Most of the Formation Days are presented on the magnificent University of St. Mary of the Lake Campus where nine hundred acres provide a sacred space that's close enough to get to, but far enough to get away.  During breaks or at the end of a formation day, you can walk the trails and enjoy the lavish natural and man-made beauty of this remarkable campus.

All formation days include hot lunch in the spacious Dining Hall of Mundelein Seminary. 

 Formation - Year I
2010-2011
CALENDAR AND LISTING

FORMATION CALENDAR - YEAR I

FORMATION LISTING - YEAR I

Opening Retreat

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This retreat introduces the whole year’s focus on personal spirituality. Spirituality is presented as the way one copes with life, one’s basic attitudes and behaviors. Emphasis is placed on the spirituality of the Real - the way God works through the real events of our lives - rather than the spirituality of the Ideal - a frame work in which individuals are striving to live up to some unattainable concept of what life should be about.

Input, reflection, small group sharing, prayer, and ritual are used to assist the participants in naming their present situation in the spiritual life. The retreat closes by setting one’s personal spiritual growth in the context of the Church’s understanding of spiritual growth - the Paschal Mystery of Jesus.

Growth Begins With Self-Knowledge

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Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, participants (a) learn more about their own personality, (b) discover the implications of their personality Type for spiritual growth, (c) grow in understanding how people are legitimately different from each other, and (d) learn to see that differences can be gifts. Participants are invited to bring one guest who participates fully in the day. This firsthand experience of a part of the program can help build support and understanding among spouses and close friends.

Communication Skills for Ministry

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This day is based on the conviction that genuine, respectful mutual relationships are important, indeed essential, for ministry. As a foundation for those relationships, the day offers experience-based skills training and emphasis the urgency of utilizing effective communication in every dimension of life and ministry.

Specifically, participants are challenged to develop the skills of reflective listening, conflict management, and assertion. These days avoids a “skills only” approach by providing a scriptural and theological understanding of the psychology of human interaction and by examining how the various communications skills are components not only of the good mental health but of living the gospel as well. While these skills are useful in many settings, their exercise in ministry situations receives special attention.

Identifying Values and Gifts

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Participants name the values which motivate them and identify the gifts they have used in significant life situations. Roadblocks and resources for living-out one’s values are considered. A profile sheet, drawn up by each participant, summarizes key personality traits, priority values, and personal gifts.

Mariology and Devotional Piety

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No woman holds a higher place in the Catholic consciousness than Mary of Nazareth, the Mother of Jesus. The first part of this formation day will explore the following:

• Mary’s role in salvation history
• Mary as model of Discipleship
• Marian dogmas
• Marian titles and their implicit theology
• The rosary and other Marian devotions
• Marian apparitions and the Church’s stance

There are many other devotions that feed the soul of Catholics. Another goal of this day is to look at the role devotions play in the life of the Church and to explore how devotions and devotional practices have changed since Vatican II. The prayer life of the Church needs to focus on both the transcendent and the immanent. Devotions seem to connect people with both. The principle areas of focus for the second part of the day will be:

• Eucharistic Devotions
• Culture and devotions
• Role of the miraculous
• New age impact on devotions
• Evaluating devotions
• Role of devotions in parish life.

Church and Culture

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This day introduces participants to the tensions and the trends at work in the larger Church of today. The inculturation of faith is explored by focusing on the interplay of religious culture and social culture, and on the challenge of pluralism in Karl Rahner’s “third epoch” of Christianity. Presenters from the Latino, African-American, Asian and Eastern European communities offer insights on the cultural and ecclesial aspects of their respective communities.

SUMMER FORMATION ASSIGNMENTS
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Press to Open / Print this Summer Assignments in Microsoft Word

Summer Reading - Participants meet with a partner or in discussion group conversations on their reading.

Ministry Visit - (Summer to fall) Participants visit a social service ministry in a cross-cultural setting. The visit and subsequent reflection serve to widen participants’ experience of ministry and cultural plurality.

 Formation - Year II
2010-2011
CALENDAR AND LISTING
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FORMATION CALENDAR - YEAR II

FORMATION LISTING - YEAR II

The Art of Theological Reflection

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This day introduces the basic tool of second year formation. In order to live life more consciously, participants learn a method of theological reflection through an experience/explanation format. The process includes sharing an experience of ministry in narrative form, expressing feelings and context of the experience in a metaphor, then finding parallel and/or contrasting expression in the tradition. To further develop theological reflection skills, after subsequent formation days, participants are given written theological reflection assignments related to the content of the day. Participants will be able to enrich their ministerial activities with the skills of theological reflections: breaking open life experience, naming and deepening the stance of faith.
 

Peace & Justice I

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Living the gospel calls for going beyond a “me and Jesus mentality to recognizing that each Christian must bring Christ into the marketplace in an effort to make this a more just world. Building the kingdom involves more than caring for fellow parishioners. It calls us to recognize that God’s reign becomes visible among us when the hungry are fed and the naked are clothed, when widows and orphans are cared for, and when the oppressed are liberated.

These days will stress and examine how working for peace and justice is deeply rooted in biblical spirituality; that the church has a rich tradition of social documents calling the world to be a just and peaceful society; and specific strategies for facilitating a ministry of peace & justice in parishes.

Mariology and Devotional Piety

Back to Calendar Year II

No woman holds a higher place in the Catholic consciousness than Mary of Nazareth, the Mother of Jesus. The first part of this formation day will explore the following:

• Mary’s role in salvation history
• Mary as model of Discipleship
• Marian dogmas
• Marian titles and their implicit theology
• The rosary and other Marian devotions
• Marian apparitions and the Church’s stance

There are many other devotions that feed the soul of Catholics. Another goal of this day is to look at the role devotions play in the life of the Church and to explore how devotions and devotional practices have changed since Vatican II. The prayer life of the Church needs to focus on both the transcendent and the immanent. Devotions seem to connect people with both. The principle areas of focus for the second part of the day will be:

• Eucharistic Devotions
• Culture and devotions
• Role of the miraculous
• New age impact on devotions
• Evaluating devotions
• Role of devotions in parish life.

Church and Culture (

Back to Calendar Year II

This day introduces participants to the tensions and the trends at work in the larger Church of today. The inculturation of faith is explored by focusing on the interplay of religious culture and social culture, and on the challenge of pluralism in Karl Rahner’s “third epoch” of Christianity. Presenters from the Latino, African-American, Asian and Eastern European communities offer insights on the cultural and ecclesial aspects of their respective communities.

My Place in the Parish

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Participants are asked to integrate their understanding of their spirituality and gifts for ministry vis-à-vis the realistic context within which they will be ministering. They are challenged to examine their views of collaboration vs. competition and how these relate to their ministerial style.

Closing Retreat

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Focuses on their growth in ministry during the program years. Participants identify, communally and individually, the factors and dynamics which give them self-confidence as they leave the program and move into ministry. They probe their needs for ongoing support, growth and formation.