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Individually Scheduled Programs

Some of the Institute's programs, including those for presbyteral unity, mentor training, accent acquisition and diocesan workshops for international priests, are scheduled individually.

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Encore Priests Pre-Retirement

Monday, December 2, 2024 - Thursday, December 5, 2024


St. Bede Hall on the campus of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Seminary and School of Theology.

A Workshop Designed for Priests in Their 60s or Approaching Retirement

Encore Priests prepares priests for their transition into retirement. Of course, priests never fully retire. By the very nature of the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests always have some form of priestly ministry. But how can a mature priest transition into a retirement that is meaningful and vital?

If you're a priest nearing retirement age, this workshop is designed to help you:

  • plan for the transition into retirement

  • make your retirement meaningful and purposeful

  • discover your strengths and your likely challenges, and how to best engage both

  • discover the 15 spiritual growth factors that can transform retirement into an energizing time of personal and spiritual development

  • learn the steps to make the most of your retirement

Retirement Success Profile for Diocesan Priests

Prior to the workshop, participants will complete a Retirement Success Profile designed especially for priests.

This 120-item profile offers the priest an overview of how well he is preparing for retirement. This scientifically designed assessment measures the 15 factors crucial for achieving personal success in retirement:

  • Ministry Reorientation

  • Attitude Toward Retirement

  • Self-Direction

  • Health Perception

  • Financial Security

  • Current Life Satisfaction

  • Projected Life Satisfaction

  • Life Meaning/Spirituality

  • Leisure Interests

  • Personal Adaptability

  • Lifespan Development

  • Felt Responsibility for Caregiving

  • Personal Support System

  • Perception of Age

  • Re-formation of Priestly Work Functions

At the workshop, each participant will review his personalized 23-page report to help him create a personal and successful transition into retirement.

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