Halton Catholic District School Board (CCL Employer Partner)
The Certificate in Catholic Leadership has been tremendously effective in enhancing the formation of pastoral leaders for mission in the Diocese of Hamilton. Our experience has been a rich blend of reflection and formation, fostering collaboration and peer-led development that empowers our leaders to minister with confidence and remain deeply attuned to the signs of the times. We are truly blessed to have this certificate program available in our Diocese, and to be supported by a Catholic university that is prayerfully committed to modeling the importance of servant leadership during a time of significant change for our Church and the world.
- Christina Mines, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis, Diocese of Hamilton (CCL Graduate and Employer Partner for Diocese)
The Certificate of Catholic Leadership program offer by St. Jerome’s University allowed me to explore in a cohort model how my faith positively impacts my leadership style. The program featured seminars in ethical reasoning, lectures from high profile Catholic scholars, and monthly opportunities to meet with peers. The practicum and coaching opportunities offered a job-embedded component that helped me to explore how various principles of Catholicism and leadership go together.
- Michael Lawlor, Superintendent of Education, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and (CCL Graduate)