An EducareM programme
Emmaus Programme
Forming spiritual guides to walk alongside Catholic headteachers through attentive listening, prayer and discernment.
Walk • Listen • Discern
Accompaniment for Catholic leaders
The Emmaus Programme was created in response to Catholic headteachers who, following the National Retreat, sought continuing spiritual direction and accompaniment.
Emmaus trains and forms spiritual guides who can offer serving Catholic headteachers a regular, prayerful space to reflect and discern. It is spiritual accompaniment: it is not educational consultancy, performance management, coaching or counselling.
A substantial formation journey
How the programme works
The formation combines regular learning, personal experience, retreat and supervised practice.
Nine months
A sustained journey allowing skills, prayer and discernment to develop over time.
Monthly sessions
Half-day weekday formation sessions held once each month.
Guided retreat
A residential, individually guided retreat forming participants through experience.
Residential training
A further residential weekend focused on practice, reflection and next steps.
A collaborative programme
Rooted in shared experience
The programme brings together expertise in Catholic education, Ignatian spirituality and the formation of those who accompany others.
EducareM
Supporting Catholic education, leadership and the National Retreat.
CISC
Jesuit Institute
The potential guide
Who are we looking for?
There is no single type of spiritual guide. The programme seeks practising Catholics whose prayer, experience, listening and availability could help another person notice God’s presence and discern faithfully.
Course outline
Eight areas of formation
Participants develop the spiritual, relational, ethical and practical foundations required for responsible accompaniment.
Introduction
Leadership in Catholic education; why spiritual accompaniment; varieties of accompaniment; an Ignatian model of spiritual conversation.
Listening
Skills of active listening and the core conditions of a helpful, respectful relationship.
Discernment of spirits
What the guide listens for; noticing God at work; Ignatian guidelines for discernment.
Images of God
How people perceive God; the influence of God-image on faith, prayer and self-image.
Decision-making
Faith-focused decisions, accompanying discernment and practical tools for decision-making.
Psychology and accompaniment
Recognising distress, understanding the limits of competence and knowing when and how to refer.
Ethics and boundaries
Good practice, appropriate boundaries, virtue ethics and learning through case studies.
Residential conference
Practical issues in accompaniment, finding appropriate support and discerning what comes next.
“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.”Luke 24:14–15
Could you walk alongside a Catholic headteacher?
Contact EducareM to ask about future Emmaus formation and the current application process.