Spiritus International

"SPIRITUS, guided by the Holy Spirit, is renewing Catholic education worldwide. It offers a feasible and practical approach to transform Catholic schools into powerhouses of evangelisation."

Fr Friedrich Bechina, Undersecretary for Congregation for Catholic Education, 2013 - 2022

Vision

SPIRITUS International aims to provide faith formation programs, system-wide school renewal and networking for education and other Church ministry leaders, equipping them for evangelisation in today’s world.

SPIRITUS Programs

Contemporary and transformative professional learning or academic units of study with intentional formation strategies.

SPIRITUS LEAD

Formation of leaders, educators, and students to achieve school renewal, through system-wide implementation and licensing to lead Spiritus.

SPIRITUS Leaders Network

A professional learning and formation network for education and other Church leaders in their work of evangelisation.

Overview

The three SPIRITUS initiatives are:

SPIRITUS PROGRAMS: Contemporary ACU La Salle programs with flexible pathways which can be undertaken as professional learning or units of academic study.

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SPIRITUS LEAD: A Catholic school mission renewal and formation program which seeks to build the confidence and capacity of leaders and educators to lead the renewal of Catholic schools as centres of evangelisation. Includes opportunities for system-wide implementation and licencing to lead Spiritus.

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SPIRITUS LEADERS NETWORK: A professional formation network for educators and leaders in Catholic schools and the broader Church, committed to renewing their mission of evangelisation in fellowship with each other.

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Key Features

Faith Formation as Missionary Disciples

A study and personal experience of evangelisation, inviting a deeper journey of faith whilst developing new understandings and skills that build confidence and capacity to evangelise.

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Retreat and other experiences aimed at a formation of the head, heart and hands with the option for international mission and immersion experiences.

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Contemporary approaches to evangelisation

A strategic and flexible model for renewing Catholic schools as centres of evangelisation.

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Practical application and resources for leader, teacher and student education and formation for ministry in schools and broader Church.

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School and diocesan implementation models.

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Contemporary qualification and certifications contributing to diocesan accreditation with flexible pathways incorporating Religious Education.

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A synodal approach to the renewal of the Church’s life and mission

An emphasis on experiencing and discerning together where the Holy Spirit is leading the Church, personal charisms and evangelisation, and peer-with-peer ministry.

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Building bonds of fellowship in mission through dialogue, collaboration, common formation experiences and prayer.

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SPIRITUS PROGRAMS

The Spiritus Program is designed for Catholic school leaders and teachers, including religious education classroom teachers. It is also designed for Church leaders, youth ministers or others who educate and form young people. For a video introduction click here.

The Program provides opportunities for faith formation and leadership development in evangelisation and the skills and understanding to be able to apply this practically in Catholic schools and other Church ministry contexts.

SPIRITUS can be undertaken as a professional learning program or units of academic study. Within Australia, it can be undertaken at Master’s level – AQF Level 8 providing pathways into Masters of Religious Education, Educational Leadership and Theology. It is presented by experienced and contemporary lecturers in the field either face to face or online.

The SPIRITUS programs include:

Part 1: Faith Formation and the New Evangelisation (EDNE600) Learn more

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Part 2: Creating Centres of the New Evangelisation: Catholic Schools, Parishes and Church Ministries (EDNE601) Learn more

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A retreat experience called Porta Fidei. Click here for video introduction.

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Extensions

Part 3: Leading Evangelisation. Leading staff and student formation strategies as high-impact strategies in the renewal of schools as centres of evangelisation.

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Part 4: Mission Experience in Church Ministry (EDNE602) Explores the Church's evangelising mission through participation in a ministry project with others in a ministry team or as an individual.

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Several Australian dioceses recognise SPIRITUS as a program that contributes to gaining and maintaining accreditation to lead, teach Religious Education and teach in a Catholic school. Graduates of SPIRITUS may also apply for recognition and certification as a SPIRITUS Leader of Evangelisation.

SPIRITUS can and has been offered in various modes.

In person with leaders and staff gathering at a suitable venue to complete Part 1 and/or Part 2.

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Online using a video conferencing software and the program resource platform at clfn.org which contains outlines, course notes, worksheets and multimedia resources.

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Integrated within an international study tour including studies and formation in London, Rome and Assisi. View a sample program here.

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SPIRITUS has been held in Australia for leaders in the Arch/Dioceses of Brisbane, Broken Bay, Canberra and Goulburn, Hobart, Melbourne, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Townsville, Wagga Wagga. It has been held

internationally in East Africa- Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda; New Zealand - Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch; United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Ireland.

SPIRITUS has been evaluated highly as a most significant, indeed transformative learning and formation experience. To view testimonials, click here.

Spiritus Lead

Whilst SPIRITUS has been highly evaluated by participants, in order to realise its full potential, it needs to be explicity connected and embedded within school and system-wide strategic Catholic identity and mission development plans. Spiritus Lead is a strategic Catholic school mission renewal program and formation program. It seeks to build the confidence and capacity of leaders and educators to lead the renewal of Catholic schools as centres of evangelisation. It can include system-wide implementation.

SPIRITUS LEAD is built around the two high impact strategies of leader and teacher formation for mission and student formation for peer-to-peer youth ministry. It consists of three interrelated phases implemented over a three to four-year period aimed at renewing the faith community, culture and curriculum of a Catholic school and Catholic school system.

Spiritus Lead

The three phases would typically be implemented sequentially. However, where SPIRITUS has been offered to school leaders over recent years and where Catholic School Youth Ministry International has been implemented over several years, the phases could be actioned simultaneously.

Phase 1: Leader Formation  Learn more

Project planning and briefing

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Initial Formation - Spiritus Parts 1 and 2

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Phase 2: Leading Evangelisation  Learn more

Ongoing Formation - Spiritus Part 3, Spiritus Leaders Network, Oceania

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Formation of students for youth ministry

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Post school youth ministers

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Phase 3: Training & Licensing

SPIRITUS LEAD graduates are trained to be able to present SPIRITUS Parts 1-3 as professional learning and to lead and facilitate school and system planning and implementation. Licensing arrangements enable dioceses to run the program themselves with ACU support.

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Graduates of SPIRITUS LEAD may apply for recognition and certification as SPIRITUS Leader and Catholic School Youth Ministry International (CSYMI) Educator.

SPIRITUS Leaders Network

The SPIRITUS Leaders Network (SLN) is a professional learning and formation network for leaders in Catholic schools, parishes, dioceses and other Church organisations engaged in evangelisation. Schools implementing Catholic Schools Youth Ministry International (CSYMI) are members of the Network.

The SLN is a fruit of the partnership between Catholic Schools Youth Ministry International (CSYMI) and the Australian Catholic University’s La Salle Academy. The SLN is managed by Catholic Schools Youth Ministry International.

The SLN brings together Catholic leaders, educators, and others for prayer, learning, formation, and sharing with peers in similar ministries and roles so that they can more effectively evangelise. It is a response to recognition at all levels of Church leadership that formation for Church leaders is critical to the Church’s mission into the future. Despite new forms of social media and communication, Church leaders rarely enjoy the spiritual nourishment and fellowship of journeying with other Church leaders. The SLN is open to all church leaders and membership does not require completion of a Spiritus Program.

Faith formation seminars are held for Network members each term providing opportunities for prayer, formation, conversation and sharing with other school and Church leaders.

Through completing SPIRITUS and with access to the resources of CSYMI and the Network, SLN members will be equipped to lead the following programs in their school and Church context.

Porta Fidei retreat experiences

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The Forming Leaders Series (Calledand Essentials for Faith Leadership)

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CSYMI Primary (Junior) and the Secondary Youth Ministry Programs

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Members of the SLN also have access to discounted Catholic education conferences such as A Current of Grace (2024) and the annual Oceania Evangelisation Program

  • "As the leader of the evangelisation team at Catholic Schools Broken Bay, I sought a program to develop staff into faith leaders. Spiritus was the perfect fit, offering high-quality lectures on Church documents, discussions on the role of schools in evangelisation, fellowship with like-minded colleagues, and a retreat experience called 'Porta Fidei' that included prayer and the sacraments. It has proven to be a powerful faith experience, and we are now implementing it system-wide with Principals, RECs, and emerging faith leaders."

    Simon Hyland, Deputy Workstream Lead Evangelisation, Catholic Schools Broken Bay, Australia.

  • "The program covered a wide range of essential topics for Catholic educators. I gained valuable insights into the New Evangelisation and the role schools play in the Church's mission of spreading the Gospel. It was inspiring to see the diverse and practical ways Catholic education leaders can be formed through the Spiritus program. Catholic Schools Youth Ministry International (CSYMI) is a transformative initiative and vital for ensuring that the Church will have dedicated disciples and young people actively engaged in the mission of evangelisation."

    Nicholas Kisu Muasya, National Executive Secretary, Commission for Education & Religious Education, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops – General Secretariat.

  • "It was a fantastic few days together, seeing where the Holy Spirit is leading us in the New Evangelisation today. Speaking about kerygmatic Catholicism that enlivens young people and draws their faith out in full measure. Learning about how youth can evangelise youth. Learning about what it means to be a chief evangeliser in your school. I want to personally endorse this, I learnt so much and made some contributions and I came back full of hope and aware that God is doing something new. I think this Program is on the cutting edge that the Holy Spirit is doing in the Catholic world at the moment. Why don’t you think about joining the next Spiritus Program?"

    Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Australia.

  • "Did Spiritus Roma 2024 draw participants into a deeper engagement with the life and mission of the Catholic Faith? Absolutely. We were invited to critically explore the Church's vision of Catholic schools as centres of evangelisation, examining key Church documents on the New Evangelisation. We engaged in meaningful reflection on student formation and ministry within Catholic schools. The experience was nothing short of transformative—rewarding, educative, inspiring, and profoundly prayerful."

    Chris Cully, Principal, St Jerome’s Primary School Western Australia.

  • "Once again, Spiritus 2024 provided a superb mix of spiritual nourishment, academic learning and leadership inspiration uniting Catholic education leaders from different cultural contexts and educational systems. The structure facilitated those new to Catholic school leadership and those further on in their leadership journey. Underpinning the whole event was an enriching time of prayer and worship in sacramental and retreat opportunities. I returned home with a well-resourced action plan for the further development of evangelisation in my school and with a re-energised focus on the faith leadership role in my community."

    Paul Neves, Headteacher, John F. Kennedy Catholic School, Hollybush Lane, England.

  • "Spiritus has not only given the participants the key to unlocking the New Evangelisation for our young people in schools and parishes, but the strength to push open the doors too. The Program was sensitively created to offer human, spiritual, pastoral and intellectual formation. The days were full of deep discussion, fraternal sharing, prayerful reflection and a profound sense of hope and joy. We look forward to the fruits of this work and growing the network of faith-full Catholic leaders in the coming years."

    Barbara Coupar, Director Scottish Catholic Education Service.