The Ignatian Spirituality Centre of Montreal will offer the Spiritual Accompaniment Formation Program, Year 1, beginning with a summer intensive, and continuing in the Fall and Winter with a combination of online meetings and in-person weekend training sessions.
Program Overview
Are you called to become a spiritual director?
- Do people feel secure in sharing their thoughts and feelings with you?
- Do you enjoy helping others evolve in their day-to-day lives?
- Do you work or volunteer in a spiritual or pastoral setting?
- Have you made the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola?
- Have you been receiving spiritual direction for a few years?
If you’re answering Yes to most of these questions, you may want to consider applying to our Spiritual Accompaniment Formation Program!
About the program
Spiritual accompaniment is a calling to guide others on their life journey, through a personal prayer practice and by receiving spiritual direction.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Basic principles of Ignatian spirituality
- Listening and accompaniment skills
- Images of God
- Rules for the Discernment of Spirits, Movements of the Spirit, Conversion cycle
- Human, faith, and spiritual development notions.
Program Duration: Four years
- Years 1 and 2 will allow you to gain a deep understanding of the ministry of spiritual accompaniment, and to develop foundational skills.
- Years 3 and 4 will focus on how to accompany others in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
Students will receive an attestation of studies after the first two years. Students who successfully complete the four-year program will receive an accreditation.
Our methodology
The ISCM believes in a formation process of the whole person, based on developing three pillars – Being, Doing and Knowing – that are essential for a spiritual director to create a sacred space to “capture and hold” on to another person’s story. To support this training, we use:
- Teachings, Readings, Case Studies, Real plays
- Experiential learnings to build on your personal qualities and listening and accompaniment skills
- Large/small group discussions and feedback, Peer/individual supervision sessions
- Spiritual Conversation in the Ignatian tradition
- Supervised accompaniment beginning in Year Two
Admission criteria
- Received at least two years of spiritual accompaniment from an Ignatian Spiritual Director
- Belong to a recognized Christian-based community
- Made the full Spiritual Exercises; we may consider candidates willing to make the Exercises in Year 2 if they want to complete Years 3 and 4 of the program.
- Recommendation from your Spiritual Director
- Recommendation from someone well acquainted with your work or volunteer efforts in a spiritual or pastoral setting
- Complete the Candidate Application Form and Questionnaire