As we reflect on the past year, we are grateful for the many ways Discerning Leadership has continued to support Church leaders worldwide. 

Through our formation programs, coaching, continuous learning opportunities, and accompaniment, we have deepened our commitment to fostering a culture of a discerning and synodal way of leading.

Leadership Formations

This year, the DL team and faculty facilitated: 

• In-presence DL formation programs in English, Spanish, and Italian, involving 75 leaders serving in the Vatican, religious congregations, and Christian international organisations;
• A specialized module on leading organizational change, designed to help leadership teams integrate their congregation’s charism with essential management structures.
• The third edition of the Online Formation for Congregations in Africa and Asia, a comprehensive program designed to provide culturally sensitive, high-quality content, integrating leadership and management training with Catholic spirituality. About 250 Superior Generals and General Councillors participated.

These programs provided leaders with practical tools to navigate the complexities of leadership while remaining deeply rooted in discernment and mission.

Attentive to Church leaders needs and to the signs of the times, we are expanding our programs with the intention of better serving the Church. A novelty of 2025?

• The Training for Secretaries and Undersecretaries of the Roman Curia, where the DL team facilitates a meeting space to reflect on the evangelical vision of an authority that is always service-oriented, and offers a training to enhance a greater level of participation and collaboration in the Dicasteries.

Coaching

Our coaching initiative flourished, with about 100 leaders receiving more than 500 hours of personalized accompaniment just in 2024. These sessions helped participants integrate their formation learnings into their daily leadership practices, fostering deeper self-awareness and relational effectiveness.

Tailored Support

Beyond individual formation, the DL partnered with more than 10 Religious Congregations and Vatican dicasteries to provide additional formation, facilitation, and consulting services, responding to the evolving needs of Church leaders.

Furthermore, the DL team played a supporting role at the Synod on Synodality, serving as facilitators. If you want to know more, read our article Supporting the Synod on Sinodality.

Continuous Formation & Learning

The DL Program hosted a dynamic series of continuous formation events, including

• the Thomas Hübl Formation on trauma-informed leadership, a series of 7 online workshops,
• an inspiring session with the poet David Whyte and the cultural architect Gayle Karen Young,
• and more webinars exploring polarity management, trust, and discernment in common.

A Thriving Network of Accompaniment

In March 2024, we gathered our Accompaniment Network for an enriching event that strengthened connections among coaches, spiritual accompaniers, and alumni. This meeting helped to reflect and enhance the practices and support offered to the leaders, reaffirming the importance of community and shared discernment in sustaining transformative leadership.

In addition to the numerous events and formations we have facilitated this year, we have also invested time and effort in solidifying our foundation through regular meetings and reflections within task forces, DL Faculty meetings as well as team retreats. These regular pauses enable us to refine the quality of our program and service, enhance our sustainability, and deepen our impact.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and continuing to walk alongside Church leaders. Thank you to all who have been part of this year’s journey: we look forward to the road ahead together!