Collaboration and working together for the good of the Church community is the primary mission of the Center for Pastoral Leadership.
Cleveland Bishop emeritus Anthony Pilla emphasized those things during his remarks prior to the Sept. 9 opening liturgy at the CPL in Wickliffe. Newly installed Bishop Nelson Perez was the celebrant at the liturgy and Father Allan Laubenthal, rector emeritus of Saint Mary Seminary, was the homilist.
The liturgy, which traditionally begins the new year for those in formation, included seminarians in priestly formation, those in diaconate formation and those preparing for lay ecclesial ministry.
Bishop Pilla shared the history of the CPL, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, explaining how diocesan officials and consultants examined operations of the priestly formation programs at Borromeo High School, Borromeo (minor/college) Seminary and Saint Mary (major/graduate) Seminary. He said cost was a consideration, ?but it?s not the only thing . . . so I went up on the mountain and prayed.? He eventually decided the best way to proceed was to move the formation programs to one campus, the spacious CPL site.
?I didn?t think closing our seminary was the best decision for our diocese,? he said, adding that the diocese would lose many assets, including the seminary faculty, the library and the ability to train and mentor those preparing for ministry.
?There is a presence of Church in this institution,? he said.
The transition wasn?t as smooth as he had hoped when the formation programs came together on one campus, Bishop Pilla said, adding, ?being ordained makes you different
