Spirituality

ACE participants are encouraged to develop their own personal spirituality and faith in the context of community, and to share with one another the journey of becoming committed Catholic school teachers. In each community, ACE teachers have access to the services of local resource people, including a community chaplain, who are available to assist them with their personal and spiritual growth. It is the expectation of the program that members of each community together develop their own spiritual and prayer lives, taking into account the differing schedules and personal experiences of each member of the community.

Consistent with this expectation, an important goal of the program is to provide ACE participants with the tools to become reflective professional educators and people of faith. Summers at Notre Dame offer a variety of opportunities for spiritual growth including daily Mass, retreats, coursework, and prayer services. ACE teachers also gather several times throughout the academic year for retreats designed both to enhance and deepen their faith lives and to build community.

Though participants formally commit themselves to only a brief experience as teachers, ACE seeks to provide talented young people with a meaningful opportunity to explore teaching as a vocation. Ultimately, ACE invites all members to become lifetime advocates for Catholic education as leaders who serve America’s most valuable asset: its children.