The National Catholic Education Commission has published a framework for evaluation of current practice and strategic enhancement of staff faith formation. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has endorsed the document, A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education.
What is Formation?
Formation is Christ-centred. It is scripturally rich and grounded in the Church.
Formation is intentional, ongoing and reflective. It starts from people’s lived experiences and focuses on the growth of individuals and communities in spiritual awareness, theological understanding, vocational motivation, and in capabilities for mission and service in the world.
In short, formation for the mission of Catholic Education is a process that is systematic, collaborative, graduated and ongoing.
The Framework
A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education is a resource for educational leaders with responsibility for faith staff formation. This responsibility applies to the principals, leadership teams and school governance bodies of Catholic schools and those with director, mission leadership, governance and formation roles in diocesan, religious institute and ministerial public juridic person entities and systems.
This framework is offered as a resource for the evaluation of current practice and strategic enhancement of formation for mission of leaders and staff in Australian Catholic schools and systems.
There is a formative dimension to every aspect of Catholic schooling. Therefore, this document provides not only a framework for formation, but an orientation for the whole life of a Catholic educational community. All members of the community can find themselves in this framework, as it presents understandings that are fundamental to the formation of all individuals and communities, leaders, staff, parents and students.
Leading Formation for Mission: A Practical Guide
Leading Formation for Mission: A Practical Guide (‘A Formator’s Guide’) is a resource for educational leaders with responsibility for formation for mission in Catholic education. It is a companion publication to A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education (2017). The resource aims to assist leaders in their consideration, development and evaluation of current practice and inform the strategic enhancement of formation for mission. This framework was prepared by the NCEC Faith Formation and Religious Education Standing Committee in partnership with writers from ACU’s La Salle Academy.