By Mary Caton-Rosser
Catholic Herald correspondent

Educators explore spiritual growth at institute

RICE LAKE -- Over 30 Catholic school principals, teachers and directors of religious education in the Superior diocese attended the first session of this year's Spiritual Growth Leadership Institute on Nov. 3 at St. Joseph Church. The institute will take place four times during the coming year in place of the regularly scheduled diocesan principals meetings.

Phyllis Schlagel, superintendent of schools for the Superior diocese, said she was excited about the new inservice for principals because of the strengths they will bring back to their parish schools. "In the development of our schools, it is important for our leaders and teachers to have strong faith and spirituality, and to take this back to their staff."

Last summer, Schlagel attended a nine-day workshop on spiritual development with school superintendent Cynthia Zook of the Duluth, Minn., diocese, and other educators from around the country. The event was sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Boston.

Schlagel completed a draft of a plan by the end of the workshop, outlining the goals of spiritual development for school leaders she works with on a daily basis. "Even though educational goals are important for our educators, we need teachers and principals in our Catholic schools to bring the spiritual dimension to the classroom," she said.

Schlagel said she was pleased with the turnout of nearly all the 17 school principals in the Superior diocese. Because of the long distance drive for many of the rural northern Wisconsin parish school representatives, the first session of the institute was held a day after Claire Helm, Ph.D., director of the Office of Leadership Development for the NCEA, gave a workshop in Rice Lake on school finance.

Helm also spoke the following morning on the topic of "Using the Myers Briggs for Spiritual Development."

After the opening prayer, Helm began her presentation on the well-known Myers Briggs personality type test saying, "Knowing who you are and taking advantage of your strength, will help you feel more fulfilled in your work."

Helm, who worked for 20 years in the Archdiocese of Washington D. C. in a spiritual development leadership program, gave the group a list of suggestions on how to identify weaknesses and strengths. She added, "In your role as a leader, it is part of your job to help people find their strengths and talents. You need to tap into their special skills and talents."

Calling the Myers Briggs "an instrument" in identifying personality type, and agreeing that many daily variables can effect the outcome of the test, Helm said that it is a good start in "creating a rich understanding" of oneself and those that we work and live with on a daily basis.

Sr. Felissa Zander, principal at St. Francis Solanus Mission School in Reserve, said, "We need to have spirituality as a Catholic school leader -- itÍs our main focus. It also needs to be developed within the faculty. Spirituality should be our number one priority."

Fr. James Kinney, pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Rhinelander, agreed.

"We have to remember our business is unique in education. We are dedicated to the salvation of our children. Anything that we can do to help manage that process is critical. Pastors have oversight of this work in our parish schools, and this kind of workshop is important."

Later in the day, Fr. Leon J. Flaherty, CPPS, gave a spirituality-building session called "Images of Jesus," and Fr. Gabriel Baltes, OSB, director of the diocesan Office of Worship, presented "Embracing Our Spiritual Traditions."

Schlagel said that the institute will help to prepare principals and parish leaders for more advanced Christian formation being planned for the school year, 2001-2002.

Throughout the school year, Catholic school leaders in the diocese will be asked to examine the legacy of spiritual traditions within the Catholic Church; identify and design the elements of a comprehensive spiritual formation work plan; find resources and tools helpful in faith development; take time for personal reflection and prayer; and assess their level of religious knowledge and spirituality.

The next sessions of the Spiritual Growth Leadership Institute are planned for Thursday, Jan. 11-12, and March 1-2, at the Servite Center for Life in Ladysmith.

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