DETROIT — When Will Butler approached Fr. Gary Wright, SJ, in 2016 about going through the RCIA program at SS. Peter and Paul (Jesuit) Parish, he knew it would be a commitment. He didn’t expect to end up in a two-year leadership development program as well.

But he’s not complaining.

Butler’s faith hasn’t been stronger since joining Contemplative Leaders in Action, an Ignatian-based young adult professional group that combines Jesuit spirituality and service with professional leadership development.

Contemplative Leaders in Action formed in Detroit in 2016, but its roots trace to the Jesuits in New York, who wanted to start a program to give young professionals a chance to grow in spirituality.

“CLA is a two-year-long leadership development program that intends to integrate leadership skills with the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Jesuit tradition,” said Fr. Wright, executive director of Contemplative Leaders in Action–Detroit and pastor of SS. Peter and Paul (Jesuit) Parish.

The first Detroit CLA cohort met for a retreat at Colombiere Retreat Center in Clarkston in August 2016. There, the 16 young adults met for the first time and shared their life experiences and aspirations.

“At the retreat, it was amazing how quickly we all bonded and fused together as a group,” Butler said. “I think there was a lot of shared values, based off a commitment to our faith, service and the Detroit region.”

The first year of the cohort included monthly meetings at different locations where members learned more about and practiced Ignatian contemplation, heard from guest speakers about living their Catholic faith in the workplace and discerning how God was calling them to be a witness for Christ in a professional setting.

Cohort member Chris Miller graduated from University of Detroit Jesuit High School, where he first learned of Ignatian spirituality, but after college at Michigan State University and law school at Ohio State, he discovered he missed going on retreats and taking time to reflect on his spirituality.

After the first year of inner contemplation, the cohort took a summer break before beginning the second year, which focused on a service project in the community.

Miller and his team are working with the Center of Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Detroit Mercy, where Miller used his legal background to help a Detroit woman launch her inner-city catering business that would focus on serving quality food.

“I gave instruction to the cohort there with legal issues entrepreneurs face,” Miller said. “I was attracted to the Center for Social Entrepreneurship because it had a great multiplier effect; a woman starting up a business in Detroit while catering to people in Detroit lacking quality nutrition.”

The cohort worked on a variety of projects through the city, including providing a music class for a public school that didn’t have a music program, a workshop for faith-based groups on confront racism, and working with a Girl Scouts troop to set up a program to help girls learn about mechanics by repairing bicycles.

Butler was interested in working with the homeless, and his group volunteered with the SS. Peter and Paul-based Pope Francis Center, providing technical support.

“We formed a group attached to the Pope Francis Center, and Fr. Tim McCabe (director of the Pope Francis Center) sent us on a mission to make an app that would be usable by their guests and people in the city to find resources they need,” Butler said.

As the cohort is about to end this June, the members said their time learning about Ignatian spirituality and living an authentic Catholic lifestyle in the work environment has been invaluable.

“My experience with the Contemplative Leaders in Action has really stressed taking the time to value what I want in leadership and how to be a leader,” Miller said. “It’s treating people the right way with respect. CLA really focuses on what leadership is. It’s about committing yourself to being in service of others, and that’s how you grow, both at work and spirituality.”

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Contemplative Leaders in Action

Chris Lowney, co-founder of Contemplative Leaders in Action, will deliver the keynote address at the “Spirit of Manresa” banquet at the Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills on May 3. Ticket information is available at manresa-sj.org/BanquetTickets.

Contemplative Leaders in Action-Detroit is accepting applications for its next two-year cohort. Young adults who’d like to apply, or nominate someone, can contact CLA-Detroit coordinator Carrie Czajka at [email protected] or (734) 625-2767. The initial application deadline is April 15.  For information, visit contemplativeleaders.org.