Lay Spiritan Associates
-
Lay Spiritan AssociatesLay People on Mission with the U.S. Spiritans -
-
What is a Lay Spiritan Associate
Lay Spiritan Associates are [Catholic lay] men and women of diverse backgrounds who are attracted, by the witness of Spiritans, to the Spiritan way of life. Over time, and with Spiritan accompaniment or encouragement, they recognize a distinct “calling” or “vocation” to closer association with the Spiritan family.
-
BackForwardPauseCaption
-
-
-
The “vocation” to be a Lay Spiritan Associate originates with the Holy Spirit and frequently arises from participation in a Spiritan parish or Eucharistic community, exposure to a Spiritan educational institution, a Spiritan mission, or simply through encountering Spiritans – lay or professed - in one’s ordinary life events. The vocation of Lay Spiritan Associate arises organically and complements, rather than displaces, the various primary vocations to marriage, family life, single life, and career. Two expressions of the Lay Spiritan Associate vocation are commonly called “Spiritan Friends” and “Lay Spiritans”.
-
-
Forms of Association
-
Spiritan Friends
Spiritan Friends are associates who are attracted to and identify with various aspects of Spiritan spirituality, community, and mission. They are organized into local, independent, and largely autonomous groups who support, collaborate with, or carry on a Spiritan mission. These could be colleagues at a Spiritan educational institution or a group raising funds for Spiritan seminarians or Spiritan projects locally or abroad. They could be groups in a Spiritan parish providing prayer support or other service to the parish community. They could also be groups that are inspired by the Spiritan charism and share a common interest related to service to the marginalized or to various issues related to justice and peace or the integrity of creation. They are recognized by the local province, share some aspects of Spiritan life, spirituality, and mission, and are accompanied by a Professed or Lay Spiritan.
-
Lay Spiritan Communities
Lay Spiritans are associates who identify strongly with all aspects of Spiritan spirituality, community, and mission and are called to a deeper and more comprehensive integration with the province and wider congregation. They participate in deliberative bodies such as chapters and assemblies, serve on provincial committees, and may be invited to serve the governing council that advises the Provincial.
Lay Spiritans go through a period of informal association (quite possibly as Spiritan Friends) and then enter an intensive period of formation that focuses on the Spiritan charism and history and the three interconnected dimensions of Spiritan life: spirituality, community, and mission. The formation lasts a minimum of two years after which Lay Spiritan candidates may petition the Spiritan Provincial and Lay Spiritan leadership to make a formal and public life commitment to embrace the Spiritan charism and Spiritan way of life.
Lay Spiritans embody the Spiritan way of life through personal and communal prayer, participating in community life and ongoing formation, simple living, and by engaging actively in some form of Spiritan mission. They take on responsible roles in continuing formation and vocations outreach. They provide direct service to the Spiritan Province through committee service and participation in deliberative bodies.
-
-
-
Process for Becoming a Spiritan Friend
The process of becoming a Spiritan Friend normally begins with an attraction to aspects of Spiritan spirituality, community, or mission and advances with an invitation from a Spiritan – lay or professed – to “come and see” and enter a period of inquiry lasting at least one year (and preferably longer). During this time interested persons are encouraged to participate in the life of the Spiritan Family (Lay Spiritans and professed Spiritans) in some or all of the following ways:- Attend mass regularly at a Spiritan Parish, Spiritan Center or Spiritan educational institution
- Attend Spiritan events at the local parish, Spiritan Center or educational institution
- Participate in a Spiritan ministry with Lay or professed Spiritans
- Learn about the Charism and Spiritan founders by viewing
- Spiritan videos and reading materials about Spiritans
- Mornings of Reflection videos on Lay Spiritan website
- Meet informally with Lay or professed Spiritans to process what one is learning, explore Spiritan spirituality, and ask questions.
- Attend monthly (3rd Friday) virtual Lay Spiritan Evening of Reflection with informal sharing and an opportunity to ask questions.
- Attend at least one “come and see” event (offered 3x/year in January, May, and September) in order to witness the Spiritan and Lay Spiritan community and take a “deeper dive” into Spiritan spiritualty and Spiritan Charism as well as other topics.
Following this period of informal association with members of the Spiritan family (Lay Spiritans and professed Spiritans), laity who identity with the Spiritan Charism and fell called to a closer association with the Congregation may request to join an existing group of Spiritan Friends or unite with others who feel a similar calling, and request to create a new group of Spiritan friends with a designated Spiritan accompanier.
Spiritan Friends are most often involved in a Spiritan parish or Spiritan educational ministry as an employee or volunteer, meet several times a year for on-going formation to learn more about the founders and Spiritan Spirituality.
Spiritan Friends are officially welcomed into the Spiritan family with a ritual during one of the Spiritan feast days.
-
-
Lay Spiritan Formation
-
Process for Becoming a Lay Spiritan
Laity who are interested in becoming Lay Spiritans are invited to become Spiritan Friends first. After a year or more as an active Spiritan Friend, if one recognizes a deeper vocational call and identification with the Spiritan Charism and the Congregation, including prayer, community and mission, he/she may formally request to enter a Lay Spiritan “formation cohort” and begin the period of more intense formation which lasts a minimum of two years.
The formation program consists of the following elements:- Monthly meetings that include
- Prayer
- Reflection on the writings of Spiritan founders, Spiritan Chapter documents, articles and other important resources
- Small group and large group discussion on the readings/presentations
- Discernment of ministry
- Vocation stories and sharing of one’s life journey at this point in time
- An annual Lay Spiritan retreat
- Invitations to participate in Spiritan activities that are important to the life of the U.S. Province.
- Celebration of Spiritan feast days and Pentecost with members of the province.
The formation program is revised for every new cohort and designed to meet the needs of the incoming group. For on-going formation Lay Spiritans, who have made a previous commitment, participate in these activities and serve as mentors for those in formation. - Monthly meetings that include
-
Process for Final Discernment of Lay Spiritan VocationAfter successfully completing a minimum of a 2-year formation program, attending all sessions and completing all the other requirements, the Lay Spiritan candidate will discern his/her vocation with the Lay Spiritan Leadership Team and Spiritan Accompanier through reflection and prayer.
The candidate writes a letter of request to the Lay Spiritan Leadership Team and Provincial Council. In this letter of request, the candidate includes the following:- Describe how they have grown spiritually through the formation program
- Describe how they are living and identify with Spiritan spirituality, community and mission.
- Describe how they hope to become a contributing member of the Lay Spiritan community and Spiritan family.
- Describe their apostolic ministry
-
Period of Commitment
The initial commitment is for a period of three years, as is a second and third commitment. After each period of three years, the Lay Spiritan will follow the same outline indicated above, writing a letter to the Lay Spiritan Leadership Team and Provincial Council.
After six years the person will make one more three-year commitment for a total of nine years.
After nine years, the candidate may apply for the permanent Lay Spiritan Associate status or continue making successive three-year commitments. -
Choosing Lay Spiritan Ministry
Lay Spiritans in formation discern a ministry that fits the Charism of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit such as service to the poorest of the poor and to people where are workers are reluctant to serve.
Considerations include…- Seriously consider your role in existing Spiritan ministries.
- Look at the feasibility of developing an outreach//ministry appropriate to your skills and abilities within your local parish or community
- Consider engaging jointly with other Spiritans and Lay Spiritan Associates in new collaborative ministries.
-
-
-
Lay Spiritan Formation GuideThis guide was created by Dr. Anne Marie Hansen, while serving as the Scholar in Residence, Center for Spiritan Studies, 2015-2016 with edits made to the document in 2018. After eight additional years of experience with three 2-year cohorts of new Lay Spiritans in formation, Dr. Hansen is now updating this document and seeking feedback from the Lay Spiritan leadership team.
-
-
-
Past Formation Plans
- 2023-2024 Formation Program Plan
- Lay Spiritan Formation & On-going Formation Morning of Reflection TEMPLATE
- 2022: On-going Formation Schedule
- 2022: Lay Spiritan Introductory and Inquiry Series
- Fall 2019 – Summer 2020 - Lay Spiritan Initial Formation & On-Going Formation
- July 2017 -2018 On-going Formation
- 2016-2017 Formation Program
- Two Year Formation Program: 2009 - 2011
-
