Skip to main content

Saint Remy Initiative

Creating a spiritual & professional community where Catholic school educators thrive

The Saint Remy Initiative is a collaboration between the UD Center for Catholic Education and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. This professional learning community is designed to broaden participants’ understanding of their own spiritual formation to enhance their effectiveness as Catholic educators. With an ongoing theme of spiritual formation, Saint Remy provides Catholic school principals and teachers an opportunity to strengthen their knowledge and skills in the spiritual, educational and organizational dimensions of their ministry.

More than 20 local Catholic schools are served by Saint Remy. Teams of three from each school are invited to participate: the principal and two teacher leaders. Each team develops a school-wide project for enhancing the Catholic identity within their school.

As one teacher put it: “More than anything, Saint Remy has allowed me to share my faith and grow with other Catholic educators. They understand my struggles and they listen. I consider this faith formation and teacher formation – the best I have ever received. Nothing before has given me what I have received from St. Remy. This is priceless!”

  • 3

    members per school team

  • 20

    local Catholic schools served

  • 2007

    Saint Remy Initiative established

Supporting Catholic Schools

Participants take part in sessions that are tied to the four pillars of the Saint Remy Initiative — 1) Spiritual: Develop relationship with God & Church so educators can be strong witnesses of faith, 2) Professional: Develop skills in order to be more effective educators, 3) Personal: Foster personal growth and develop the emotional IQ necessary for modeling discipleship to students, and 4) Leadership: Develop leadership skills that will help individuals build a culture of faith in schools.

The four main components of the Saint Remy Initiative are 1) Pilgrimage, 2) Class/Cohort Days, 3) School Project, and 4) Retreat. Each of these components are designed to help participants engage in discussion, develop their relationship with God, and build community.

Explore Program Components

The name "Saint Remy Initiative" was suggested by Brother Ed Brink, former Director of the UD Center for Catholic Education. He discovered that the first Marianist Normal School for the Professional Development of Christian Teachers was founded in 1824 by Blessed Father Chaminade in Saint Remy de Provence, France. Father Chaminade believed that too much emphasis was placed on the acquiring of skills for the teacher and not enough time is spent in forming the heart of the Catholic school teacher. He described his vision for normal schools that would serve in the formation of Catholic school educators as one of his principal undertakings “the one which is closest to my heart and generally interests me most.” We feel this same vision is at the heart of our initiative, and that Saint Remy is an appropriate name for it.

CONTACT

Saint Remy Initiative

Fitz Hall, Room 652
300 College Park
Dayton, Ohio 45469 - 2967
937-229-3778
Email

20

local Catholic schools served