Resources
Program Components
During the annual pilgrimage (held in the summer), Saint Remy participants travel to destinations that represent the rich cultural heritage of Catholic schools in our area. Participants also spend time in prayerful reflection and spiritual centering.
- Faith sharing: Participants start the day discussing a writing from Thomas Merton and sharing their personal experience of faith based on the reading.
- Learning teams: Every class day, a speaker will be invited to share their knowledge in the areas of personal growth, spirituality, leadership and education. Saint Remy participants will discuss information and gain insights that lead to personal, spiritual and professional growth.
- Community building: Because establishing community is such a vital part of Saint Remy, there is a community building activity every class day that fosters a culture of positive relationships.
- Planning teams: In an effort to foster leadership and collaboration, Saint Remy is a self-organizing program. Participants spend a small amount of time in various teams to plan the retreat day, pilgrimage, school projects and other activities for the year.
- Principal sessions: Principals gather for two afternoon sessions. One session is to study and discuss an assigned book related to leadership. The second session is an open forum, which allows principals to discuss issues they are facing in their schools and share ideas for effective school management.
- Professional learning communities: At the end of the day, educators meet according to grade level to discuss a common book which focuses on ministry as Catholic educators. Teachers benefit by gaining ideas they can implement in their classrooms.
Schools receive a modest stipend to implement a program which fosters Catholic Identity in their school during the school year. On the final class day, each school displays a tri-fold board explaining their Saint Remy project from the past year. Participants from various schools will explore the displays and exchange ideas that can be implemented in their schools.
Each January, Saint Remy participants attend a retreat day, which is designed to help them develop their relationship with God and with each other.
Handouts & Forms
Continuing Education Credits
Participants in the Saint Remy Initiative may earn Continuing Education Credits. CEUs are based on the number of contact hours taken for a course. CEUs cannot be applied toward a degree program. Earned CEUs may be useful in maintaining certification or licensure. They may also be useful in documenting continuation of professional education for an employer.
Saint Remy participants have the opportunity to earn up to 6 CEUs each year. CEUs may be earned through attending the Pilgrimage/retreat, Saint Remy class/cohort days, and individual school meetings.
Presentations
Teresa Tomeo is a bestselling author, syndicated Catholic talk show host, and speaker with more than thirty years of experience in print and broadcast media. Her weekday radio program, "Catholic Connection," a co-production of Ave Maria Radio and EWTN, the global Catholic radio network, is heard daily on over 500 stations worldwide, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Her TV show, "The Catholic View for Women," is seen twice weekly on EWTN. Tomeo visited St. Remy in 2018 to discuss her recent book "Beyond Me, My Selfie & I: Finding Real Happiness in a Self-Absorbed World," and to encourage Catholic school teachers and principals to nurture their own spiritual formation in order to strengthen their ministry and the effectiveness of Catholic schools.
Fr. Michael Fish is Camadolese monk and a member of the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur California. He has been given permission by his community to explore solitude and the way of the hermit in greater depth. Although he returns to the Hermitage regularly, he currently lives in a little hermitage on the Central Coast of California. Solitude is only part of his calling and he offers retreats, talks and spiritual direction to religious, parochial and lay communities. Fr. Fish visited the Saint Remy mid-year retreat and inspired Catholic school educators with stories of early Celtic spirituality and his presentation: “Listening to the Heart of God”.
Who We Serve
The Saint Remy Initiative serves 20 local Catholic schools:
- Archbishop Alter High School (Kettering)
- Ascension School (Kettering)
- Bishop Fenwick High School (Franklin)
- Bishop Leibold School (Dayton & Miamisburg)
- Carroll High School (Dayton)
- Catholic Central (Springfield)
- Catholic Central High School (Springfield)
- Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School (Dayton)
- Holy Angels School (Dayton)
- Holy Angels Catholic School (Sidney)
- Immaculate Conception (Celina)
- Incarnation Catholic School (Centerville)
- Lehman Catholic High School (Sidney)
- Mother Brunner (Trotwood)
- Sacred Heart of Jesus School (Fairfield)
- St. Albert the Great Catholic School (Kettering)
- St. Brigid School (Xenia)
- St. Charles Borromeo (Kettering)
- St. Helen School (Riverside)
- St. John XXIII (Middletown)
- St. Patrick School (Troy)