EducareM support for Catholic leaders
Spiritual accompaniment
A prayerful, attentive space for Catholic headteachers to pause, reflect and notice how God is at work in their life and leadership.
Walk • Listen • Discern
What is a spiritual guide?
A trained spiritual guide walks alongside another person as their spiritual life and relationship with God develop.
The guide offers attentive listening, encouragement and companionship, helping a person notice and explore how God may be working in and through the ordinary experiences, decisions and challenges of life.
A reflective conversation
What to expect
The focus is not on quick answers. It is on making room to listen more deeply and discern faithfully.
Pause
Step away from the pace and demands of school leadership.
Notice
Attend to the movements, questions and invitations present in your experience.
Discern
Reflect prayerfully on where God may be leading and what matters most.
Respond
Return to life and leadership with greater freedom, clarity and attentiveness.
For Catholic headteachers
Space for the person within the role
Headship is demanding. The responsibility of leading a Catholic school and its faith community can bring an additional depth of vocation, challenge and discernment.
A spiritual guide provides space to reflect on key moments, attend to your relationship with God and explore your ministry as a leader serving the Church’s mission in education.
A place to bring
- The joys and pressures of leading a Catholic school
- Questions about vocation, faith and purpose
- Important choices or moments of transition
- Experiences of consolation, challenge or uncertainty
- A desire to deepen prayer and attentiveness to God
A distinct kind of support
What accompaniment is — and is not
Clear expectations allow the relationship to remain prayerful, respectful and focused on spiritual growth.
Spiritual accompaniment is
- A space to speak, listen and reflect prayerfully
- Companionship as you notice God’s presence and action
- Support for discernment, faith and spiritual growth
- Centred on your lived experience and relationship with God
It is not
- Mentoring or professional coaching
- Educational consultancy or performance management
- A place where someone else supplies the answers
- A substitute for specialist pastoral, medical or therapeutic support
Headteachers’ reflections
What others have said
“I have told myself for the last six years of Headship that I have not got time to do this. I’m too busy. It is too much of an indulgence… I was wrong!”
“The Spiritual Guide is an excellent idea. One I have considered before but never managed to arrange. Now I can.”
“I already have one and I think it is marvellous to offer it to others.”
You do not have to carry leadership alone.
Make time to pause, listen and discern with a companion on the road.