Fall 2026
WHAT ARE ONGOING FORMATION CIRCLES?
At RFC one of our passions is creating opportunities for religious to come together and share experiences, insights and questions related to religious life.
We believe that ongoing formation is key to wholehearted living and integration of the many facets of consecrated life.
Ongoing Formation Circles were created out of a need in religious life to attend to the lifelong work of ongoing formation. By engaging in both small and large group discussions, we hope to bring together women and men religious to delve deeper into the topics that are important to religious life in the 21st century. Our hope is that these Circles will be intercongregational, intercultural, and intergenerational.
ABOUT THE FALL SERIES
The Art of Accompaniment: A Way of Being
Accompaniment lies at the heart of the Gospel and the vocation of every religious. Whether serving in formation, leadership, pastoral ministry, or community life, we are continually invited to walk with others in ways that foster growth, freedom, and deeper relationship with God.
Drawing on years of experience in psychological, spiritual, and ministerial accompaniment, Fr. Patrick McDevitt, PhD, president of the St. Luke Institute, will lead participants in exploring accompaniment not simply as a ministry skill, but as a way of being. Through reflection, practical wisdom, and conversation, this three-part series will examine how accompaniment begins with our own interior life, extends into our relationships with others, and shapes the way we lead and build healthy communities.
Each 90-minute session includes a 45-minute presentation, small-group conversation, and large-group integration, creating space for participants to learn from one another's experience while integrating practical insights into their own ministries and communities.
UPCOMING FALL 2026 SESSIONS
Session One – Accompaniment of Self
"You Cannot Walk with Others Where You Have Not Gone Yourself"
Thursday, September 10 | 1:00–2:30 pm CT
Healthy accompaniment begins within. This session explores the interior foundations of accompaniment through self-awareness, prayer, emotional maturity, and inner freedom. Participants will reflect on how their own stories, wounds, and patterns influence the way they accompany others.
Session Two – Accompaniment of the Other
"Listening Beyond Words: The Practice of Presence"
Thursday, October 8 | 1:00–2:30 pm CT
What does it mean to truly accompany another person? This session focuses on cultivating deep listening, asking life-giving questions, and respecting the dignity, freedom, and pace of another's journey. Participants will consider how accompaniment differs from advising, fixing, or directing.
Session Three – Accompaniment in Community & Mission
"Holding Space in Times of Change, Tension, and Hope"
Thursday, November 12 | 1:00–2:30 pm CT
Religious communities are called to accompany one another through change, conflict, intercultural living, and new realities of mission. This final session explores accompaniment as a communal practice that strengthens leadership, fosters discernment, and creates communities where hope can flourish.
FEE
The fees for all three Fall 2026 Ongoing Formation Circles (series) are as follows:
- RFC members: $40
- Non-members: $55
Please don't hesitate to contact us by email at rfc@relforcon.org with any questions.