The Emmaus Programme is a new venture to train and provide spiritual guides for Catholic head teachers who would appreciate such support.
This project has arisen out of the national head teachers' retreat which has received considerable interest. After experiencing the retreat, many heads have asked for spiritual direction or accompaniment but there have not been enough spiritual directors or guides adequately to respond to these requests.
The Emmaus Programme is a pilot project, to be run in London and the North West, for two groups of around 12 people, training them to be spiritual guides suitable for supporting Catholic head teachers.
The programme is a collaboration between the Catholic Independent Schools Conference (CISC), EducareM and the Jesuit Institute.
The training programme will consist of half-day sessions once a month over nine months. It also includes a residential individually guided retreat and a residential weekend of training. The monthly sessions take place in the two locations (Manchester/Salford and Ealing in London); the retreat and residential will bring the two groups together.
The training programme will consist of sessions on spiritual accompaniment, led by Ruth Holgate (Director of Loyola Hall Spirituality Centre) and sessions on basic psychological skills, led by Roger Dawson SJ (Director of St Beuno's Spirituality Centre). The programme is devised and co-ordinated by the Jesuit Institute.
It is difficult to say exactly who might make a good spiritual guide for a serving Catholic head teacher but it would most likely be someone who:
We hope this does not put you off! If even some of these charactaristics fit and you are keen to do this, please do apply.
We welcome applications to join the Emmaus Programme. In the first instance please send a letter or email of application setting out your relevent experience and explaining why you wish to be part of the project.
Please send your application (letter or email) to Fr Adrian Porter SJ at the Jesuit Institute.
Further information to follow in 2015.
The Course Session 1 - IntroductionLeadership in Catholic Education - Why spiritual accompaniment?The context and varieties of spiritual accompaniment.An Ignatian model of accompaniment and spiritual conversation.Session 2 - ListeningSkills of active listening.Core conditions of the helping relationship.Session 3 - Discernment of spiritsFor what are we listening? The focus of spiritual accompaniment.The Ignatian approach to noticing the work of God in the world.Guidelines for discernment of spirits.Session 4 - Images of GodThe various ways in which people perceive God.How our image of God affects our faith and our prayer.The relationship of God image and self-image.Session 5 - Decision-makingMaking faith focused decisions.Accompanying someone making a decision.Practical tools for decision making in a faith context.Session 6 - Mad and SadPsychology and spiritual accompaniment.Recognising when the situation lies outside your competence.Ways of referring people.Session 7 - Ethics and boundariesElements of good practice in accompaniment - 'dos and don'ts'.Virtue Ethics - the person who accompanies.Case StudiesSession 8 - Residential ConferencePractical issues of accompaniment.Finding supper when accompanying others.What next?
|
Venues and Dates LONDON COURSE Holy Family Catholic Primary School Vale Lane |
|
Tue 27th May 2014 |
Session 1 |
Tue 17th June |
Session 2 |
July 2014 |
Retreat (dates tba) |
Tue 23 Sep |
Session 3 |
Tue 21 Oct |
Session 4 |
Tue 25 Nov |
Session 5 |
Tue 20 Jan 2015 |
Session 6 |
Tue 10 Feb |
Session 7 |
March 2015 |
Residential (dates tba) |
MANCHESTER COURSE Manchester University Catholic Chaplaincy
|
|
Thr 29th May 2014 |
Session 1 |
Thr 19 June |
Session 2 |
July 2014 |
Retreat (dates tba) |
Thr 25 Sep |
Session 3 |
Thr 23 Oct |
Session 4 |
Thr 27 Nov |
Session 5 |
Thr 22 Jan 2015 |
Session 6 |
Thr 12 Feb |
Session 7 |
March 2015 |
Residential (dates tba) |
Sessions will begin at 12.30 (sandwich lunch will be available) and finish at 4.00pm |
Retreat and Residential
There will also be a two-night residential individually guided retreat. And a one-night residential towards the end of the course. Dates to be announced shortly.
Spiritual Accompaniment of Head Teachers in Practice
Once the programme is completed, it is hoped that each spiritual guide will provide accompaniment to one, or possibly two, serving head teachers. They will meet once a month, or once each half-term, for between 60 and 90 minutes. Included in the training will be how to structure these meetings.
Those trained in the Emmaus Programme will be available to begin the ministry of spiritual accompaniment of head teachers in April 2015.
The spiritual accompaniment is voluntary and so unpaid. It is envisaged that you would accompany a Catholic head teacher in your local area (wherever you did the training programme).
Enquiries
If you have further questions please contact Fr Adrian Porter SJ at the Jesuit Institute.