Priests Serving the Church as Good Leaders, Good Shepherds

The new reality in parishes today is there are fewer priests in service who face an increase in duties and demands.

“We are limited with the number of priests we have. We need to be as efficient as possible to keep ourselves healthy, both physically and spiritually,” said Father Richard Trout, pastor of All Souls Catholic Church in Sanford.

Recognizing the need to prepare priests for this new reality, the Diocese of Orlando supports their on-going formation through a program known as “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds.”

Designed specifically for Catholic priests, the program uses Jesus Christ as the ultimate shepherd and model of leadership.

“This program is an excellent opportunity for us to improve our priesthood and thus improve the spiritual life of the diocese,” added Father Trout, who has been a pastor for 15 years.

“It is a wonderful opportunity for our priests to be nourished and renewed in their ministry,” said Heidi Peckham, secretary of the Pastoral Ministries Secretariat. “We are blessed with many good leaders and our leaders need attention, whether clergy, religious, or members of Christ’s faithful.”

“Good Leaders, Good Shepherds” trains priests in five areas of leadership and the classes focus on effective leadership, problem solving and managing change. The curriculum was designed to help priests minimize time spent on administrative duties and increase time spent on pastoral roles for which they are uniquely ordained. With staff experienced in the formation of clergy, San Pedro Spiritual Development Center hosts the Catholic Leadership Institute’s “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds” designed for our clergy.