What if leading at the diocesan level came with more clarity?

Diocesan leadership expands your reach—and your responsibility. But that scope also brings challenges that are specific to this level of leadership:

Responsibility without direct control.

You’re stewarding vision and outcomes across parishes, schools, and regions you don’t directly manage.

Many voices,
many expectations.

You're working with bishops, pastors, diocesan leadership, and parish staff, all with different priorities.

Systems that don’t always align.

Many ministries moving forward—without a shared framework tying them together.

Complex systems that require patience and precision.

Change is possible—but it has to be thoughtful, collaborative, and well-timed to actually stick.

A full calendar but
not a lot of strategy.

Plenty of events, programs, and conversations, but it’s not always easy to see how everything fits together.

Isolation at the top.

You’re supporting everyone else—often without peers who truly understand your role.

Leadership at this level requires clarity,
alignment, and trusted peers – this
Think Tank gives you all three.

Think Tanks are all about...

COLLABORATION

Work alongside other diocesan leaders serving in different contexts – but facing similar realities. No posturing. No competition. Just shared problem-solving.

CLARITY

Together, we’ll surface patterns, diagnose root issues, and name what’s actually holding your ministry back—structurally, culturally, and systemically.

STRATEGY

You’ll leave with real decisions made: what to simplify, what to rebuild, what to stop doing, and what needs to change next.

PERSPECTIVE

When you’re leading at scale, it’s hard to see clearly from the inside. This week creates space to step back, get honest feedback, and see your ministry with fresh eyes.

This Think Tank will focus on the questions you want answered...

How do we advocate effectively for youth ministry at the diocesan level?

Explore language and strategies that help bishops, pastors, and stakeholders see the value of youth ministry beyond numbers—and invest accordingly.

How do we move from activity to a clear diocesan discipleship strategy?

Events matter—but strategy gives them meaning. This focuses on building pathways that form disciples, not just fill calendars.

How do we support parish
youth ministers amid burnout,
turnover, and mistrust?

Explore diocesan systems and practices that genuinely strengthen leaders—without adding pressure or increasing dependency.

How do we build real community and shared direction across parishes and regions?

Move beyond siloed efforts toward diocesan-wide collaboration that fosters connection, alignment, and mutual support.

What’s actually working in
diocesan youth ministry?

Surface real wins and quiet friction points so energy is invested where fruit is growing—not where effort is simply maintaining momentum.

What does a realistic,
long-range diocesan youth
ministry plan look like?

Beyond the next year or bishop’s vision cycle, this invites conversation about sustainability, succession, and long-term impact.

What does effective onboarding, formation, and coaching look
like at scale?

From first-day orientation to ongoing formation, this asks how dioceses can form leaders consistently across diverse contexts.

How do we help pastors genuinely invest in youth ministry?

This question names the reality of priest fatigue and priorities—and seeks pathways toward shared ownership and trust.

FEATURED DEEP DIVE

The Next Chapter

with Dr. Charlotte McCorquodale

Youth ministry is not standing still.
‍
Across dioceses, parishes, and leadership structures, something is shifting—sometimes quietly, sometimes painfully, often unevenly. Many diocesan leaders can feel it, even when it’s hard to name.
‍
At this Think Tank, we’ll be joined by Charlotte McCorquodale, cofounder of Ministry Training Source and author of Illuminating Trends, a newly released longitudinal study following youth ministry leaders over time.
‍
This session is not about predicting the future. And it’s not about reacting to the latest trend.

It’s about recognizing where we are in the story—and discerning what comes next.
‍
Drawing from years of data and real lived experience, Charlotte will guide us through:

What the data is clearly revealing
about the current state of
youth ministry leadership.

The growing gap between formation, expectations, and lived reality
for parish leaders.

Where systems are supporting leaders, and where they are unintentionally contributing to burnout, turnover, or fragmentation.

Why many well-intentioned approaches are no longer producing fruit.

But this session does not stop at insight.
‍
The focus of this conversation is response.
‍
Together, we will wrestle with the question diocesan leaders are uniquely positioned to ask:

What does this moment
require of us now?

This facilitated working session will focus on:

What a faithful diocesan response
to the data actually looks like.

How diocesan leaders can use shared language and credible data when advocating with bishops, pastors,
and leadership teams.

Strategic shifts that move beyond
short-term fixes toward long-term sustainability.

Identifying which changes require patience – and which require
decisive action.

Is this for me?

This event was designed specifically for people who work in Catholic youth ministry at the diocesan level.

If you can emphatically answer yes to all of the questions below, this Think Tank was built for you:

Are you employed by the diocese?

Are you responsible for aligning vision, strategy, or support across parishes, regions, or systems?

Are you ready to stop reacting to problems and start leading intentionally?

Is youth ministry or supporting those who serve youth part of your role?

Are you trying to lead change without burning yourself—or others—out?

Do you want time to step back and lead more strategically?

Philadephia

January 7-10, 2025

Hosted by the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

SOLD OUT

DALLAS

January 20-23, 2025

Hosted by the
Diocese of Dallas

SOLD OUT

Milwaukee

January 27-30, 2025

Hosted by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Diocese of Green Bay

SOLD OUT

Archdiocese of Atlanta

Diocese of Baton Rouge

Diocese of Davenport

Archdiocese of Indianapolis

Diocese of
Jackson

Diocese of Knoxville

Archdiocese of Louisville

Diocese of Memphis

Archdiocese of New York

Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Diocese of
Raleigh

Diocese of Sacramento

Diocese of San Bernardino

Diocese of Steubenville

Includes a special bonus:

CRASH COURSE on Gen Alpha

Middle schoolers today are being formed by screens, anxiety, and a radically different family and cultural landscape. This crash course will help you understand what’s actually shaping Gen Alpha—and why many traditional ministry instincts no longer work. If you want to lead with clarity instead of guesswork, this alone is worth the trip.

APRIL 27–30

in Chattanooga, TN

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

The cost is $350.
(Thrive PARTNers get a $200 discount)

Program INCLUDES:

Four Day Think Tank Experience
collaborative gathering for diocesan directors

Three Nights of Lodging
at the ProjectYM Mission Base

Breakfasts and Lunches
for three days

Community Discussions
Access to a private space inside the Thrive Community exclusively for this program.

Featured Deep Dive
A facilitated conversation that helps diocesan
leaders turn insight into action – and write the
next chapter together.

Crash Course on Gen Alpha
A clear breakdown of Gen Alpha and what must shift if discipleship is going to work with this generation.

Archdiocese of Atlanta

Diocese of Baton Rouge

Diocese of Davenport

Archdiocese of Indianapolis

Diocese of
Jackson

Diocese of Knoxville

Archdiocese of Louisville

Diocese of Memphis

Archdiocese of New York

Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Diocese of
Raleigh

Diocese of Sacramento

Diocese of San Bernardino

Diocese of Steubenville

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

DIOCESANDIRECTORS

A collaborative gathering for diocesan youth leaders.

Join us April 27th – 30th in Chattanooga, TN

Because you don’t need another program—but you do need time with a house full of diocesan leaders who understand the pressures, politics, and possibilities of youth ministry at a diocesan level.

What if leading at the diocesan level came with more clarity?

Diocesan leadership expands your reach—and your responsibility. But that scope also brings challenges that are specific to this level of leadership:

Responsibility without direct control.

You’re stewarding vision and outcomes across parishes, schools, and regions you don’t directly manage.

Many voices,many expectations.

You're working with bishops, pastors, diocesan leadership, and parish staff, all with different priorities.

Systems that don’t always align.

Many ministries moving forward—without a shared framework tying them together.

Complex systems that require patience and precision.

Change is possible—but it has to be thoughtful, collaborative, and well-timed to actually stick.

A full calendar butnot a lot of strategy.

Plenty of events, programs, and conversations, but it’s not always easy to see how everything fits together.

Isolation at the top.

You’re supporting everyone else—often without peers who truly understand your role.

Leadership at this level requires clarity,alignment, and trusted peers – thisThink Tank gives you all three.

Because this isn’t a normal training...

The people in theroom matter.

The Diocesan Director Think Tank is designed for experienced leaders who:

Already know the basics

Carry real authority and responsibility

Are navigating complexity not just capacity

Need space to think with other leaders at their level

Value honest communityover polished answers

Think Tanks are all about...

COLLABORATION

Work alongside other diocesan leaders serving in different contexts – but facing similar realities. No posturing. No competition. Just shared problem-solving.

CLARITY

Together, we’ll surface patterns, diagnose root issues, and name what’s actually holding your ministry back—structurally, culturally, and systemically.

STRATEGY

You’ll leave with real decisions made: what to simplify, what to rebuild, what to stop doing, and what needs to change next.

PERSPECTIVE

When you’re leading at scale, it’s hard to see clearly from the inside. This week creates space to step back, get honest feedback, and see your ministry with fresh eyes.

This Think Tank will focus on the questions you want answered...

How do we advocate effectively for youth ministry at the diocesan level?

Explore language and strategies that help bishops, pastors, and stakeholders see the value of youth ministry beyond numbers—and invest accordingly.

How do we move from activity to a clear diocesan discipleship strategy?

Events matter—but strategy gives them meaning. This focuses on building pathways that form disciples, not just fill calendars.

How do we support parishyouth ministers amid burnout,turnover, and mistrust?

Explore diocesan systems and practices that genuinely strengthen leaders—without adding pressure or increasing dependency.

How do we build real community and shared direction across parishes and regions?

Move beyond siloed efforts toward diocesan-wide collaboration that fosters connection, alignment, and mutual support.

What’s actually working indiocesan youth ministry?

Surface real wins and quiet friction points so energy is invested where fruit is growing—not where effort is simply maintaining momentum.

What does a realistic,long-range diocesan youthministry plan look like?

Beyond the next year or bishop’s vision cycle, this invites conversation about sustainability, succession, and long-term impact.

What does effective onboarding, formation, and coaching looklike at scale?

From first-day orientation to ongoing formation, this asks how dioceses can form leaders consistently across diverse contexts.

How do we help pastors genuinely invest in youth ministry?

This question names the reality of priest fatigue and priorities—and seeks pathways toward shared ownership and trust.

FEATURED DEEP DIVE

The Next Chapter

with Dr. Charlotte McCorquodale

What the data is clearly revealingabout the current state ofyouth ministry leadership.

The growing gap between formation, expectations, and lived realityfor parish leaders.

Where systems are supporting leaders, and where they are unintentionally contributing to burnout, turnover, or fragmentation.

Why many well-intentioned approaches are no longer producing fruit.

But this session does not stop at insight.‍The focus of this conversation is response.‍Together, we will wrestle with the question diocesan leaders are uniquely positioned to ask:

What does this momentrequire of us now?

This facilitated working session will focus on:

What a faithful diocesan responseto the data actually looks like.

How diocesan leaders can use shared language and credible data when advocating with bishops, pastors, and leadership teams.

Strategic shifts that move beyondshort-term fixes toward long-term sustainability.

Identifying which changes require patience – and which requiredecisive action.

Is this for me?

This event was designed specifically for people who work in Catholic youth ministry at the diocesan level.If you can emphatically answer yes to all of the questions below, this Think Tank was built for you:

Are you employed by the diocese?

Are you responsible for aligning vision, strategy, or support across parishes, regions, or systems?

Are you ready to stop reacting to problems and start leading intentionally?

Is youth ministry or supporting those who serve youth part of your role?

Are you trying to lead change without burning yourself—or others—out?

Do you want time to step back and lead more strategically?

Philadephia

January 7-10, 2025

DALLAS

January 20-23, 2025

Milwaukee

DIOCESAN
DIRECTORS

Many voices,
many expectations.

A full calendar but
not a lot of strategy.

Leadership at this level requires clarity,
alignment, and trusted peers – this
Think Tank gives you all three.

The people in the
room matter.

The Diocesan Director Think Tank is
designed for experienced leaders who:

Value honest community
over polished answers

How do we support parish
youth ministers amid burnout,
turnover, and mistrust?

What’s actually working in
diocesan youth ministry?

What does a realistic,
long-range diocesan youth
ministry plan look like?

What does effective onboarding, formation, and coaching look
like at scale?

What the data is clearly revealing
about the current state of
youth ministry leadership.

The growing gap between formation, expectations, and lived reality
for parish leaders.

But this session does not stop at insight.
‍
The focus of this conversation is response.
‍
Together, we will wrestle with the question diocesan leaders are uniquely positioned to ask:

What does this moment
require of us now?

What a faithful diocesan response
to the data actually looks like.

How diocesan leaders can use shared language and credible data when advocating with bishops, pastors,
and leadership teams.

Strategic shifts that move beyond
short-term fixes toward long-term sustainability.

Identifying which changes require patience – and which require
decisive action.

This event was designed specifically for people who work in Catholic youth ministry at the diocesan level.

If you can emphatically answer yes to all of the questions below, this Think Tank was built for you:

Diocese of
Jackson

Diocese of
Raleigh

The cost is $350.
(Thrive PARTNers get a $200 discount)

Diocese of
Jackson

Diocese of
Raleigh