| One of the initiatives undertaken at Scotus over the
last couple of years has been a course for the chaplaincy team members
of Queen Margaret Academy in Ayr. This team, made up of teachers,
both from Queen Margaret Academy and feeder schools, and lay volunteers,
made the commitment to attend four training weekends at Scotus over
any one academic year. It was the aim to combine the sessions with
prayer, input, reflection, and social time. .
Each weekend concentrated on a specific
theme that would support the team members in their chaplaincy ministry.
In the first of the initial four scheduled sessions, the theme covered
was Personal Development, reflecting on human and faith development;
the second was a concentration on the sacraments of the Church,
particularly as they are understood and celebrated within the mission
of the Church today. Weekend three looked at the liturgy of the
Church and the necessary skills for celebrating liturgy, particularly
with young people. Finally the fourth gathering identified areas
of concern in Catholicism today, and encouraged a review and deeper
understanding of the Church's teaching on these subjects.
The second year of training concentrated
on prayer and spirituality, and the four sessions were divided up
with a retreat experience, Traditions of Prayer, Resources for Chapliancy
Work, and Praying with the Scriptures.
The topics chosen for
the third year of the programme were: Preparing for Advent; Preparing
for Lent; A Lent Retreat Experience; and Celebrating Liturgy with
Young People.
The fourth and final module
of the programme consisted of four weekends once again devoted to
the spiritual and pastoral development of the participants, with
times for retreat, individual and group prayer, scripture sharing,
lectio divina, and a variety of prayer experiences.
The four week-end modules,
offered over the four year period, gave the chaplaincy team members
the opportunity to grow both in understanding and in confidence
regarding issues crucial to school chaplaincy. It also gave them
the opportunity to come to understand the why and the what of Church
teaching, and to come to this greater level of awareness within
an atmosphere of openness, sincerity and friendship.
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