Why Spiritus International
Diocesan Implementation?

In 2007, the Bishops of NSW and ACT in Catholic Schools at a Crossroads wrote, “The formation of our Catholic school leaders and teachers is crucial for the achievement of the goals of this Pastoral Letter…. the challenge is how best to form them.” (2007, p.16) Ten years later, in the Introduction to the National Catholic Education Commission document, A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education, the Commission noted that:

“Bishops, diocesan education offices, religious institutes, public juridic persons and leaders at school level have identified the need for systematic, developmental and well-resourced programs for the evangelisation and spiritual growth of school, system and other community members as a priority.”  (p.5)

Formation, Becoming More Missionary and Fostering Collegiality

In 2021, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference identified three priorities for the Conference to pursue, namely: Formation, Becoming More Missionary and Fostering Collegiality. In 2022, the Australian Plenary Council issued Decree 6 on Formation and Leadership for Mission and Ministry and articulated the need for the formation of leaders, ministers and lay people throughout several other decrees.

The formation of staff as witnesses in Catholic schools can no longer be simply contracted out to guest speakers to facilitate spirituality days on a one-off basis with little or no preparation or follow up, for staff they cannot know well, and in a context of which they have limited knowledge. It must increasingly be appreciated as the work of predominantly lay leaders working together, ‘broken and blessed’ in their humanity and at various stages of their faith journey. These leaders will know their colleagues and the school’s community and culture well. They will need ample opportunities to form themselves and be ever better equipped to lead evangelisation. They need support from local parish clergy, arch/diocesan Catholic education and other Church leaders and organisations and movements.

The meaning of the word ‘formation’ is informed by A Framework for formation for mission in Catholic Education (2017):

“Faith formation of Catholic school community members is Christ-centred. It is an intentional, ongoing and reflective process that focuses on the growth of individuals and communities from their lived experiences, in spiritual awareness, theological understanding, vocational motivation and capabilities for mission and service in the Church and the world.”

Formation that is Christ-centred seeks to facilitate transformative encounters with God, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit that draw people deeper into communion with the Church as missionary disciples. It is an intentional, ongoing and reflective process. As argued by Archbishop Coleridge, “Leadership doesn’t just happen; it is the result of a pattern of formation” (Called, Session 1). SPIRITUS Diocesan Implementation seeks to provide a strategic approach to initial and ongoing formation necessary for the evangelisation of leaders, teachers and students in a Catholic school for the work of renewing Catholic schools as centres of evangelisation.

A foundational conviction of SPIRITUS International Diocesan Implementation is that the renewal of the life and mission of Catholic schools must be strategically planned around the effective implementation of two high-impact, inextricably linked formation for mission strategies: (i) School leader and teacher formation and (ii) student formation for a peer-to-peer ministry with other young people. These high-impact strategies must be planned, led and facilitated by lay school leaders and resourced by Catholic school systems, diocesan, and tertiary institutions.

Benefits of SPIRITUS International Diocesan Implementation

Some of the key benefits of SPIRITUS International Diocesan Implementation include:

  • A Catholic school system approach to forming and equipping school leaders, teachers, ministry leaders and student leaders for the work of evangelisation in schools.

  • The formation for school leaders, teachers and student leaders to develop the necessary confidence and capacity required to lead the work of evangelisation in schools. As leaders and teachers are formed their arch/diocesan accreditation is maintained.

  • Ensuring the future of Catholic schools in the arch/diocese by focusing on forming existing and future Catholic school leaders and teachers, especially teachers of Religious Education.

  • Its potential to transform or renew Catholic schools as places of ‘integral education’ where faith, life, religion and culture are integrated within the school’s community, culture and curriculum.