{mosimage} Bauerle, who led CLI this year along with Brian Pekovitch, has been associated with CLI for about 15 years. "I've held just about every (adult) part in CLI ... table leader, assistant director and now director," she said. "This year is kind of an eye-opener for me. You never realize just how much you are responsible for."

Both Bauerle and Pekovitch have a long, active history working with young people. Bauerle is youth minister for Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Maryville and Mother of Dolors Parish in Vandalia. Pekovitch, who is a school teacher, is youth minister for St. Francis DeSales Parish in Moweaqua and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Assumption.

Several adults acted as leadership team members, while Deacon Kevin Muniz gave a number of the presentations. Bishop George J. Lucas came out to Villa Maria to have lunch with the young people on June 29.

Days included time for prayer, learning and free time while evenings were spent socializing, Bauerle said. "We had community building night, movie night, morality night and a dance on their last night here. We also had five extra groups that came out for reconciliation."

At a morning session on July 2, Deacon Muniz urged the youth to start becoming active in their church now, while they are young. "Youth ministry is more than a social thing. It is more than the friends you hang out with. You can transform lives," he said. "I have had so many people who are in their 40s and 50s tell me, ‘I wish I had known (earlier) that my life is only meaningful when I give it in service of others.'"

Students who attend CLI come at the recommendation of an adult from their parish. Many return in subsequent years to attend Advanced Catholic Training (ACT) or act as future CLI volunteers.

Nicole Hartwig, a freshman-to-be who is a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Collinsville, said she came to CLI because "I thought is would be fun and would be a good way to extend my faith."

Another student who will be a freshman at Collinsville High School, Zach Greenemay, said CLI is "packed with fun activities and time to make new friends." He said although many of the young people have never before been away from their families for almost a week, he didn't believe any of the attendees were homesick. "There isn't a lot of time to think about it," he said. "By the time you go to bed, you are really tired."

{mosimage}Alex Rinderer of St. Paul Parish in Highland agreed. "We are kept so busy here," said Alex, who will be a junior at Highland High School. "We figured out that we are awake doing something for 17 hours a day. I really like the leadership sessions in youth ministry. We are learning more about our faith and how to be a leader."

"It is important for people in the parishes to see how important this (CLI) is. When these kids go back to their parishes they will help with leading youth ministry," said Bauerle, looking around at all the young people seated in a training session. "CLI has been nothing but a blessing for me. It gives me a shot in the arm to start (another school year of) youth ministry. It really fills me up."