I was in Mexico City this weekend at the invitation of the Tepeyac Leadership Initiative, which held a conference on Catholic leadership.

Far too often, Catholics can tend to get into a routine of complaining about what the bishops are or are not doing — it’s a clericalism that the laity as well as the ordained and consecrated can feed. How can we get everyone to live the fullness of his or her role, in cooperation? We must focus on Christ, which means that everyone needs spiritual and other resources. The Tepeyac folks offer these for the laity.

Based in Phoenix, with a presence in Mexico City and a global reach, the Tepeyac Leadership Initiative prepares Catholic professionals to be active corporate and university board members. It’s a critical mission. How many corporations and universities are today pushing poisonous agendas? Boycotts can only go so far and are hard to pull off. A viral Bud Light moment doesn’t happen every day.

The application window for Tepeyac’s upcoming program is still open. The deadline was originally last night, but I asked if it could be extended, for anyone reading this today. I’ve confirmed with the founder and force of nature Cristofer Pereyra that the deadline has been extended to November 20.

Here’s the program description:

Tepeyac Leadership Initiative is a 5-month (18 weekly sessions) leadership program for the development of Catholic professionals and the advancement of the mission of the Church in the world. TLI participants are chosen from an emergent group of talented Catholic professionals from around the world. The program educates participants in the core teachings of the Church and their concrete application to the career world.

I was impressed with some of the Tepeyac volunteers at the conference who had been through the program. The more we do together, the more we understand that there is unity and joy and understanding and courage in the Body of Christ.

Again, the program is, broadly, for practicing Catholics. At the conference, I encountered experienced businessmen as well young people who are starting out in their careers, and everyone in between. Most of the program is virtual, beginning in February, with one in-person daylong retreat in the spring. The sessions, which emphasize Catholic social teaching, are intended to build a network of Catholics who seek to be both humble and bold in the Gospel.

Others who have been involved with Tepeyac — including by receiving the award that I gratefully received this weekend — include Alan Sears, formerly of Alliance Defending Freedom, and Mary Eberstadt, who, among other things, has just started an exciting project on cultural restoration.

I felt cooler around the Tepeyac folks this weekend — a fresh breeze in the church, with a deep love for Mary, the Mother of God.

Details here. Apply here.