Office of Ministry Formation: Community Formation

The Kateri Institute affirms and promotes ministry formation that occurs within community. For it is in community that participants can more clearly and readily grow in the human aspects of their formation. Here they can discover their gifts for ministry and how God may be calling them to use their gifts within their parish, deanery or region. At the same time, participants can gently recognize the traits and abilities they lack and joyfully reverence the gifts that others bring.

Part of each session includes gathering for prayer and theological reflection as small community groups of 6 to 8 participants. Groups are facilitated by a member of the Institute site staff. Groups are designated by Institute staff prior to the opening retreat experience. These same groups continue throughout the three year process in order to allow for substantive community building.

Flowing from this community formation, participants are asked to complete a Mid-Program Self-Reflection which allows each person and his/her assigned site staff person to affirm growth and new discoveries about self, others, and ministry. It also encourages participants in areas for further development.  At the end of the program, participants engage in an End of Program Discernment Process with their pastor/administrator/parish life director to discern how they will use their gifts for ministry within the local community.