Elaborations Spiritual Formation

Elaborations - spiritual formation (EFF)

Spiritual formation in a Catholic school occurs within the context of the Catholic Christian faith tradition. Such formation is orientated to the spiritual growth of each individual and the spiritual flourishing of the school community.

Spiritual formation is sensitive to the faith background and life journey of individuals within the community. School communities recognise moments and opportunities for formation and find ways to nurture the spirituality of each individual in ways that respect their religious background and their informed conscience.

Planning formation for students EFF1

• Adapting spirituality and faith formation frameworks to enhance the spiritual formation of students (e.g. BCE Spiritual Formation Framework, frameworks related to the charism of Religious Institutes) EFF1.1
• Providing faith formation experiences for potential student leaders (e.g. retreats, pilgrimages, meditation and prayer experiences, online discussion forums) EFF1.2
• Supporting and resourcing staff to collaboratively plan and facilitate retreat and reflection experiences for students EFF1.3
• Seeking out opportunities to integrate formation experiences into class and year level camps and trips EFF1.4

Responding to diversity EFF2

• Incorporating data from the religious profile of students into the planning of spiritual formation experiences (e.g. students from diverse Christian denominations, students from religions other than Christianity) EFF2.1
• Celebrating the religious unity and diversity within the school community by inviting representatives of other faith communities to participate in specific events EFF2.2

Seeking creative expressions EFF3

• Providing opportunities for students to develop and express spiritual awareness through the arts (Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music, Visual Arts) EFF3.1
• Exploring creative ways of promoting an awareness of the spiritual dimension of life (e.g. podcasts, blogs, books, articles, websites, discussion circles, a lunchtime speakers’ corner, panel discussions) EFF3.2
• Utilising resources and developing activities that enrich and nurture an appreciation of the wide variety of spiritual charisms within the Christian tradition (e.g. Benedictine, Franciscan, Marist, Josephite, Edmund Rice, Presentation and Mercy) EFF3.3